Today while Tommy was home, we did some routine "Honey-Do" stuff around the house. As we were working together to figure out the sprinklers in the front (we have a strip of grass dying) the Neighbor Kid runs over. Paisley and Neighbor Kid are only a few months apart in age. They are good friends, and have a lot of fun running through said sprinklers, playing hopskotch, and racing on their bikes. Today The Neighbor Kids' Dad asked me if I could watch him for a few minutes. I said "of course". He'll do the same for me while I unload the groceries or something else to that degree. Today, the Dad revved up his lawn mower and started mowing.
I asked Neighbor Kid and Paisley if they wanted to come and play in the backyard. We had the blow up pool filled with water- so what do two 3 year olds do when they see a pool filled with water?? They jump in! Not a problem. The problem I have is when Neighbor Kid takes a red sand bucket, and whacks my sweet Paisley in the head, not once, but twice. WHen I take away the bucket- he pouts. I explain to him that we do not hit here, and if he does it again, he will go home. After 2 minutes of playing together in the pool he gets out pouting (again) Paisley walks over to him and says "Ohhhh... ah you all-yight? So cute- I know. What does the Neighbor Kid do?? He grabs her by the neck, and starts to shake her, and then hits her in the face while my sweet little Paisley is in a head lock. NOPE!!! Hasta La Vista Baby. I quickly and calmly (calmly is the crucial word here) grabbed his hand and escorted him off our property. Had Tommy seen it- the Neighbor Kid would have been air born back home.
Here is my question. What do you do with someone else's child when they don't listen to you at YOUR house? Especially when they are inflicting pain on your kid? I kinda sorta told the Dad all of what happened. I just didn't want to make it awkward. All I told him was that he hit Paisley in the face twice, and that they were getting too comfortable with each other, and that maybe we could try again after nap time. I did fail to mention the WWF type head shaking and head lock he put my sweet baby girl in. Help..... what would you do???
Sunday, June 29, 2008
WWF Smackdown on Essence St.
Posted by Kalyn at 3:23 PM
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4 comments:
I would have done something very similar to what you did. I don't know how the dad would interpret "getting to comfortable with each other," so I may have worded that part differently. I'm guessing the dad was pretty embarrassed for having an undisciplined kid, as he should be. Telling him about the WWF-style stuff would probably make him MORE embarrassed. If something like that happened again, I would go into more detail so he really gets the picture about his kid. It's possible that the parents do try to discipline their son well, but that he has emotional (or whatever) issues. If that were the case, though, he should have given you a heads up and maybe some tools to use with him.
FWIW, however, I am not a parent, just a caregiver. With all my opining about parents' lack of discipline I'll probably have the most unruly kids ever.
you did just the right thing...and yeah, paul would have catapulted that little rambo right over the back fence, drop-kick style just like tommy would have, if he'd seen it. i'm sure YOU wanted to, too, but all the setting-a-good-example blah, blah, blah.
i don't know that it needs to be revisited right now, but if it happens again, i agree with shawn - "too comfortable" sounds more like playing doctor than playing wwf int he pool....b/c i doubt paisley was anything close to comfortabl!
poor sweet pea! and she asked if he was OKAY??? awww...it just shows you that you've definitely picked the RIGHT kids for her to hang out with on a regular basis.
I agree with the others... I think you handled it really well. You know, as I was reading this I was picturing Logan being "Hulk Hogan" boy. You know that if anthing similar ever happens with Lolo and P and I'm not around... You have my full permision to treat him as you would Paisley (time out, spanking, whatever you think works)!!
But I do think that Liz pegged it... "comfortable" sounds like they were playing doctor. If it happens again, I would give the neighbor dad a full blow-by-blow (no pun intended).
Thanks guys!!! I did mention that he hit her twice, I just left out the head lock and smack down..... Like I said, I don't want to make it too awkward, I like the kid- it's just better when we play in the front yard in between houses and both parents are outside to do their own disciplining. Ya know?! The Neighbor Kid goes to his Grandmas every day. I think between lack of social interaction, and lack of discipline.... he is a lil' monster!!!
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