The Daddy Complex

When Push Comes To Shove

We took the boys to the playground on Sunday to meet up with some of their friends (and their parents, of course). With full attendance, we were four boys and four parents. The kids were going ape-shit, rambunctiousness in full effect. At one point, they all charged past a little girl (she was maybe two) and her mother at the top of a slide. One of the boys pushed her out of the way and the mother started barking at them.

Okay. I don’t mind another parent telling my guys to simmer down, especially in a top-of-the-slide scenario. Another dad and I saw this happening and came over to calm the boys down. Before we could stop them, however, Boone shoved the girl a little.

He was excited, but he was wrong. The mother said he punched the girl and, not wanting to split hairs on the definition of a punch vs. a shove, I made Boone go apologize to the girl and her parents. Teachable moment. Lesson learned. We now return you to our regularly scheduled pandemonium.

Except the mother of the girl spent the rest of her time at the park glaring — and I mean glaring — at my wife. (And don’t get me started on why the woman was glaring at my wife and not me.) The other father also overheard her telling her older daughter, who looked to be about 4-years-old, to “stay away from those boys, those are bad boys.” Of course, the girl immediately came over and hung out with the boys because, even at 4, she’s ready to piss off and disappoint her parents with her choice of men.

The family eventually left and we all thought it was kind-of hysterical. I understand that it sucks that her kid got thumped for no good reason, but if that mother thinks that sort of thing will never happen again, she’s going to have a very miserable life. It’s a playground. Kids get rowdy, they roughhouse, scrapes and bruises happen. Hell, if one of our kids doesn’t leave the park with some sort of injury, it means we had a shitty time.

Recent comments

Blog comments powered by Disqus

Notes

  1. mediocremommy said: those parents are the worst.
  2. ladyofleisuredc said: she needs to teach her kids how to punch back. That’s what I did.
  3. ilovebean said: “…because, even at 4, she’s ready to piss off and disappoint her parents with her choice of men.” Ha! So true.
  4. jynxiluvbaby said: Wow, how dare your children get excited and act like children!! Shame on you for allowing this to happen!! Luckily that woman was there to keep an eye on your wife who is undoubtedly the ring leader of this terrible operation!! In all seriousness though people like her drive…
  5. photolodico said: I remember being in a scenario like this when I was a kid… still think the mother who was making a big deal was a bloody idiot.
  6. ncooke said: Sounds like you handled it well. I know in my job, most of the difficulties that I face are with the parents and not the kids. If that mother keeps jumping in to fight for her daughter after every little shove, the daughter will be a weak adult.
  7. accol said: I think when one has twins, one has a more live-and-let-live attitude because bandwidth dictates it. We are definitely more laid back than our friends with singletons.
  8. bestnatesmithever said: Awesome.
  9. thedaddycomplex posted this