What an awful experience. In an attempt to bring a sense of normalcy and play in a controlled environment during this pandemic, my wife and I signed up our two-year-old daughter to attend weekly classes at My Gym - Dobbs Ferry. Though there were no "free play" opportunities where families could bring their children several times a week in addition to their once a week structured class, the price remained the same - but we like to support local businesses, so we joined anyway.
My daughter seemed to enjoy the classes (she just likes to socialize) so we brought her... Today, though, the modest joy crumbled as the staff decided to be nasty and spiteful. We arrived a few moments later than usual, but still before class had started. The employee said, "Hi," but did not let my daughter in and instead walked over, pressed play, started the music, walked over to the circle, and started class...without us. When my daughter attempted to join "circle time" she was stopped and told she couldn't join because her temperature needed to be taken - this could have happened in five seconds, before the instructor pressed play. Instead, my daughter had to wait, separated from the other children and had to watch them play while she sat on the sidelines. My wife and I are both educators and we know this is not the way to treat children - inequitable, unequal, and downright nasty. Instead of being apologetic or understanding (as the customer base is children) the instructor tried to justify her actions by citing "policy" though we have seen children enter without temperatures being taken, children coughing, children with runny noses, etc.
The spite continued throughout the class - my daughter patiently waited for the swing but was denied an opportunity as the instructor decided to end swing time before she had a chance. Imagine how children are treated when no parent is present - scary.
Horrified at how we - how my daughter - had been treated, we thought it best to call the owner and explain what had happened. The owner listened to our complaint and tried to justify what happened - "She's alone," "She's only one person," all of which I didn't understand, was she telling me she was understaffed? At the expense of what? Our children? Absurd!
She ultimately refunded the money we had pre-paid for future sessions and offered a lukewarm apology stating, "I mean, what do you want me to do, fire Jessica?" Of course, that is not what we wanted, we just wanted to bring to light the mistreatment of her customers; but she offered no other resolution.
We do not want to see local businesses fail or go under, but no one is entitled to succeed, you must earn success. read more