Bored Panda works better on our iPhone app
Continue in app Continue in browser

BoredPanda Add post form topAdd Post Search
Tooltip close

The Bored Panda iOS app is live! Fight boredom with iPhones and iPads here.

10 Y.O. Doesn’t Want To Be The Carer Of Her Special Needs Classmate During A School Trip But The Classmate’s Mom Doesn’t Care
User submission
2.1K
650.4K

10 Y.O. Doesn’t Want To Be The Carer Of Her Special Needs Classmate During A School Trip But The Classmate’s Mom Doesn’t Care

Interview
ADVERTISEMENT

There are a lot of worries when a woman is pregnant. Because at this time, she no longer is worried only for her own health, but the baby’s too. And even if the mom is as careful as she can be, sometimes it doesn’t depend on her whether the baby will be born healthy or not.

The baby can have various physical and mental issues and it is always a challenge for the parents. A mom on Reddit has four children and one of them has autism and ADHD. That has made his sister very good at dealing with such issues, but that led to a classmate’s mom trying to take advantage of it. The mom feels bad for denying help even though that is the only way to protect her daughter.

More info: Reddit

A classmate’s mom wanted to take advantage of a 10 Y.O. girl. Her mom defended her daughter, but at the same time, she felt bad for doing it

Image credits: star5112 (not the actual photo)

The Original Poster (OP) who goes by shoopersharn is a 35-year-old mom who has 3 daughters of the ages 10, 4 and 1 and she has a 6-year-old son. For the sake of the story, the OP calls her son Luke and the oldest daughter Izzy.

Luke is the one with autism and ADHD. Like everyone with such a diagnosis, they might be hard to handle sometimes. Izzy is used to it and she has actually picked up how to accommodate him and gained “saintly patience” as the mom put it.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: shoopersharn

The girl is very good with accommodating children with special needs as she learnt it from having to live with her brother

Image credits: shoopersharn

Izzy showed how mature and kind she is not only with her brother, but with a classmate that the OP called Maisy. This girl also has autism and severe anxiety, so for Izzy, this is not something new, which is why she knows how to help her calm down.

The mom is very proud that her daughter is so kind and helpful, but because Izzy is so good at it, she was asked to look after Maisy and live in the same room during a school trip because that would calm her down as she has never been away from home before. Izzy agreed, but it seems that she said it to be polite, as she came home crying and not looking forward to it whatsoever.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: shoopersharn

She opened up to her mom that she just wanted to have fun on the trip and have a break from always taking care of others, which naturally caused stress to her. Her 10-year-old shoulders shouldn’t carry this burden and the mom’s heart broke, especially knowing that because of the pandemic, Izzy hasn’t had the chance to be a kid as everything was shut down so she was forced to stay at home with Luke being cranky and a toddler asking for attention.

Raising Luke is a task on its own, but while being pregnant and the OP’s husband working, it became even more complicated. Additionally, Luke isn’t very excited about the baby and he needs as much attention as the newborn does, so in the end, Izzy doesn’t get that much time with her parents.

She has a classmate who responds very well to her so she was asked to share a room on a school trip with her

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: shoopersharn

The mom understands that, so she contacted the teacher and asked for Izzy to not be put in the same room as Maisy. The teacher was very understanding and knowing the situation with Luke, agreed that Izzy deserves a break.

ADVERTISEMENT

However, Maisy’s mom didn’t think so. She wanted shoopersharn to pressure her daughter into agreeing, but the OP respected Izzy’s choice. Maisy’s mom started insulting the OP and guilt tripping her, saying that she should understand how it feels as they both have neurodivergent children. Plus, Maisy probably won’t go on the trip because without Izzy, she won’t be able to cope with her anxiety.

Image credits: shoopersharn

Izzy expected the trip to be relaxing and didn’t want such a responsibility, so her mom asked the school to put her daughter in another room

Image credits: shoopersharn

In one of the responses to the comments, shoopersharn guessed that Maisy’s mom really wants Izzy to be there for Maisy because she herself wants to take a rest. She is a single mom and her husband left right before lockdown, so both her own and her daughter’s mental health have suffered. Also, she doesn’t want Maisy to feel abandoned again, which could happen when she finds out Izzy changed her mind.

ADVERTISEMENT

Izzy’s dad thinks that there is no need to feel bad about this because Maisy’s situation is none of their business, let alone their child’s. But the OP can’t stop thinking about what Maisy’s mom said and is sad that she can’t do anything about it.

The classmate’s mom was really unhappy about it and tried to guilt trip the OP as they both shared the experience of raising a neurodiverse child

Image credits: shoopersharn

Bored Panda contacted shoopersharn and she told us that people’s response in the comments really helped her out to feel less anxious about the situation, “Lots of people PMed me telling me their stories of being forced to care for classmates / siblings and it put everything into perspective on how I am going to deal with things with school. She’s a kid and deserves to be.”

People in the comments pointed out that the OP herself can’t do anything, but she shouldn’t force her daughter to do something either because it is not her responsibility. As many worded it, Izzy is not an emotional support animal or a therapist or a social worker. She is a child and asking her to parent someone else’s child to make the adults feel more at ease is absurd.

