This is small, but I am stressed

**daddys3chicks** · 06-15-2005, 08:03 AM

Yesterday I kept the daughter of a friend of mine who is a year older than Katie - 8. My friend was having trouble finding child care for a couple of days, so she asked me. I didn't have any problem with it because Katie and Claire play well together.

Monday we went to Jeepers and the girls had a ball. Yesterday, my 2 DDs had swim lessons at our neighborhood pool, so we sent the day there.

I put sunscreen on the girls before they went, and a few times during the day. They spent the entire day in the pool, in the water and had a ball.

Well, after I went to sleep last night, apparently Claire's dad called and talked to DH. (My friend is divorced). The Dad was yelling about Claire being sunburned, and how this had ruined their plans for the week - they can't take her to the park or out on the boat on Sunday.

Okay, they WERE out all day. I probably could have been more diligent with the sunscreen. BUT, she didn't look sunburned to me! When her step dad picked her up, he even commented tha tif he had been out all day he would have been a crisp - so obviously she wasnt too sunburned.

The Dad said when he went to pick her up she had ice packs on her eyes she was so sunburned. The kid wore goggles all day. I talked to my friend and she said she was sunburned but it was not that bad and she did NOT have an ice pack on her eyes.

Anyway, he insisted I call him today. I am so dreading this. The man is a nut anyway.

I admit I could have done better, but the girls were just having so much fun I hated to take them in and keep them inside.

Anyway - prayers and good thoughts for this phone call would be appreciated.

**Daphne** · 06-15-2005, 08:28 AM

I will say a little prayer for you and hope everything turns out okay. Let us know.

**Darlene** · 06-15-2005, 08:35 AM

Don't let him bully you. Remind him that even he didn't notice she had a sunburn.If she had puffy eyes it's probably from the chlorine. He gets nasty just say you did your best,treated her like you did your daughter, sorry, have a nice day, gtg and hang up. Don't be his punching bag. Wonder why your friend divorced him...

**sunshine** · 06-15-2005, 08:57 AM

I agree-- you didn't treat her any different than you did your own daughter. Don't let him make you feel guilty.

Burns DO tend to get worse after a few hours though-- so it's possible that she was burned worse than either of you first realized.

Who has custody of the girl? If it's the mom, then I would only deal with her. I would not even bother calling him back. . . . .If it's him, then I'd call him- but not allow him to push off the guilt on you.

**daddys3chicks** · 06-15-2005, 09:52 AM

Well, I called him. Luckily it was his work number, so I figured he would have to be civil since he was there. They couldn't get him, so I chickened out and left a voice mail. I basically told him I was sorry Claire got a sunburn. I told him we did use sunscreen and that I treated her like she was one of my own. I talked about how much fun the girls had and that my Katie loved having her there. I apologized again before I said goodbye. I am hoping that he will be calmed down enough and just let it go.

My friend Kim has custody of Claire, and she is not upset. She said it happens, and now CLaire will remember sunscreen the next time. She also said Claire has come home from the Dad's sunburned before and she never said anything.

The Dad is simply a control freak and everything is all about him. She's sunburned and now they can't go to to park or on the boat on Sunday. Well, if it was my kid, I'd go and just take precautions.

I just don't want him to use this against Kim. She is fine, she just wants to be informed of what is going on. And come to find out the real reason he's ticked is because she had Claire at my house. He wants her at his house is she is not at summer camp. Kim doesn't want this because the step mom has a bad attitude which rubs off on Claire.

Anyway, I am glad I got to punt on this one!