Life occasionally throws us curve balls. Most recently, it hasn't been too terrible but I have had to reschedule my WIC appointment three times. I was finally able to go on Monday at 11:30. But as government aide seems to be a joke or I am getting dumber--things didn't exactly work as planned.
The first time at the WIC clinic is a full day event. But since they give you free food after you go through the process it is kind of like getting paid to sit in a waiting room for three hours with your kids. When they are finally ready for you they take you, your kids, and your mountain of paperwork to a room and begin the process of verifying income...or I should say--lack of income. I remember hoping we looked nice and pitiful when we first went in so they'd want to help us out. Whatever.
Anyway-after verifying the lack of money they weighed myself and the kids, tested my 3 year olds iron and then sent us back to the waiting room for another hour and a half. Luckily, they do have toys all over the place but it got a little old sitting there with my infant that I desperately wanted to take home for a nap and a 3 year old who I wanted to bathe after touching all the toys the smelly kid had touched.
Lastly, we were called back to a nutritionists' office who was very nice but spoke to me like I was an idiot mom who knew nothing about nutrition or health. I suppose I don't blame her. She probably works with a lot of sad people who aren't even willing to get off drugs when they are pregnant, let alone be worried about the importance of nursing and proper nutrition for themselves and their children. Still, I was a little annoyed. I hate being spoken to like I'm stupid.
Then we were sent back to the waiting room where the smelly kid and my 3 year old had a good time. I also laughed as I watch a sweet, young, Mexican woman open her baby bag and pull out a sealed bag of Oreos and offer one to my daughter. Hmmmm. Maybe she is one of the people they are trying to teach about nutrition? ... Whatever...I totally let my daughter have one. After sitting in an office playing with Smelly for over 3 hours, she deserved a cookie.
Finally, we got called to the front desk where they gave me my WIC card that is to be used at the grocery store to buy milk, eggs, cereal, produce, cheese, bread etc. Not too shabby. I was shocked at how much they gave us...especially cheese. Poor people must be really constipated.
After the initial appointment you are required to go in every three months. I thought this was for recertification each time and would include waiting for us all to be weighed and income verification. Not so.
Each visit has been a little different. I have since developed a habit of carrying a folder to each appointment that contains all the information I could think of them possibly needing since I never know if they'll need to see birth certificates, social security cards, Medicaid identification, income verification or nothing at all.
I had all this information ready on Monday as usual as I headed off for my appointment. I felt bad I had to cancel my two previous appointments so I wanted to make sure I was on time to this one. When I called to make this appointment they asked which office I had been going too and I told them. They said I needed to transfer offices and gave me the name of it. Being dutiful, I triple checked the website to make sure I had the proper address of the new office. I then mapped the address--which didn't come up on any map as they had it written. Then I saw they had a map on their website for this "new" office so I decided that would be the safest bet and should follow their map. I was wrong.
Just as it was approaching appointment time I was passing what should have been the office location. I couldn't see it anywhere so I called them and asked for directions. Their map had led me 30 minutes in the opposite direction of where I was supposed to go. "We're just inside the beltway," they said. "On the right side of the road next to a BBQ restaurant?" I asked. "Yes," they said. Odd...that's the same office I've been going to for my four previous visits.
I don't know who the crazy lady was who told me I had to switch offices but I curse her. It takes a lot of courage and effort to get the kids into the car and drive to a location I don't know and have my kids around people that aren't exactly high class. Most are nice...but you never know who the schizo with the gun is gonna be...and a federal aide office is likely to house one or two occasionally. I was bugged. Your are kind of taking your pride and safety and putting it out there to be crushed every time you go to one of these appointments.
I turned around and drove to the location I'd originally been to. I went to the front desk and they asked for my proof of nutrition education. This is basically a paper you print after completing a 10 minute online nutrition lecture on their website. I gave it to her and kind of smiled.
It's required you only complete one nutrition "course" every quarter...and I turned in 5 the last visit. Apparently that doesn't count for anything and being an over achiever doesn't pay off since it was too much to ask them to look in my file and see that I had already completed nearly every nutrition module they offer. Instead, I had to waste my time driving to the wrong location for an office I didn't need to transfer too and then turn around and go to the original office I 'd always been too in order to turn in an unnecessary paper.
I realize I'm getting free food for myself and my kids from WIC. I'm grateful. Our life would not be as cushie without it. But I get irritated that I wasted time I could been doing something constructive...like I dunno...working maybe!? Heaven forbid I spend time earning money instead of driving around on fruitless errands. Seriously. I am lucky that I work from home but if I was trying to work outside of the home it would be ridiculous to call my boss and try to explain how I'd been sent to the wrong office and would need to take another two hours off in order to get my WIC benefits. Anyone else see a problem with this? YOU'RE FIRED!
