To think this is a weird thing to do. And there is nothing I can do about it

[meganorks]

This might be more of a WWYD. Although I don't think there is anything I can.
Today I got a letter through the post containing a poem about my child. Basically saying I am a rubbish mother and she has caused pain and grief to others and that I don't care about her behavior. That's the summary. I have attached a photo so you can read for yourself. I don't know who has written it or what if anything I can do about it. I'm pretty sure the the implied accusations are not true. I should add that my daughter is nearly 4 not a teenager or something! So she is pretty much with me apart from when she is at nursery. I haven't been informed about any incident that might result in such an anonymous letter. So I wonder if it is just aimed at me? Although I didn't realise I had such enemies either.
So just wondered what other people would do if they got something like this? I thought I might report it to the police just in case it is something random that other people have been getting. Seems like a long shot, but it was addressed to me in my maiden name (got married less than a year ago) so wondered if it was maybe someone at a children's centre or something sending out horrible letters to people.

My spidey sense said that this was a neighbour, or someone who knows you. Not a nursery parent.

First verse is repeated twice: Is that at home it is all their own way (someone who's seen your child in the home environment?)

Ironic that the poet writes about your child wrongly thinking he/she is "brave" when the writer has just popped an anonymous poison pen letter about a 4 year old through your door.

The damage done by your one/has caused us all to be gone - is there someone you used to see and haven't seen in a while?

Btw, whoever it is writes some execrable "poetry". And the one thing no-one needs in their life is a shite poet.

Report to Police and discuss with nursery.

Has ofsted closed that group down because of that incident? Might be why they have put 'gone' in the poem?

Yay! Well done OP. I would say she has been sacked or disciplined somehow and is feeling very bitter. Definitely report to the police.

Sounds like it may be solved. Im sure you weren't the only one to complain to ofsted but you may have been one of the first, therefore, you're getting the brunt of it.

Have a good evening! I'd just pop it into the station and explain what's happened just in case old whacko is thinking of becoming rather adept at the poison pen letter writing.

Ok, I've managed to read it now, and TBH, I don't think you can get much information from textual clues, because the "sisters and brothers" is clearly there to rhyme with "others" and represent "family". I imagine the writer would have used "kith and kin" had that rhymed better!

However, it's clearly by someone very aggrieved, and focussed enough to sit over a poem, rather than just spew out a letter. I'd definitely take it to the police, sorry!

Ask around. You never know. Perhaps every parent in your street has received the same letter from the resident Childcatcher.

Very strange

Id pop to local police station with it, just to highlight to them, there maybe nothing they can do realistically. But after that ignore and move on, whoever sent it it weird and cowardly.

Oops, x-post! Still that seems like a long time to wait. Surely Ofsted wouldn't take that long to act... unless it's someone who has recently retired and suddenly has a LOT of time on his/her hands!

Sorry I got cut off. Very strange but I would think its a generic poem and not actually about your dd.

To me it sounds like a rant about children today and how they are badly behaved rather than an attack on a child in particular.

But I may be wrong

I don't think there's anything to be gained by analysing the poem for ways it might relate to anything your DD has ever done or that someone thinks she's done. As well as being a truly awful poem, it's very generic. Just because you didn't find it on Google doesn't mean it wasn't already in existence - it could easily have been seen in a book/magazine/church newsletter by the culprit who thought 'aha'. It could have originally been written about a male or female child too as it'd be easy within the so-called 'structure' to change she/her to he/him. So don't worry about any of the 'accusations' in the poem - they're meaningless in relation to your DD.

I would definitely want to log this with the police though.

I think your instincts are right op having re read the poem it fits with the play group fiasco.

If you're right about the playgroup, try googling it. If ofstead have closed it down there might be something online about it. If the manager blames you then that would indeed explain it.
I'd still phone the police, for advice if nothing else. Other people may well have received similar things, but the police can't do anything about it unless you tell them.
Hope you're not too creeped out by it!

There have been a number of cases where very seriously ill or very evil people have fixated on other people's children, and this actual thing seems very very like those cases.

Psychotic people for instance can think things about people they have no association with, whatsoever, that lead them to attack and kill them.

I am not saying this to frighten you, I am so sorry I have to, but do not treat this issue lightly. Confirm with the play group there is nothing your child has done to "cause anyone to be gone" and contact the police immediately, telling them you have no enemies or any idea who this could conceivably be and are concerned from the wording about the possibility somebody means your child harm, who you do not know.

I remember your original thread about the playgroup. I think that is almost certainly what this is about - the group has been closed down ("caused us all to be gone") and this staff member has been stewing on it, perhaps for a long time. There may even have been some more recent implications for her - eg she couldn't get a new position at another group because of what had happened etc.

Certainly speak with nursery. Consider the police if you're nervous. I think I would tbh

*nursery, not play group

The poem (if it can be called that - what dross) doesn't say anything personal about you or your child. Looks to me like it's totally random and the author probably knows nothing about either of you. I imagine it's a weirdo who has copied addresses and names off the electoral roll.RReport to police or school so it's on record if there are others (to you or anyoneelse) but i wouldn't worry about the content.

Agree - this is actually a prosecutable offence. And it is shockingly badly written. How awful for you. People who do this are utter cowards and if you can ignore it, good for you. I know it would really upset me.

Sounds to me more like an aggrieved neighbour. I'd ask if any others with children on your street (or near-ish) got the same letter. Is there perhaps a neighbour (possibly elderly) who is moving/has recently moved and could be 'blaming' it on 'those noisy kids'?

I think I'd probably ask at nursery, although if DD was causing problems there I'm sure you'd have heard about it. I guess it's possible that some parent is complaining about her without cause, but if so and they sent this 'poem', the nursery should know about it.

Either way, to send such a poem is very odd and possibly the sender has a screw loose somewhere. A 'normal' person might send a 'your child is a brat' anonymous letter (cowardly though that is) but the poetry thing is slightly more than weird. I agree with others who've suggested logging it with the police. There's nothing they can do at this point, but it's a starting point if it continues.

I would think that an Ofsted complainant would be kept anonymous and that this former teacher wouldn't know who complained. But I suppose she could have put two and two together.

I'm hoping it's a disgruntled nursery worker from the playgroup previously mentioned.
It is shite poetry (and probably half plagiarised from a poem the parish newsletter ) It is about this crazy person's perception of what happened. It's not about your daughter. Just their messed up mind. Creepy indeed.

Can you find out about the situation with the playgroup? Even if it happened a while ago, she has wisely used the time to BROOD on this and write a delightful poem for you.

Wow! I think the playgroup theory fits perfectly ... police definitely, its sinister.