Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Nelson!

Since last February when we changed our babysitter, things have been going really well on the childcare front. Bart and Lisa had a great summer with a nice bunch of kids from their classes at school. Now that school is back in session, the babysitter does half-day care for Bart and after school care for Lisa, and also looks after some of the other summer kids. She also took on a new kid from Bart’s class who we’ll call Nelson. Nelson is a jerk.

It’s not easy for me to call a 5-year-old a jerk, but he is. On his first day, he intentionally bit Bart on the face, breaking the skin. When the babysitter brought it up with his mother, the mom said, “Nelson, that wasn’t nice.” Now, maybe she’s not one to tip her hand in the presence of the new babysitter, but wouldn’t you think that such a revelation would require more outrage? If my kid were the biter, I’d be on the phone to the other mom apologizing and letting her know what the punishment for my kid would be. My kid would be made to apologize to the other kid, probably with a box of Superman Band-Aids as a peace offering.

Both the babysitter and Bart are constantly telling me the rotten things that Nelson does on a daily basis: purposely excluding one or two of the kids from a game; upending a board game or puzzle others are working on; licking another kid’s treat when the babysitter turns her back; hurtfully mocking something another kid likes (like a toy or tv show).

I asked Lisa what she thought of Nelson. Her response? He’s a twit AND he has an older sister and brother, who are also mean little jerks. It makes you wonder what’s going on at their house.

As Bart told me another Nelson tale this morning, I said, “Bart, I don’t think you should play with Nelson anymore.” But what if he yells and says I have to play with him? “Tell him your mom said he’s too mean to play with.”

Bart just giggled.

Nelson Muntz. Not to be emulated by a 5-year-old.

9 comments:

Pickles and Dimes said...

Ugh. Kids like that set me on edge. Although, like you said, if the other siblings are mean too, it makes you wonder what their home life is like.

Nowheymama said...

This kind of thing gives me nervous tummy (TM Tessie). A friend of K's has a little girl on the bus who has been threatening to "punch her in the face."

I like your answer to Bart.

Astarte said...

Crap. I hate Nelsons. Obviously, from the way his mother reacted, their household lacks discipline. You'll probably see them on Supernanny one of these weeks. Has she mentioned maybe not having him there anymore? I can't imagine having a child like that into my home on a daily basis. Ugh.

Misty said...

*Being* the mother of a biter who has bitten on the face and broken the skin and read farrrrr too many articles and talked to too many professionals, etc. etc.,

Five years old is too old to bite. They are supposed to grow out of it in the second year of life. At five years old, that is just intentional malice.

I hate jerky kids. But I am the *scary* mama. Makes me want to go take Nelson down a couple of notches myself. Jerk.

Chantal said...

5 years old and still biting... Holy Cow. I can understand your outrage. I am like you, I go out of my way to make my kids apologize when they do something stupid or mean.

One of my old caregivers had a similar situation with one of her kids. Finally she had enough and asked the parents to find new child care arrangements. It was hard for her (the caregiver) cause she knew the parents on a personal level but she even admitted that they were not parenting their own kids and the results were terrible.

BTW your comment on my post about PMS, I checked my calendar (yes I keep a calendar of this) and I am due to start in two days. LOL that explains oh so much!

Jess said...

This is sad. Clearly something funky is up at their house because this is not a normal way for kids to be.

Also, Lisa is very perceptive.

Fiona Picklebottom said...

Ahhhh, mean child biting another's face memories... Yeah, sucks. Don't you just want to go and punch them all (the kid AND the parents)? I won't say any more, since I don't want to have to shut down ANOTHER blog. :) Hope Bart's okay.

Erin said...

Dang, that's a serious BITE. Whoo boy. Sucks when you don't have control over things like that, you know? Sorry. I hope it gets better.

Beck said...

I would tell the babysitter that her services would no longer be needed unless Nelson took a freaking hike.