Scenario: Mrs Brown Bullying Staff At Centre
Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:48 pm
Read the following scenario and answer the related questions.
The last straw
Max Brown (3.9 years) was always losing things - his shoes, socks, glasses, hat, jumper….. He was always ‘too busy’ to put his belongings into his locker. Every afternoon staff hunted around for Max’s things. Mrs Brown, an accountant in a large accounting company, has a very stressful and demanding job. She is always in a hurry - rushing to and from the centre. Mrs Brown often seems agitated and short tempered with Max. Some staff feel that her expectations of Max are unrealistic as he is quite immature for his age and is a bit of a daydreamer.
Today Max arrived wearing brand new joggers his uncle gave him for his birthday. Mrs Brown’s parting words to Max, but also for the benefit of the staff were, ‘Max, when I come to collect you this afternoon make sure you have both joggers on your feet!’
Max had his joggers on and off several times during the day and staff paid special attention, ensuring the joggers were accounted for at all times. No one wanted to encounter an angry Mrs Brown! When Mrs Brown came to collect Max she was assured that his joggers were in his locker.
Unfortunately only one shoe could be found. Max had no idea where the other jogger might be. Mrs Brown became extremely angry with Max and the staff: ‘I’m fed up with having to search for things every single day. Doesn’t anyone around here take responsibility for anything! I’m fed up with you too Max; from now on you can come to child care without any shoes’. Mrs Brown grabbed the now crying Max by the arm and stormed out of the centre.
The staff ask to talk to Mai, the Director. They explain the altercation and tell her they are sick of being abused by Mrs Brown. They ask that Mai talk to her about her bullying behaviour.
The next morning another parent returned Max’s shoe, which had accidentally become mixed up with her child’s belongings.
Mai telephones Mrs Brown and requests that the Browns meet with her at the centre. Mai negotiates a time to meet the following evening.
1. How do Mrs Brown and the staff ‘see’ each other?
2. How should the relationship between the staff and Mrs Brown be addressed?
3. Why is it important for Mai to address the behaviour of Mrs Brown?
The last straw
Max Brown (3.9 years) was always losing things - his shoes, socks, glasses, hat, jumper….. He was always ‘too busy’ to put his belongings into his locker. Every afternoon staff hunted around for Max’s things. Mrs Brown, an accountant in a large accounting company, has a very stressful and demanding job. She is always in a hurry - rushing to and from the centre. Mrs Brown often seems agitated and short tempered with Max. Some staff feel that her expectations of Max are unrealistic as he is quite immature for his age and is a bit of a daydreamer.
Today Max arrived wearing brand new joggers his uncle gave him for his birthday. Mrs Brown’s parting words to Max, but also for the benefit of the staff were, ‘Max, when I come to collect you this afternoon make sure you have both joggers on your feet!’
Max had his joggers on and off several times during the day and staff paid special attention, ensuring the joggers were accounted for at all times. No one wanted to encounter an angry Mrs Brown! When Mrs Brown came to collect Max she was assured that his joggers were in his locker.
Unfortunately only one shoe could be found. Max had no idea where the other jogger might be. Mrs Brown became extremely angry with Max and the staff: ‘I’m fed up with having to search for things every single day. Doesn’t anyone around here take responsibility for anything! I’m fed up with you too Max; from now on you can come to child care without any shoes’. Mrs Brown grabbed the now crying Max by the arm and stormed out of the centre.
The staff ask to talk to Mai, the Director. They explain the altercation and tell her they are sick of being abused by Mrs Brown. They ask that Mai talk to her about her bullying behaviour.
The next morning another parent returned Max’s shoe, which had accidentally become mixed up with her child’s belongings.
Mai telephones Mrs Brown and requests that the Browns meet with her at the centre. Mai negotiates a time to meet the following evening.
1. How do Mrs Brown and the staff ‘see’ each other?
2. How should the relationship between the staff and Mrs Brown be addressed?
3. Why is it important for Mai to address the behaviour of Mrs Brown?