This happened last year but earlier today I used a taxi firm that I forgot I had blacklisted and it reminded me of the event leading up to this blacklisting.
I went back to work in May last year when the twins were in Year 6. I would have liked to have delayed it until September, when the twins started secondary school, but it was too good a job to walk away from. Plus we needed the money.
In the morning I would drop off the kids and then go onto the station. In the afternoon they would walk or scooter the 2 miles home. DP or I would be back by 6pm so the DCs would be alone for about 2 hours. They were under strict instructions to bolt the doors and not to answer the front door.
One day a week they had to take in their musical instruments. Walking 2 miles home was clearly not an option on those days so we would call a taxi for them. Things were fine in May but one day in June I got a different taxi despatcher on the phone and the conversation went something like this.
Hello. I would like a taxi to pick up two kids outside x school
Two kids? Is there an adult with them?
No.
Silence. Does the school know about this?
Yes I lied
Where are they going?
Number 9 x Road
And there is an adult there?
No. We are both at work.
How old are your kids?
11
11 and you are sending them home in a taxi to an empty house?
Yes
Silence. The taxi will be there in 10 minutes CLUNK.
The next time round I called a different taxi company.
I am talking about a licensed cab with a driver vetted by the police. If she doesn't think that two young children should be in a taxi with one of her drivers (she told me she was the office manager) then why the feck was she employing them?
As for the empty house, mine can't possibly be the only 11 years olds that are what the Americans call latch key kids.
Was IBU to call this women an interfering judgmental cow to DP?