or catsup or chocolate milkshakes as the case may be. Ever wanted take your revenge on the fast food place that always screws up you order?? Take 20 6-7 year old Cub Scouts to visit them! (insert evil laugh here) You'll feel great, have a reason to break your eternal diet (just this once, it's a special occasion), and aside from the unholy din as they run in and out of the playground you will be able to enjoy the company of the other brave (crazy also fits in our pack) adults who attend.
We are so lucky, we have the absolute BEST group of kids and parents. Everyone genuinely enjoys everyone else's company, kids and adults alike and we always have fun....always. The other neat thing about our crew is that we have a really diverse bunch, vision impaired, hearing impaired, SPD and more for spice. As we have grown as a group the kids have all accepted each other for who they are and always stand up for each other and try their best to protect them - even when tattling on each other. A gorgeous example occurred around the holidays last year. Mrs P was trying to help them settle in to make a huge holiday card to take to the VA Hospital she only had one direction which was not to draw or write in a certain area.
The boys get busily to work and after a time Mrs P checks the progress. The first thing you see is a beautifully executed Christmas Tree drawn in the no fly zone....
Mrs P: "What happened to 'Don't draw there'?"
S: (the artist) "What happened to no one helped me and I did it myself?"
C: "What happened to S is vision impaired and he didn't know where not to draw and how awesome is that tree!?!?!?!"
It goes that way though, they know their friends have challenges and they back them up, even when they are the inadvertent targets. I cannot tell you how many times Jack's impulsive darting about has caused collisions with most of the boys. They tattle and then tell Jack it's ok, he just has to work on slowing down. They hug and life goes on. I wish that every environment in Jack's life was that nurturing and understanding.
We were at a birthday party last week at a bouncy place. Jack loves the one particular item that is mainly for littles. He loves it because it is flat with waist-high inflated walls and he can jump and roll and throw himself into the walls and not get hurt or be hurried like on the slides and obstacle courses. I let him go on it because it gives him freedom for a little while to be his wild man self. I am always right there by the entrance monitoring and if littles come in I bring it to Jack's attention and he plays on something else until the toy is free again. All of a sudden this father walks up and puts his barely able to stand maybe 2 year old OVER the side wall (not through the entrance as requested by management) as Jack was in mid-air headed directly for his child's location. (Let's not even go there but any moron would have seen Jack flying that direction)
D R A M A ensues....
There was nothing Jack could do. He saw her but he was in the air.... they collide. Hard. The father LOOSES his mind, screaming at Jack. Loudly. The whole place was staring at him. Jack was mortified and was very obviously hanging by a thread and telling the man (VERY politely I might add) that he was so so sorry. I was also apologizing when this guy spins on me and starts screaming at me for not watching my kid and how I have raised this aggressive little jerk.
Yes, yes he did. In front of my son.
Before I could even say a word three of the other party attendees, all between the ages of 4 and 7 mind you, went OFF on this guy in unison...
J: "You can't talk to people like that. Screaming is very bad, you are a BAD, BAD man!!!"
A: "Mrs. Jack is always right by him to help him. She was right there. She helps all of us, you are mean, you should go home (now bursting into tears) you said bad words to Mrs. Jack....." (flung herself into my arms sobbing)
D: "You didn't use the entrance. The sign says to use the entrance. Don't you read? I can read. I can read that sign. You have to follow directions, that's what my teacher says..."
and so on. I am not sure what Jack's final straw was, this man screaming at him, insulting me or the show of compassion and solidarity from his wee buddies but he just laid down on the carpet and wept. That man then had the absolute b$#ls to announce loudly that Jack was having a tantrum because he knew he was wrong.
Oh no he didn't!
Oh yeah, heck yeah.... you KNOW I did.
I can't repeat it here, they have rules about language and all. He has a crystal clear understanding of exactly how I feel about him and his opinion. So much so that he actually apologized to Jack. Jack like the amazing, gorgeous soul he is stood up, shook his hand and told he accepted his apology.
Then I whisked him up and to a quiet corner where we cuddled and cried for a few minutes.
Sometimes I really hate people over 4 feet tall. Maybe some of the problems in this world could be solved if we treated each other the way first graders and kindergardeners treat each other. Without (too much) judgement, with caring and with open minds and with compassion.
That being said, please be forewarned, you will not be treated with any of the above if you mess with my kid.
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