It's A Jungle At the Mall Play Area

Yesterday, Ken and I shared an adult-only date night with a movie and dinner. Our fabulous babysitter, "Nanny Kelly" stayed with the girls. So, the following story is secondhand.

Kelly offered to take the girls to the children's play area at the mall yesterday afternoon. Admittedly, I forbid myself for offering such a treat on a regular basis. Each visit, I find myself enraged with other people's poorly behaved children and end up publically rebuking irresponsible rude children's parents.

Apparently, a throng of poorly behaved children ruled the roost at the mall play area yesterday afternoon. It only takes one bad egg to ruin the whole lot. Poor Dagny, desperately trying to keep up with her older sister and enjoy the toys, was trampled several times by one particular chubby bully. This rude chubby boy was not only too tall for the play area, it there had been a limitation on width, he would have broken that rule too.

Kelly, doing exactly as I would have done, reprimanded this chubby boy to be more aware of his surroundings and respectful of others. At one point, Kelly involved the plump mother, who had neglectfully been engrossed in a nearby conversation about her previous cosmetic purchases. I would like to know her response if her child were continually trampled. Kelly went so far as to ban said chubby bully from playing in a particular area where several kids Dagny's age and size tried to play.

At one point, after observing the situation and watching her sister get trampled for the last time, Valerie quickly approached the chubby bully, arm cocked, teeth clenched, and screamed, "GET OUT OF HERE!" and swung away. A nearby, wide-eyed child observer responded, "Whoa".

You go girl! While hitting is a universal taboo from a parent's perspective in our culture, I couldn't be prouder of my eldest daughter. It's doubtful that I would have reprimanded her in this situation. First, she stood up for her sister. Coming from the eldest child, who often thinks the world revolves around her and often acts as though she would prefer to be doted upon like an only child, this was a HUGE mark of growing maturity. Second, despite her public timidity and social anxieties, she showed that she can put aside her fears during a time of need and stand up for what is right.

As I reflect on the story, I can't help but imagine Valerie's thought process, "AIN'T NO ONE GONNA MESS WITH MY LIL' SIS BUT ME, PUNK!"

While it's a jungle at the mall play area, on the bright side, it can be a tool to toughen up the most timid of children. I will still forbid myself from visiting that play area on a regular basis to save myself, my husband & my children from immense embarrassement.

In the meatime, I'm as proud as any mama hen could be!