Picture the scene: DS's 4th birthday party on Sunday, a dad arrives with one of DS's friends and says he will be back at the end of the party. I only know the child by sight but there is another parent staying who has had him at their house for a playdate. So I am happy for him to be left and ask his dad for a contact number.
He replies: 'oh well I'm going out and haven't got my mobile on me'
Its clear he has no intention of staying and the little boy is already running around having fun, so I decide theres not a lot I can do and agree to see the dad in 2 hours time.
10 minutes later the little boy has an asthma attack and asks for his 'puffer'. I didn't know he had asthma and nor did anyone else at the party. There is no inhaler in his pockets.
I take him out into the fresh air with the parent who knows him slightly better than I do, and call an ambulance.
Ambulance arrives and gets him stable, but wants him in hospital. None of the adults at the party can be classed as responsible for him so the police have to attend to accompany him to hospital.
I try various methods to get hold of dad or mum, but no success, so at the end of the party dad comes back and I tell him about the asthma attack and not having an inhaler.
He says a very lame 'sorry' and assumes he is still at the party. Huffs and puffs when I tell him he is in hospital and sets off to pick him up (having a fag on his way back to his car!!)
The dad hasn't rung me since (I asked him to let me know how the little boy was), didn't thank me/the other parents, blanked me this morning at preschool, and has told the pre-school staff that I 'totally over-reacted'. I don't expect a medal or whatever but if that was me, I would make a point of apologising and saying thankyou, certainly not start slagging off my actions!
I said to the little boy that he could come round for tea one day because he was upset to miss the party, I am going to arrange this with his mum though rather than his dad...