When someone offers a service for free, any normal person keeps their demands pretty low. After all, you’re not paying them; they are providing you a service in their spare time and of their own free will. That’s what makes this mom’s texts to a woman offering free swimming lessons so incredibly outrageous. (1)
Mom’s Insane Demands For Woman Offering Free Swimming Lessons
A woman who offers free swimming lessons for kids was left dumbfounded by the text she received from a mom wanting lessons for her son. So much so, in fact, that she posted them on Reddit to get the internet’s opinion. (1)
The texts start with the mom saying that her friend told her about the free lessons and asked if she could teach her son. At work at the time, the woman responds with a quick “yes, sure.”. (1)
From there, the mom wants to confirm that the lessons are free. (1)
“ She [the friend] said she offered to pay but it is free. Is that true? I can’t pay,” the mom wrote.
When the woman doesn’t respond right away, the mom then goes on to send messages between five and 15-minute intervals. (1)
“Free, right?”
“I can’t pay. I am single mum.”
“Hello?”
“Please reply”
“??” (1)
The swim instructor finally gets all of the messages and clarifies that they are free and that she is at work, so she won’t respond right away. (1)
This Is Where Things Start To Turn
The mom responds by calling the swim instructor “rude,” then asks what time she should bring her son to the pool that day. The instructor replies, saying that she is not teaching today and has already informed the other parents. She explains that she usually teaches between 3 pm and 5 pm and will message the mom when she is teaching next, likely in three days.
The mom (or “mombie” as the instructor calls her) then replies asking if she can teach her son from 1 to 3 that day. (1)
“I know you have flexible timing” she says. (1)
Next, she asks her to please reply faster. (1)
The instructor, though highly frustrated, responds politely and directly, explaining that she can’t teach at that time because of work. Besides, as she already said, she was not teaching that day. (1)
“It’s Not Fair”
The mom then tells the instructor that she is not being fair. She’d already told her son he was to go swimming that day and that he will cry unless the instructor can give her a good reason for not teaching. (1)
The instructor responds:
“1. I am not teaching today,
2. I already canceled. I can’t un-cancel with everyone this late.” (1)
Rather than letting it be, the mom tries to explain that her reasons for not teaching the other children are good reasons for teaching her son today. (1)
“That’s even better. You can teach him alone,” she writes. “Those brats got free classes for a month. You need to make up for that with my son.” (1)
Finally, the instructor starts to crack.
“What?” she replies. “I can’t teach just your son.” (1)
The mom asks why not and tells her that her son has anxiety issues and needs to be taught alone. The instructor reminds the mom that she is not a certified swim teacher and is not qualified to teach a student with such problems. She tells her she should probably take her son elsewhere. (1)
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The Story Doesn’t Add Up
The mom then backtracks, saying that he doesn’t have anxiety “like that”, he just doesn’t like the other children. She tells her to teach him exclusively for one month because the other kids already had a month of classes, then her son will join the group. She then states (not asks) that the instructor will start teaching her son the next day starting at 1 pm and tells her to bring goggles for her son. (1)
The instructor replies that she can’t swim daily and won’t be going again for another couple of days. She also tells the mom that she does not teach anyone exclusively. (1)
“Wow. You are such a selfish bitch” the mom replies. “He is just a kid. Don’t you have any heart? I am a single mom, and I already told him. So… tomorrow at 1?” (1)
At this point, the instructor just stops replying. The mom can see that she has read her messages and threatens to throw her son in the pool the next day at 1 pm. If her son drowns, she says, it is on her shoulders. (1)
To top it off, she sends a string of messages telling her that (1):
- She is probably a “lousy teacher.”
- She is a nasty, horrible person, and the mom doesn’t know what she or her son did to deserve this.
- The instructor has flexible times (she doesn’t), works fewer hours than her, and makes more money (how does she know that)
- The other parents (“rich bitches”) can afford to pay, but they only want the free stuff that her son needs.
- The instructor is so privileged that she teaches free swimming lessons and refuses to accept the money because she is so wealthy she doesn’t need it.
- The woman should accept the money from the other parents but then give it to the mom because she is a single mom and needs it.
She continues to demand that the instructor reply, only to finally end the messages calling her a “bitch”. (1)
Reddit’s Reaction
Most of the comments were people who couldn’t get over the fact the mom was seemingly willing to put her child’s life at risk in an attempt to “force” the instructor to teach. Others were stuck on the idea that the woman should get paid but then give that money to the single mom. (1)
Other users said that it was harassment and that the instructor should send the texts to the police and let them deal with it. This is especially because of the text threatening to throw her son in the pool. (1)
Generally, they all agreed that the woman was off her rocker and that she should most definitely not allow her son into her classes ever, or she will be in for even more problems. (1)
What do you think? They’re free swimming lessons, she should be grateful they are offered in the first place. Would you have responded differently to this mom?
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