Since when is doing something nice for a child a bad thing??? little long.

[Irenesmommy]

I  had the worst day today, a little back story, dd has afternoon preschool, every day when I arrive to pick up dd there is this girl that is always sitting up front waiting for her daycare to pick her up. Over the course of 10 months I've spoken to her, read with her, my dd made her countless pictures and "gifts" (dd likes to paint rocks for people). On monday I brought in a copy of shel silversteins the giving tree, I'm going to have all of dd's teachers sign it, and I will give it to her when she graduates. This little girl started reading it, but it was time to pick up dd so I asked for it back. I felt bad she didn't get to finish it. So I picked up another copy of the book and gave it to her so she could finish it. Today the secretary hands it back to me, telling me that her mother said she can't have it, that they don't except handouts. I almost cried.

[jmsbowtie]

So you personally know every parent that helps in your childs class, every sub, every school employee?  Wow

Quoting mlsc85:

As a parent I prefer to know every adult that is in my child's life.

Quoting Irenesmommy:

[Irenesmommy]

exactly, I worked for many years as a classroom assistant before I got my degree, I can say I never met one of the parents of the kids I knew and helped. I didn't get to know parents until I started working head start and personally met them as they signed the kids in and out

Quoting jmsbowtie:

So you personally know every parent that helps in your childs class, every sub, every school employee?  Wow

Quoting mlsc85:

As a parent I prefer to know every adult that is in my child's life.

Quoting Irenesmommy:

[jmsbowtie]

Yeah when my kids were little I'd volunteer in the their classrooms and I still never met all the parents. 

Quoting Irenesmommy:

exactly, I worked for many years as a classroom assistant before I got my degree, I can say I never met one of the parents of the kids I knew and helped. I didn't get to know parents until I started working head start and personally met them as they signed the kids in and out

Quoting jmsbowtie:

So you personally know every parent that helps in your childs class, every sub, every school employee?  Wow

Quoting mlsc85:

As a parent I prefer to know every adult that is in my child's life.

Quoting Irenesmommy:

[Irenesmommy]

I find it kind of silly for someone to say they know everyone their kid comes in contact with, unless you are with them all day every day at school. There are volunteer parents that come and go.

Quoting jmsbowtie:

Yeah when my kids were little I'd volunteer in the their classrooms and I still never met all the parents. 

Quoting Irenesmommy:

exactly, I worked for many years as a classroom assistant before I got my degree, I can say I never met one of the parents of the kids I knew and helped. I didn't get to know parents until I started working head start and personally met them as they signed the kids in and out

Quoting jmsbowtie:

So you personally know every parent that helps in your childs class, every sub, every school employee?  Wow

Quoting mlsc85:

As a parent I prefer to know every adult that is in my child's life.

Quoting Irenesmommy:

[TSR]

In that case would you not have made an effort to contact the mom (op)?? Or even give her a chance to explain her side? Really, The Giving Tree is one of the best books a child can read. It's all about being loving and doing something nice for others.

I just don't get how you go wrong with a book? Especially that one?

Quoting theycallmemom4:

But unfortunately that's how it can start. A small present here, gain the child's trust and then something bigger next time until it's easy for the "trusted" person to run off with the child. Obviously that is not the case with the OP BUT as a mother, I'd protect my child. In today's world, we can't even trust Sunday school teachers anymore. Although I think it's wonderful that the OP tried to give a child a book, not everyone is going to take it as a harmless gesture. You don't know anything about this child or her mother's history. Maybe mom has to work because she left an abusive SO or something that has broken this mom's trust in general. 

As I have stated, I think it was wonderful that the OP gave her a book but as a mother who doesn't know her, I would feel strange that someone was giving my child a present. I would also be pissed at the school for allowing any type of relationship to develop between my child and someone I do not know.

Quoting ladymadrox:

Quoting mlsc85:

What I'm saying is that the mother should have attempted to meet this kind lady, a book is hardly a dangerous gift. Please. And that little girl sat by herself everyday, and who knows how long she went to daycare? Hey I know that its probably not the mothers fault working is more obviously important but for Christ sakes its not like she was kidnapping her.

[ditsyjo]

oh that stinks. having enough pride to take care of your family is on thing but...not letting a little one acept a gift... that is to much pride