Sooner Than Expected
Free at last! Free at last! Thank God (insert something secular) Almighty, I am free at last!
And two workdays sooner than expected.
Here’s what went down yesterday…
Since my bosses decided last Friday not to add a third person to our crèche to help with the ten (soon to be eleven or twelve) children ages 4 months to 15 months (which was also a major catalyst for quitting when I did), they also either never took into account, or simply ignored that, with one of us opening the creche and one closing, there was a 3 hour gap where each of us was working solo. The result being that from about 9:00 until 10:30 in the morning I was alone with 8 children on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 9 children yesterday.
Which is not only a mental and physical strain, but is also illegal in pretty much any modernized country. In Pennsylvania, the child:teacher ratio depends on the age of the youngest child. So, since the youngest was 4 months old, legally, had I been in PA, the ratio would be 4:1. According to Kind en Gezin, the governing body of childcare regulations in Belgium, the ratio for the age group in my creche is 5:1. Either way, I was pretty much running at double the legal capacity. I sent a message to my manager saying I was alone with 9 kids and it was too much, but she never answered me back.
Needless to say, it was insane. So much so that at least 3 parents commented on the situation and I was left to shrug and say, “I dunno.”
Because there is absolutely no fucking excuse for leaving one daycare worker in charge of nine children, half of which are babies, alone. Anyone, even someone with no experience in childcare can see that. But anyway, that’s the situation I was in for the third day in a row (the week before a few kids were sick so I was caring for 6-7 children alone for the first few hours) and that was about the time my physical ability to endure the work load failed. I’ve had a knot in the mid-left side of my back for a week or two now and yesterday the knot turned into a fire ball.
Lifting my left arm and shoulder began to cause back pain.
Standing up caused back pain.
Breathing caused back pain.
So I finally caved and called the doctor (while juggling two kids on my lap and keeping another entertained with my foot) and made an appointment.
CB came with me to better explain the full situation (I could’ve done this myself but he knew how stressed and upset I was so he came for moral support) and after hearing the whole story, plus seeing the fact that I was clearly in pain, the doctor told me I had to rest my back and he gave me sick leave for the rest of the week.
I will never have to go back to Brussels again.
Okay, that’s a lie, cause the embassy is there and sometimes some good concerts and events.
But I’ll never have to go back to that particular place again. I’m mailing the keys, uniform and sick note today and spending the next several days enjoying Gent and the tranquility of a city that takes it’s time and treats its residents like human beings (well, mostly, with the exception of Immigrant Hell, although Immigrant Hell borders on pleasant compared to Brussels rush hour).
Related posts:
yes don’t let your health be undermined by it. Enjoy your rest so you are reloaded for your new job without long commutes. Yeay.
And shouldn’t you report the understaffed situation to Kind & Gezin? it is indeed illegal & insane?!
I am so glad that you have left that horrific situation behind you, and that a week of rest will heal your back. Good luck with your new job. How are your latte art skills?
Report them! Report them! Is there somewhere to report them to, or is it not worth the effort of Belgian red tape hell?
I hope your back feels better – I imagine leaving there will ease your stress and help that quite quickly.
When do you start the new job?
I’m with Laura. There has to be somewhere to report them to.
Rest and let you back heal. Also, enjoy your time off! You’ve definitely earned it.