The Moment Has Arrived

I've always wondered how I would react the first time another kid messed with Jack. Would I stay calm? Would I confront the other parent? Would I confront the kid directly and privately and have a little chat that I would never want anyone else to witness? What would I do?

The moment has arrived. 

My little two days shy of a 10-month-old was playing when a little girl walked up and hit him on the head...with a toy hammer. I know, I know, these things happen, but she broke skin. She made him bleed. He had a band aid on his forehead when I arrived. The wound is small. It's maybe a quarter of an inch. It's tiny. It's nothing to be alarmed about or to call the doctor about. It's a small wound.

And the little girl, she's a sweet girl, she's a "help me bundle up Jack to take him home every night kind of girl." I'm sure this was all a misunderstanding. She didn't mean to hit a defenseless baby on the forehead. 

Right?

Truth is, I have secretly rehearsed the conversation I want to have with that little girl tomorrow when I pick him up. Truth is, it's a stern conversation. It's a "I'm not messing around" conversation. The words running through my head aren't very kind because every protective bone in my body is on high alert. 

But I'm reminded as a parent we simply can't always be there to shelter them. Once again I am tested in letting go. An unfortunate situation happened to my sweet little boy. And I won't always be there to confront the other kid. I won't always be there to protect him. And he will cry, and he may want me, but in the end he will be just fine.

So how will I react tomorrow when I see that little girl? I will forgive her because that's exactly what I would want Jack to do. 

But, no. I'm not going outta my way to be nice to that little girl ever ever again. And that's what I would expect out of Jack too. Be kind until someone abuses that kindness. 

And then throw rocks at them.