I am the mother of William, the kid who was expelled on the first day of the Winter Camp just past…read more My son is 4.5 years old. For his first time, he attended winter camp last December.
At 1pm on the first day, without talking to us, Patti refunded and canceled William's seat. Although she emailed me at 10am, she couldn't bear to wait for my reply, neither did I or my husband received a call from MCM, and our phones were both active as ATT can tell. No way both of us were unreachable, she just didn't try. Maybe they hurried to check the waitlist but I just guess.
At least, she could have talked to us at pickup.
The reason she gave AFTER she's done with removing him, was as below:
"when one child is stomping their feet, grunting, eye rolling and actively defying requests to do things in name of safety. With explanations - William we can' t stay in ______ because we must be with the group. William we can't use the balloons right now those are for another activity. I must make sure all the children are cared for. When William threw a tantrum in the atrium and gripped on to the leg of the chalkboard - it causes him and the other children to miss out on planned activities and enrichment."
Honestly I don't think stomping feet, grunting and even eye rolling is unusual with any little kid not only mine, but I agreed other behaviors must have been troubles, if it was so. I supposed she got impulsive, as I may do sometimes.
So I apologized to Patti by email in the evening, after I heard about this from dad who picked William up.
I explained to Patti that it was due to my lack of communication to William, to make him clear that the winter camp was an organized program like school class, not like the usual free play in MCM, further, I told Patti William could get very nervous per the first time he participates such a program with absence of parents but he would be better after a bit of time. I also let her know that we have had long talks with William and his Christmas gift had been cancelled in order to get him impressed of this lesson, and William had catched up with the awareness of following directions.
On the next available day, I also took William to see Patti. We, my son and myself, both apologizd to her in person, with little gift for the museum team just to show our understanding to them, and a drawing William just did for them.
I even proved to her how William could listen to directions on our visit. I begged Patti to give my boy just a chance, even one more day or half day, just to let him feel the world still is kind to him and not sick of him - I was mostly concerned about the psychological impact on William. And I also offered to be volunteer or donate more to make up my son's mistakes that had given her or the teachers a hard time.
What else can I do?
But she never considered our request from the beginning, stating that she's got a boss and she has reported the removal to the boss and no change can be made. But why she was just able to remove us?
Another inconsistency of the program was, it let William participate in the program at 4.5 yo, but after she expelled him, she used age as an excuse saying he had to be 5. I'd prefer he never joined because the feelings of hurt and frustration can last ever.
Kids are sensitive and indeed William never initiated to go there ever again. Of course as the only MCM on Jackson metro they don't really mind us not going again.
William goes to daycare followed by school at 2yo, and is never considered abnormal or dangerous, his semester behavior at school is attached. Although he gets fuzzy, nervous, restless, not listening or over active by times.
It was on 12/23 when Patti canceled his seat , without talking to us before she did. She never thought about our Christmas of course.
I have talked about this with Emily, Patti's boss, she only defends her and try to prove they were never wrong, not showing any understanding to us.
Cold, rude, inconsistent.
