Fine Young Cannibals

Sam spent her first half-day at a day care center last week.  It was a free trial day that they offer to give parents and kids a chance to evaluate the center and the teachers.  Sam has been to child care before and has had a number of babysitters, so I wasn't too concerned about the whole thing.  I was already pretty comfortable with the center but I used the free day so Adam and I could go to the DMV - woohoo!

 

After about 4 hours, I called to see how Sam was doing.  Brooke, a cheery, squeaky type of girl, told me that Sam had been a bit clingy but was doing fine overall.  Then she added, almost as an aside, that "she did get a bite, though."  Something about this just didn't compute for me, so I asked her, "What?"  She said again, "Sam got a little bite, I'm afraid."  The squeak was muted into what sounded like a bit of concern, although it's hard to tell with those cheery people.  Then she started talking about how the kids were washing their hands and "it just happened" but I couldn't follow her. This is what was going through my mind: 

 

Hmmm, "bite" - Sam ate some food?  Well, she's supposed to eat there, so why is Brooke telling me this?  "Bite" - oh, maybe she was bitten by a mosquito or a spider.  But she said something about washing their hands - that happens inside.  Are there bugs inside their facility?  I didn't see any.  That doesn't seem right. Wait...I'm getting something...processing...something is coming through here... I think I know what she means but I can't quite catch up....

 

Brooke was still talking when I finally interrupted to say, "Wait, do you mean she was bitten by another child?"  Bing bing bing bing!  I had broken through the bubbly tone and passive voice and figured it out.  It turned out to be no big deal and it didn't really bother me much.  It's just that being bitten by another human being wasn't part of my universe until that moment.  Welcome to the next phase of parenthood, Amy!