ADULTS CAN BE SUCH CHILDREN

It amazes me how childish some adults can be, and what poor examples they set for their own kids at times. I’ll tell you what happened this past weekend.

My (11 year old) sons and I were at Target on Saturday. I was checking out while they were waiting for me by the door. Apparently, Adam was standing a little too closely to the electronic door, so when a man and his 2 daughters tried to walk through them, the door didn’t slide open right away. So what does the man do? He turns to Adam and says something to the effect of, “Thanks for messing the doors up, Jerk.”

JERK. A grown man called my 11 year old son a JERK because he unknowing stood too close to the door and kept it from opening correctly. He called my son a JERK in front of his 2 school-aged daughters. This is the example he wants to set for them? Because in my book, this man is one thing: a BULLY.

Did it make him feel like a big man to intimidate and scare a child? Because that’s all it succeeded in doing. Oh, I guess it got him to move away from the door as well. Good job, Mr. Bully.

All I can say is he’s lucky I didn’t hear him say this to my child. In the heat of the moment I’m not sure exactly what I would have said to him, but I’m sure it wouldn’t have been pretty. And I’m sure there would have been a lecture in there somewhere about setting a better example for his daughters. But I know this: It would have been something that my boys would have been proud of!

Karen

Can I Brag?

Now I don't want to be one of "those" moms who talks about their children nonstop, and I think I'm pretty good about that. But every so often, one of them does something so great, I am just busting at the seams to tell someone ... anyone ... EVERYone!

I have twin 8 year old boys I'll call A and E. This story is about E. I just happened to be volunteering in his classroom this morning when the school counselor came in and asked to take E and another boy out of the room to talk. So, of course, my first question is "What did he do?" (Why is that always the first question for moms of boys? Do moms of girls do that, too?) She told me he didn't do anything, he was fine, and not to worry. Yeah, right! I gave her that "What aren't you telling me?" look until she gave me a tidbit. She said that there was a bit of trouble at recess yesterday and that E stood up for somebody. Hmmm. MY E?

So I waited until E came home, and immediately pounced on him for the whole story. Apparently, there were a few boys who had been teasing one of E's classmates, who I'll call H. They were calling him names and taunting him, under the pretense of playing tag. Now, keep in mind that the boys doing the teasing are friends of E, and H is really not a good friend. But my E said that he wanted to be on H's team for tag, and that they should stop bullying him. My little 8 year old showed compassion and strength for this other little boy.

(sniff, sniff)

Does this mean I'm actually doing something right?

Dang, I love my kids!

Karen