Napping mom leaves 7-year-old son at school 90 minutes after dismissal, gets offended when sister picks him up and calls her out: 'She accused me of overreacting'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Dec 4, 2024 6:00 PM EST

No mom or dad goes through their parenting journey without making a few mistakes. It's just the way that things go when you are raising a whole human or several. However, how you react to them and learn from them says everything about who you are as a parent, and it doesn't always paint a flattering picture to those around you. Attitude is everything.

This is especially true when you wind up having family members helping you to right your wrongs. Most parents rely on relatives to help with their kids now and then, and it shouldn't be taken for granted. 

This is something that one aunt was frustrated by after she picked up her 7-year-old nephew from school after he had been left there 90 minutes after dismissal and his parents weren't picking up the phone. His mom's excuse was that she was napping, but her sister was not pleased with the way that she had reacted. It's fair to say that the internet was on her side.

 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10436578816
    via Chris Benson

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    AITA for yelling at my sister for putting her phone on DND and leaving her 1st grader at school without picking him up?
    via flippingnoob
  • 03
    Today at 4 PM, my nephew's elementary school called me. He's 7 years old and in 1st grade. He had been left at school for about 40 minutes after dismissal, and the office said they couldn't reach anyone on his emergency contact list. They asked if I could get in touch with his parents -my sister and her husband.
    via flippingnoob
  • 04
    I tried calling both of them, but their phones were on "Do Not Disturb." The calls would ring once and go straight to voicemail, which was odd because their phones should usually ring a few times before going to voicemail. Since neither of them was reachable, I got concerned and decided to go pick up my nephew myself.
    via flippingnoob
  • 05
    While I was on my way, I kept trying to call my sister. She finally called me back about 90 minutes after when the school first tried to reach her, saying she and her husband had just been napping. I was furious. It felt incredibly irresponsible for them to leave their child stranded at school and silence their phones, especially as parents of a young child and a toddler.
    via flippingnoob
  • 06
    Her excuse was that her husband had asked his grandparents to pick up my nephew, but there was a "miscommunication." I told her that even if that was the plan, she shouldn't have put her phone on "Do Not Disturb," because emergencies like this can happen. Her response shocked me― she said she likes putting her phone on "Do Not Disturb" during naps and, if I was going to react this way, she would remove me from my nephew's emergency contact list. She also added that I was the last contact on the
    via flippingnoob
  • 07
    She then accused me of overreacting, saying that "normal people" wouldn't get angry about something like this. She even mentioned that she's made a lot of new friends this year and now understands how "normal" people act. I found this insulting because I was the only one responsible enough to answer the school's call and make sure her child was safe.
    via flippingnoob
  • 08
    She continued justifying herself, saying it's normal for people not to answer their phones if they're busy, at work, or in meetings. She insisted that having her phone on "Do Not Disturb" was necessary because she naps with her toddler and needs complete silence. By the end of the conversation, she tried to make me feel like I was in the wrong for being upset. She said I had a right to be concerned but no right to be angry or yell at her.
    via flippingnoob
  • 09
    She then added that she doesn't like spending time with family because "there's always an argument" when she talks to us. This left me completely baffled. Instead of showing any gratitude for my help, she threw backhanded insults at me, even though I was the one who ensured her child's safety. Her reaction made me question whether I was wrong to be upset, but I still feel her behavior was irresponsible and ungrateful.
    via flippingnoob
  • 10
    Tdluxon NTA Your sister is totally irresponsible and the fact that she won't even own up to it is further proof of her irresponsibility. She should be apologizing and thanking you. As a fairly recent parent, I can tell you that the days of DND end when you have a child... that is a responsibility bigger than yourself and there is no room for "miscommunication" or excuses. And as far as her in-laws being on your nephews contact list... the school COULD NOT REACH THEM! So she's going to put her re
    via Tdluxon
  • 11
    lordmwahaha Lol right? OP should straight up say "well the first people on your emergency contact list didn't answer - so if you're going to remove me, I guess your child will just be stuck at school, thinking you're de id next time. Wonder how long it would take for the school to call CPS for child abandonment".
    via lordmwahaha
  • 12
    lemmful BOTH parents had their phones on DND. BOTH PARENTS! Insanely irresponsible. Something in my bones tells me something else was happening that they're being dodgy about.
