When school shootings started to be the in-thing I was well out of the school system. While I was thankful that I would never need to worry about a fellow student losing it and shooting up the school, I was fearful of my dad. He is a teacher at a public high school. I used to have nightmares of a disgruntled student walking into his classroom with a gun hidden in his backpack. I dont think my dad has ever been worried about this. Which is fine, since I was worried enough for the both of us.
Ive grown up and Ive moved on to worrying about other things besides a shooting at my dads school. I work in an office and now I worry about a disgruntled employee with a gun hidden in his laptop case. Or maybe a wronged ex-wife or lover. Hey, you never know. Everyone is capable of becoming disgruntled.
Everyday I go to work and everyday Babboos at daycare. Ill be honest and tell you that I dont give him much thought during the day. Im busy at work and I know hes safe, happy and healthy at daycare. I trust where hes at and so I dont feel the need to worry. His teachers are capable. The daycare location is secure. And hes happy.
It wasnt until yesterdays police shooting in downtown Seattle that I realized I needed to be worrying about a freakin shooting involving my child.
The shooting happened just a little too close for comfort to all of us. While nobody in my precious family was ever in danger during the shooting, we were near real live guns that real live bullets were being shot out of.
Im not comfortable with this.
Thankfully Babboos daycare was on top of things yesterday. A notification to all of the parents went out immediately assuring us that all of our children (and the daycare employees) were safe and inside the building.
I appreciated that. I needed to hear it.
Peace of mind is a good thing for a mother. Especially one thats not physically with her child all day.
Isabel is a pseudonym for this Seattle-based blogger. She’s been working since the day she realized soda and lip gloss weren’t free. Isabel became a mom in 2006 and continues to work full time, outside the home, since diapers and mortgages aren’t free either. You can read far too much about her personal life at hola,isabel.
If you have questions, anecdotes, or topics for Double duty. One paycheck., email Isabel at holaisabel [at] gmail.com.
|