Injury at a Private School

I don't have experience with that school, but have experiences of my own.

I was a first grade teacher, and every semester, it seemed, SOMEONE would break their arm on the playground. We always supervised very well. They weren't always doing something wrong (though some were). Unfortunately, these things happen.

I had to remember that when my son broke his elbow from falling at his in-home daycare. The people were just wonderful, and there was another mother that witnessed the incident. He literally fell on the floor from a standing position. He was 19 months old at the time. He did not have to have surgery, but was in a cast for a month as it healed. He has had no problems since.

It's very upsetting. I was upset each time a kid at school broke something (even when they weren't "mine") and was SOOOOO upset when it happened to my son. But I couldn't be upset with the sitters (a woman and her husband), who felt nearly as bad as I did. And like I said, there was another mother there who witnessed what happened.

So from both sides of the coin, I've been there. And it's usually nobody's fault. I think it's a part of childhood/parenthood to sometimes have to deal with these things. I don't think it's something lacking at your son's school.

J.,

I agree with the others. There may have been no way to truly have prevented this. They are, after all, called Toddlers for a reason. Sometimes, they fall. Is it unusual to break his arm in the grass? Absolutely. However, grass isn't always the nice, soft, cushiony surface we'd like to think it is.
It is so hard to find "the right" daycare for your child's needs. If this one is a good one, then stick with it. Look at it this way, those teachers are going to give your son lots of extra love. (Mainly because they feel bad!)
This too will pass.

I know that no matter how closely you watch, kids are going to get hurt. However, I think it's odd that he fell from a standing position in the grass & sustained such a serious injury. I know that there are many wonderful teachers out there who would NEVER hurt a child, but there are also people out there who shouldn't be in charge of children. If it were me, I would consult with my son's doctor & ask if the injury was consistent with what the school told me. If he said no, I wouldn't send my child back there.

I have been a teacher for 26 years and every year, no matter how closely I supervise my studnets, someone gets hurt. I have only had 1 broken bone experience though and I felt so guilty. I suggest that you make sure that the teachers at your school are walking around and monitoring the children playing. Also, it is important that there is more than 1 teacher on duty and that a walkie talkie is avaiable to contact the nurse in case of emergency. Since he fell on his own, not pushed or shoved by another classmate, it sounds like a true accident. On a personal note, when I was 4, I feel off the slide during Sunday School play time and broke my leg. I am sure that my parents and my teacher were equally upset.

He was along walking out of a line. Surely there was supervision. Did he step in a hole, or did he stumble over something? Was the school at fault in any way? Did the school have insurance to pay for his treatment? Of course you are upset. This is your only baby and he's hurt. As a mother of three sons, may I say, this is just the first of many hurts. Hopefully there will be no more broken bones, but just realize that your and your husband of ultimately responsible for this child and cannot blame everything that happens to him on someone else. If you are happy with the school, what's the problem? My grandson had an accident at pre-school that resulted in stitches on his head, but it was an accident that could happen to anyone.