    via lemmful
  • 13
    ConfidentChapter2496 NTA. Why do I know that? Because I was once in your nephew's place. My dad's coworker and friend was meant to pick me up from school one day (my sister was at camp, I was too young to catch the bus and stay home/walk to dad's work alone and both my parents were busy). At first, I was fine with him being late. Just a little more time to play right? But as time went on, I started to get scared. What if something happened to him? What if he couldn't pick me up and had messaged
    via ConfidentChapter2496
  • 14
    I went to the office and they called so he rushed over (he had caught up with some things and I slipped from his mind), and apologized a bunch before taking me to get a treat. I don't think enough people realise just how terrifying this can be for a child. I don't know if it upset your nephew but as a young child, I was terrified and upset because everyone had gone home and I was left there. It was bad enough it being a family friend but if my actual parents had done that? I'd have felt even wor
    via ConfidentChapter2496
  • 15
    minniequipperton As a DND warrior, I understand not wanting to be disturbed during naps, or ever! But there adjustments you can make, so that you can be reached in case of an emergency. If the same person calls twice back to back, then the second call will go through, and the phone will ring. In fact, I'm pretty sure that is the default setting. There's also an option for you to create a a list of specific contacts who's calls will come through even if your phone is on DND. The school's number s
    via minniequipperton
  • 16
    CreativeMusic5121 Yeah, they weren't "napping".
    via CreativeMusic5121
  • 17
    jsbleez NTA, because even if your last on the list that means they also called the grandparents and they didnt answer. i would advise your sister that she working her way to CPS case for knowingly making herself unavailable for her minor child. she can tell you youre over reacting but i would love to see her say that to the police her child has been turned over to after she chose a nap instead of picking him up
    via jsbleez
  • 18
    CommunityDefiant4292 NTA I've Do Not Disturb mode It on all day BUT I also have EMERGENCY BYPASS... For at least a dozen people (My husband, my children, my SILS, FIL, Mom & Dad, my nephew, some of my daughter's friends (they go out together) ...we used to have the schools on there too So maybe it is time for your Sister and BIL to learn how to use a phone!
    via CommunityDefiant4292
  • 19
    Rohini_rambles Please talk to your nephew and see if everything is okay at home. Her reaction is abnormal. It's almost like she wanted to pretend she didn't have a kid...
    via Rohini_rambles
  • 20
    Ireland1169 ΝΤΑ Ask to be taken off the school contact as you are surplus to requirement, she has her IL's after all. The school will call the police if they cannot contact anyone to take charge of the child after school hours.
    via Ireland1169
  • 21
    GothPenguin NTA-Phones on DND is not a luxury you have when it's your child's school trying to get ahold of you.
    via GothPenguin
  • 22
    torrentialwx JFC. Hi, I'm the mother of a toddler and a third grader, and I never, EVER have my phone on DND. I have it on silent constantly, sure, but I'm always available, and definitely during the time of day my kids need to be picked up from school/daycare. In my family (husband, parents, siblings), we rarely do that and we let each other know when we need to do that (important meetings, interviews, etc). And typically the DND can be broken through if you set it to turn off if someone calls
    via torrentialwx
  • 23
    Creative-Ad-3645 NTA. Who does she think the school would have called if they couldn't reach you, the very last contact on the list? Spoiler alert: it's either the cops or your local child protection agency. Or both. Poor kiddo.
    via Creative-Ad-3645
  • 24
    AlbatrossSeparate 710 NTA Even on DND mode, you can configure emergency contact that can bypass the DND mode. And as a parent of children of this age, if I learn that the last emergency contact was reached for after dismissal I would freak out! Like, someone should be responsible for the kids, going to the last emergency contact means that you have multiple layers of security that failed! During the day, it's another story, as people are working, you are not expected to be needed, so that could
    via AlbatrossSeparate710
  • 25
    ReviewOk929 NTA - My phone goes on DND overnight only. Rest of the time, even if napping, it's on full blast because I have kids and even if someone else was picking them up sh just goes wrong every once in a while and I want to KNOW people can get a hold of me. Cannot imagine doing DND when the kids aren't with me.
    via ReviewOk929
  • 26
    Ok_Stable7501 What in the flying monkeys is wrong with your sister? NTA
    via Ok_Stable7501
  • 27
    KrofftSurvivor NTA - Point out to your sister, that if you're the last one on the list, then, apparently everyone else ignored the call. And then point out that while she might like her naps, if this happens again and you've been removed - when no one else answers the school is going to call CPS...
    via KrofftSurvivor

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