The Dead Gingerbread Man

Yes, I know that the title of this post is disturbing. But, not nearly as disturbing as the story that goes with it. There is a hallway outside of Avery's classroom where the teachers will often times hang projects that the kids in her class have done so that EVERYONE at daycare (including parents, children, teachers, etc) can see how cute they are. So, of course, I always seek out Avery's to see what she has done. Well, the other morning, as we were walking in, I noticed that the project hanging was a picture of a gingerbread man that the kids had made and attached to it, the teacher had written what each child said happened to the gingerbread man at the end of the story that they had read that day. Most kids said something like, "He went to the playground to play with his friends." Or, "He went to his grandma and grandpa's house."

What did Avery say happened to the gingerbread man?

"He got sprayed with bleach and died and went to the hospital."


WHAT?????????? Who is this child? Where have we gone wrong? Does she need therapy???? Do WE need therapy????

When I asked her about it, she just kind of laughed and really couldn't explain why she said that (quite frankly, I don't even know if she knew what it meant, as I don't think that she understands the concept of dying). Well, after talking to her teacher, I now understand. Apparently, after making the gingerbread men, the teachers had them hanging on a clothes line that hangs near the tables where they eat lunch. And, every day before and after they eat, the teachers spray down the tables with bleach water (the bottles of which sit right below the clothesline). So, the teacher said that when they were spraying the bleach water one day, she made the comment that she should be careful not to get it on the gingerbread men becuase it would hurt them. Now, did she say that he would die???? No. So, still not sure where that came from and for all I know, she still may need therapy, but I at least feel better about where the concept of bleach came from.





Oh - and, in case you are wondering - I requested that the dead gingerbread man story be removed promptly. I'm pretty certain some parents have already given us a weird look and have sheltered their children from mine as they walk by, so it didn't escape everyone, but hopefully most...