Parks and Rec
After the 9 year-old's finger mishap we decided that the kid should take a little break from the recreation scene. A few days ago we lifted the ban and allowed them to visit the brand new park across the street. I've never been a big fan of neighborhood parks. They are fraught with danger! Dangling from the monkey bars is a broken leg waiting to happen! The discarded candy that's still partially wrapped is too tempting not to pick up! The merry-go-round goes 'round way too merrily and usually draws blood at some point. But much more scary than any of these is the presence of other children. Now, I love kids! I think I've proven that beyond a shadow of a doubt. They don't even have to belong to me for me to love them. Kids are great! If nothing else, they are a constant source of comedic entertainment. But there are those few kids who are not entertaining. Those few who ruin every one's fun. My daughters ran into these kids this past week. First, you must understand something about my kids. Children they've met 5 minutes earlier automatically become best friends. My children are not shy, not even a little bit. They have been taught all of the rules surrounding stranger etiquette, but if you're a kid, you're in! Their only prerequisite is that you must be under the age of 13.
I have made it known that I want my kids to tell me everything, no matter what it is. I have tried to create an environment of security for them to tell me their problems and joys. This has been successful so far and I'm trying not to ruin it, but sometimes it's just so hard not to laugh!
After their first go-round at the new park they couldn't wait to tell me about their new "friends"....all boys. This is not surprising, my two eldest are quite pretty (not just in my opinion) and their outgoing personalities make them fast friends. They told me about the games that were played and the jokes that were told, it was great fun just to hear it recapped! They told me the boys names and their ages, then they told me something I thought I wouldn't hear for a least a few years! One of the boys (11 years old) asked my 7 year-old to call him.....the audacity! In her true fashion, she was appalled. This particular child has a very reasonable head on her shoulders and she responded the only way she felt appropriate, "No! I'm not calling you! I don't even know you!" *Atta girl!* As she reprised the conversation quite dramatically for us, it sent fits of giggles through each listener. Undaunted, she finished retelling the interaction. "Then he said, 'Well, I'll give you my number in case you change your mind.' I said,'I don't need it because I'm not calling you. I'm only 7 and I don't call boys!' Then I ran home." All of this was said with a very stern face while the rest of us could not control our delight. I told her how pleased I was with her forthrightness and kissed her goodnight. She fell asleep with a very smug look on her angelic face.
They ran into the same boys the next day. The games were the same but their tone had changed. Undoubtedly because of the bruised ego. My children (thankfully) are unfamiliar with much of the nasty language that exists because they do not attend public school and my husband and I do not use the foulness that seems acceptable in today's society. But these boys had some of it reserved for my girls on this day. When the girls returned they related to me two disgusting terms that these boys had called them. They didn't pronounce either one of them properly and had no idea what they meant, but they knew without ever hearing them before that they were wrong! (That really tells you something, doesn't it?) I comforted the 7 year-old since they were mostly directed at her by the 11 year-old who will be waiting for a very long time for any phone calls. They were told to steer clear of these young "gentlemen" and to come and get a parent should anything else happen. The funny thing was, she was completely calm and collected while she told me about the filthy names she had been called, but she started crying after she said "Mom, they called me 'Mellonhead'!" Now that's a tragedy.
I have made it known that I want my kids to tell me everything, no matter what it is. I have tried to create an environment of security for them to tell me their problems and joys. This has been successful so far and I'm trying not to ruin it, but sometimes it's just so hard not to laugh!
After their first go-round at the new park they couldn't wait to tell me about their new "friends"....all boys. This is not surprising, my two eldest are quite pretty (not just in my opinion) and their outgoing personalities make them fast friends. They told me about the games that were played and the jokes that were told, it was great fun just to hear it recapped! They told me the boys names and their ages, then they told me something I thought I wouldn't hear for a least a few years! One of the boys (11 years old) asked my 7 year-old to call him.....the audacity! In her true fashion, she was appalled. This particular child has a very reasonable head on her shoulders and she responded the only way she felt appropriate, "No! I'm not calling you! I don't even know you!" *Atta girl!* As she reprised the conversation quite dramatically for us, it sent fits of giggles through each listener. Undaunted, she finished retelling the interaction. "Then he said, 'Well, I'll give you my number in case you change your mind.' I said,'I don't need it because I'm not calling you. I'm only 7 and I don't call boys!' Then I ran home." All of this was said with a very stern face while the rest of us could not control our delight. I told her how pleased I was with her forthrightness and kissed her goodnight. She fell asleep with a very smug look on her angelic face.
They ran into the same boys the next day. The games were the same but their tone had changed. Undoubtedly because of the bruised ego. My children (thankfully) are unfamiliar with much of the nasty language that exists because they do not attend public school and my husband and I do not use the foulness that seems acceptable in today's society. But these boys had some of it reserved for my girls on this day. When the girls returned they related to me two disgusting terms that these boys had called them. They didn't pronounce either one of them properly and had no idea what they meant, but they knew without ever hearing them before that they were wrong! (That really tells you something, doesn't it?) I comforted the 7 year-old since they were mostly directed at her by the 11 year-old who will be waiting for a very long time for any phone calls. They were told to steer clear of these young "gentlemen" and to come and get a parent should anything else happen. The funny thing was, she was completely calm and collected while she told me about the filthy names she had been called, but she started crying after she said "Mom, they called me 'Mellonhead'!" Now that's a tragedy.
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