Gareth

My child was broken hearted

Twice now we have arranged to get Raquel along. The first time she let us know she was ill on the day she was to come round, she says. Fair enough, so my wife rearranged with her for today.

She was supposed to be here at 10. Just after that she messaged my wife to say she was waiting for the bus. She has ghosted us since, despite her phone ringing out. I rang her supposed “emergency contact” which it turns out is a Spanish number.

My son and wife rang me at work around 2 to tell me how sad he was. He was looking forward to asking her what colour the Spanish empire was on the map, and what their most important colony was. Yesterday he was asking how to say Spanish words such as pencil. We had spent days preparing him for her visit and he was as disappointed in his voice as I have ever heard. He was really let down in his heart by her and that’s the first time that’s happened in his five year old life.

Raquel claims an awful lot of childcare experience, working with troubled children. Maybe, but I would take it with a couple of pinches of salt.

It’s now 5pm and we havent heard anything out of her despite us both calling and leaving messages.

I just read this out to my son and asked him if he would like to add anything and he said “say ‘our child’s heart is broken’”

I earlier used it as a teaching aid and he, unprompted, told me his feelings were “sad” “frustrated” and “angry” and I’m proud of him for being able to know his feelings unprompted.

• Overall
• Communication

by Gareth about Raquel (Babysitter) on 18/04/2025