ADVERTISEMENT

Image credits: shoopersharn

The OP wants her daughter to be a child, but at the same time she felt she should have helped the other mom

Image credits: shoopersharn

The OP didn’t change her mind about putting her daughter in the same room with Maisy and when Izzy found it out she was relieved. The mom told us that “She was simply happy I understood.” The parent also added, “She really enjoyed the trip, though she is knackered now and it was the best decision.”

We would like to know what would you have done in OP’s situation, and do you think Izzy has a moral obligation to take care of Maisy because she is good at communicating with children with special needs? How do you think the mom should balance letting Izzy be a kid but not leave Luke out at the same time? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

People in the comments thought that the classmate’s mom had no right to ask another child to take care of her daughter and the OP shouldn’t worry about being a jerk

650Kviews

Share on Facebook
You May Like
Popular on Bored Panda
Hey pandas, what do you think?
Add photo comments
POST
jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember as a child that I would be burdened with things I did not want to do because I was good at them. That included caring for other children. In reality, it caused me stress and distress. It should never be a child's responsibility to manage the problems and medical conditions of another child. The adults need to figure out a solution that doesn't burden another child.

donotreplytokjk avatar
Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The OP feels guilty about overburdening her kid by making her take on classmates as well as a sibling, and doesn't realize she's already overburdening the kid. It's not in her interest to do that, overburdened children tend to run screaming away from their families of origin as soon as it's feasible, so if the OP doesn't change things she's going to be shocked, SHOCKED, to find that in a few years from now, Izzy is only applying to out-of-state colleges.

Load More Replies...
airtnat avatar
Airt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just an idea but maybe if those parents thought that their two children (one with special needs) need them and their attention they sholud not get another two children and dump reaponsibilities on the oldest daughter? I have nothing against big families but if you can take care of them not just make as many babies as possible and then cry that it's hard.

anthonyroberts avatar
Anthony Roberts
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree. Birth control is cheap. Four kids (especially with one being very special needs) is not.

Load More Replies...
delphinum4 avatar
Zophra
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course the parent is in the right and her daughter should have a choice and not have to be with Maisy, but still the whole situation is just sad. Seems like the teacher needs to think more creatively with Maisy's mother to accomodate her child without leaning on a 10 year old as a constant solution.

chrisscritchfield avatar
ZentheOgre
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am sorry but it looks like Maisy's Mom (ain't got it going on) is using this class trip as an excuse to get freedom. I know it's draining having a child with autism and that parent date nights are few and far between though me and the wife still find time for brunch at the cafe or such while the kids are in school. If this kid has such separation anxiety did you run it by her therapist to see if it was in Maisy's best interest. Are you prepared for a freakout if an anxiety attack hits and she attacks another student/teacher while in fight of flight that tries to calm her down. How long would it take for mom to show up to pick her up. I am sorry but if Maisy want to do this trip the mother should chaperone.

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
jmchoto avatar
Jo Choto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember as a child that I would be burdened with things I did not want to do because I was good at them. That included caring for other children. In reality, it caused me stress and distress. It should never be a child's responsibility to manage the problems and medical conditions of another child. The adults need to figure out a solution that doesn't burden another child.

donotreplytokjk avatar
Otter
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The OP feels guilty about overburdening her kid by making her take on classmates as well as a sibling, and doesn't realize she's already overburdening the kid. It's not in her interest to do that, overburdened children tend to run screaming away from their families of origin as soon as it's feasible, so if the OP doesn't change things she's going to be shocked, SHOCKED, to find that in a few years from now, Izzy is only applying to out-of-state colleges.

Load More Replies...
airtnat avatar
Airt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just an idea but maybe if those parents thought that their two children (one with special needs) need them and their attention they sholud not get another two children and dump reaponsibilities on the oldest daughter? I have nothing against big families but if you can take care of them not just make as many babies as possible and then cry that it's hard.

anthonyroberts avatar
Anthony Roberts
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree. Birth control is cheap. Four kids (especially with one being very special needs) is not.

Load More Replies...
delphinum4 avatar
Zophra
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Of course the parent is in the right and her daughter should have a choice and not have to be with Maisy, but still the whole situation is just sad. Seems like the teacher needs to think more creatively with Maisy's mother to accomodate her child without leaning on a 10 year old as a constant solution.

chrisscritchfield avatar
ZentheOgre
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am sorry but it looks like Maisy's Mom (ain't got it going on) is using this class trip as an excuse to get freedom. I know it's draining having a child with autism and that parent date nights are few and far between though me and the wife still find time for brunch at the cafe or such while the kids are in school. If this kid has such separation anxiety did you run it by her therapist to see if it was in Maisy's best interest. Are you prepared for a freakout if an anxiety attack hits and she attacks another student/teacher while in fight of flight that tries to calm her down. How long would it take for mom to show up to pick her up. I am sorry but if Maisy want to do this trip the mother should chaperone.

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
Popular on Bored Panda
Trending on Bored Panda
Also on Bored Panda