Going Back to Diapers Again

Daycare Call

2 was voted the most so Suzie will have to pretend to be a toddler (again)

After anxiously tapping her desk Lucy finally got an answer.

"Hello, Harmony Daycare how may I help you?" Another voice came over.

"This is Lucy Gryphon," Lucy answered. "I'd like to sign up my daughter for daycare."

Lucy heard typing on the other end. "There are plenty of spots open since it's the start of the new year. How old is your daughter?"

"Well before I do that I just need to explain something. I won't say how old she is just yet but she's a little behind on development. She's in diapers. She hasn't started potty training yet. What department takes care of diapered children?"

"Well, there's the infants and also the toddler programs. They're the programs that deal with diapers. The toddlers have a step-up program for when they're ready for potty training but if you're just starting that'll be in a year. How old is your daughter exactly?"

Lucy asked a question first. "What's the age range for the toddlers?"

She heard some more typing before getting an answer. "It's around 1 to 2-year-olds, but if your daughter is a little late in development we'll take her. In the same class, we have 2 year 2-year-olds and a few older ones. I think there's one who just turned 3 in there too, so I don't think she'll stick out. How old exactly is she?"

Lucy looked at the baby monitor. Suzie looked so peaceful at the moment in her onesie in her crib. She looked at her sucking her pacifier in her sleep and her small chest rising and falling as she slept. She had done this sort of thing before.

"She's 2 and a half."

"Great. She'll fit in just fine. The cost is $100 for the initial fee and then $150 per week. There's an additional $40 charge for diapers, but it's possible to bring your pack and we'll tell you when it's low. A lot of parents take that option."

Lucy quickly did some math and figured out she'd be able to handle it. And either way with the price it's not like it would be easy to find another place to take care of Suzie.

"Alright, I'll take it."

Then Lucy remembered something. "Oh, and another thing. I already said my daughter is a little late to development compared to some others... I think," Lucy continued. "She can eat solids just fine with well-developed teeth but she still likes the occasional bottle, especially before going to sleep. She also uses her pacifier a lot. And I mean she really, really likes it." She said with a bit of a laugh.

The clerk laughed too on the other end. "I can relate to that. My daughter Kelly has a similar case with her dummy. With the bottle, I think it's possible to make an exception, as long as there isn't anything else. Anyway, I think she'll do fine. Would you like to schedule a tour?'

"Yes, please. When's the earliest?"

"Well, school days are on weekdays so we have tours on the weekends usually. Today is the 5th of January. We could schedule a tour on Sunday the 7th and have your daughter join us on the 8th Monday."

"Great." Then Lucy thought of something. "Wait, when do they start potty training?"

"Usually they start when they're 3 and automatically move up. But there's one case who is a bit late, so she's staying behind for a bit more. If you think she's ready she can move up to the step-up program and we'll move her. Otherwise, they stay until they're 3 unless there's a reason to believe they aren't ready yet."

"Okay then. Is there a penalty fee for canceling mid-school year?"

"No, as long as you keep paying her spot is still reserved. The upfront registration fee allows for a week and a half of not paying and her spot will be reserved. If a week goes by and she doesn't show up or the fee isn't paid then it isn't guaranteed. As long as you keep paying she's guaranteed a spot next year too."

"Great. So I'll come on in on the 7th and my daughter will join on the 8th."

"Right. Don't forget to bring her immunization records and also her birth certificate to sign up. Oh, and also bring your little one with you. We like to meet with them and show them around before the school days start."

"Great," Lucy said half exasperated. She remembered her records and figured she'd have to check them to make them line up with a 2 and a spare-year-old. "Okay, will do. When can I schedule the tour?"

"There's an opening day at 3pm on Saturday and 12pm for Sunday."

"Alright, I'll take the Sunday one."

"Great, we'll see you on Sunday. Bye-bye."

"Bye. See you this Sunday."

Lucy finally put down the phone from her ear. They'd been talking for so long the side of her face was warm and so was her phone screen. She stared back at the number she had called and wondered if this would work.

She opened up her computer and looked at a digital copy of her daughter's immunization records. She'd been to get a fake copy. She grumbled until she remembered her close friend Jess was a doctor and could probably get her convincing records.

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. She had a solution. She thought about how much work she'd need to do to make it work. But a lot was already done.

She looked at the monitor again and smiled. She made it all worth it. No matter what, it was worth it. It was worth all of this and more. It was worth crossing mountains for her. Her daughter. Her Suzie. She put her hand on the screen.

Her family.