Institutional stupidity...I need to vent

[Brodirt]

My 6 year old spent a wonderful summer day as a guest at a local pool club with some friends.

She came home at 5:30 pm, very tired and very happy and with a goldfish in a styrofoam cup. She caught the goldfish, a tiny "feeder" type fish, in the kiddie pool where the pool administrators felt it would be good fun to dump a large amount of them and give the kids the "reward" of getting to bring home their catch.

I put Speedy, as my little one had named it despite the fact that she described it as slow and easy to catch...I explained that it was slow because of the damage caused to it from having been dumped into a chlorine pool, into a fish bowl we had on hand and left at 6:15 for dinner at my in laws.

My little one couldn't wait to get home to see "Speedy" and my wife and I repeatedly dampened expectations about the life span of the fish. Being 6, my little one wasn't hearing any of it.

Well even my lowest expectations couldn't be met. "Speedy" was dead in the bowl when we returned home at about 9:00pm. My wife and I just spent 30 minutes consoling a distraught child.

Now, I know that pet goldfish exist to teach kids about death but, ARE THESE PEOPLE F'IN KIDDING ME!!!! They dropped a load of goldfish in the pool and sent the kids home with them. WHAT WHERE THEY THINKING....WHAT DID THEY THINK WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I am sooooooo angry for the harm to my child's (and any other sensitive kid's who was "lucky" enough to bring one home today) psyche and to the unnecessary killing of a bunch of goldfish.

Is this totally wrong...is this totally unheard of, or am I over-reacting? I am seriously pissed off over this.

 

[krissy]

As a parent of small kids i feel for you. And your right to be upset with them for leaving you to deal with the mess that they created.

Perhaps a phone call is in order to let them know what happened and what you had to deal with and your less than happy with their "thoughtfulness" in a nice and charming way of course.

 

[richmondesi]

They learn about death early enough as is. I would be put out as well.

 

[wbw0126]

Fish in a treated pool? There's no chance the fish will live. Were the kids swimming in the pool with them as well? because that's below sanitary expectations as well.

It's worth a visit to th office to set things striaght. That's cruel to the animals.

Ashame she had to see it die, but that happens whether you like it or not...insects, birds, frogs, any cute little creature. The real problem is that they placed a bunch of fish in poisonous water and involved children.

 

[bamafan64]

You didn't overreact. I'm sure that the ones who planned this did it out of sheer ignorance, but I think I would have a talk with them about it. Sometimes the concept of death is thrown at children very quickly, but it doesn't need to be done when it doesn't have to be.

 

[luvmysuper]

People can be incredibly stupid. I'm reminded of an individual who tried to release a lobster sent to her live in the mail as a meal into lake michigan.

Common sense is sadly, not so common.

A phone call is certainly an acceptable response.

 

[Austin]

What a douchebag move by this company. I would truly be miffed if this happened to my child. There is a time and place for death chats but not when it's forced on a parent.

 

[Stubblefield]

A phone call to the management would be very appropriate. If they are unresponsive "suggest" that you might call your local humane society.

 

[5t8t2u]

My suggestion would be to ask your daughter if she would like a replacement fish either tomorrow or if she would rather wait a few days to let you know her preference. A new fish could also be named Speedy. Focus on your daughter rather than on the adults. Get the most value for her from the experience that you can get for her. Events we experience are not under our control; our responses to them are.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

It's wrong on so many levels. You have every right to be upset.

 

[Sue]

It wasn't a fair thing to do to these children or to senselessly kill the fish. The issue I'd be most concerned with; I'll bet the pool water no longer met testing standards with a bacteria level from the fish. Kids splash and get the water in their mouth, nose, eyes and ears or scuffed knees besides sitting in it. Many parents do no allow their children to swim in lake water for that reason. I'd make a complaint call to the DOH of that county tomorrow and then the hotel. Plus you never give a 'pet' to a child without the parents permission. Someone made a dumb decision.
Sue

 

[Fnord5]

Bastages.
Call PETA(they can be used for good, when they harass someone you want them to)
Go to your local fishmonger, tell him the story, and ask for the biggest fish he's got.

Take said fish to whomever thought of the idea's car, break window, insert fish.
Preferably to be done on a hot day, in full sun.



All jokes aside, let Karma deal with them, and focus on your girl.
Kid's are resilient, and in no time, Speedy will be nothing but a fading memory.

 

[Toody]

Well, at least now you have a perfect example for down the road when you need to make a point to your daughter about how there's a lot of stupid people in the world.

 

[arghblech]

It isn't unreasonable to be upset. You should call tomorrow and let them know that you don't approve.

 

[Jethro1984]

I think you have every right to be irritated. I would approach the pool administrators but in a professional, tactful manner. Maybe they simply didn't consider the full cost of their actions at the time and it should be brought to their attention so it doesn't happen again.

I feel for your daughter in that she had to witness something so difficult at such a young age....but there is an upside to this....she learned a valuable lesson about how precious life is and how heartwrenching it can be when it is lost. Thankfully she didn't get super attached to the fish. Perhaps you could get her another fish.

 

[ScotchDave]

I vote humane society and department of health, not as revenge, but because it is your duty to contact these people when you know that standards have not been met...

 

[ouch]

You can't make this stuff up.

 

[Kratos]

Fish in a kiddie pool? ***? Who was dropping acid at the pool club and decided that was a good idea? Do they hate children or what? "Let's poison some fish, contaminate the kid's pool while we're at it, then send the terminal patients home with them! It'll be classic!" Not good.

 

[English]

No you have every right to be upset and on various levels.

Sometimes a nice malt whisky will dull the senses just enough to let you calm down. Mind you, it might make you angrier.

I'm retired now and I have to stop myself from getting upset by the daily annoyances that passed me by whilst I worked.

Isn't life just great and don't some of the things that people do really **** you off.

Hand reaches for bottle........ Sorry your child had to experience such stupidity. But there is a really valuable lesson for her, right there.

 

[Brodirt]

Thanks everyone...I agree with you all, and thank you all for agreeing with me.

My plan is to calmly call the pool club today and advise them of their stupidity. They apparently don't know just how dumb this is because I have been told that this was also done last year and may actually be an annual event.

My daughter was still crying this morning and so I will be stopping at the pet store on the way home today as well to pick up a fish bowl and Speedy II.