Water beads at preschool (?!)
When I picked up my son at school yesterday, I saw on the board of what they were doing that it said “orbeez”. My immediate thought was “aren’t orbeez water beads?” but then I thought to myself that there was no possible way they’d be playing with water beads and that orbeez were probably something different. I told myself that I was being crazy to think that’s what they would be playing with because these kids are 3 and 4 years old. When I got my son, I asked the teacher about it. I asked if orbeez are water beads and when she said yes, I asked what they did with them. She said they used them in a sensory table and I think I must have looked horrified because she asked why I was asking. I told her that they’re extremely dangerous and that I would have never allowed my son to be around them. She asked why they’re dangerous and I told her that they can enlarge 100x their size, cause a blockage, and kill a child. She had no idea. I’m honestly horrified that a preschool did not know this. I’m further horrified that an email was not sent out to let other parents know that if any child shows any signs of illness after yesterday to take them in after they were informed about the risk. I’m feeling so uneasy about all this. Any of these kids could have so easily ingested one. It makes me wonder what other dangerous things my kid has done/ been exposed to there that I have no idea about. He’s signed up to go again next year and now I’m totally spiraling. Am I crazy for being so upset about this?! I mentioned it to another mom and she literally said “so?” !!