****Added comments on 2/17/09
I have (had?) no intention of enrolling GMK in Karate class, but recently she mentions that she's going to do karate class almost every day. She always references some time in the future such as "next week" or "next year" or "when I'm 5." And when she's hanging out with an adult, she often shows off her karate kick that she does with a very animated "ha-YA!"
A few days ago, we went to a friend's house. This particular house has a basement with mountains of toys and things to do. I let GMK go down by herself because I can pretty much trust her now to stay out of trouble (or so I thought.) Some time later, though, I heard some crying from the basement, but I thought it was just the sound of kids playing so I ignored it. Five minutes later, I heard it again but much louder and I recognized it as GMK's cry. I whipped open the basement door and there sat GMK halfway up the stairs crying hysterically with 2 boys in her face menacing toy trains and a toy broom. I scooped her up and got her upstairs. It took her a good 10 minutes to calm down and every time I asked her if she was OK, she shook her head "no." It was heart-wrenching because GMK is a very resilient girl. Every since she was a baby, if she got hurt she'd barely cry, just dust herself off, and go on her merry way. This was different.
I finally got her to talk about it and it turns out that these two boys were hitting her with the toys. They pretty much ganged up on her and she didn't have a chance. Poor thing!
I know boys will be boys, and GMK admitted to hitting one of the boys back at one point, but she felt badly about it. We told her it was OK to hit back if she tells them to stop first and they don't stop and there's no grownups around. We said, "Next time, just run away and get mommy or daddy." But I don't want my girls to be helpless and weak and targets for bullying. So maybe Karate class is a possibility in the near future- next week, next year, or maybe when she's 5.
**** This seems to be a very popular post. Maybe it's because parents feel so strongly about the safety of their own children. However, I do want to add that the kids involved are actually very good friends. One of them actually tried to comfort GMK the other day. Kids get into "scuffles" like this all the time especially at the age of three. It turns into a great learning/teaching opportunity for the parents and kids.
11 comments:
oh, GMK... :( it is heartbreaking and scary...
she does have some mean karate kick. :) eemo's strategy is hilarious, and probably quite useful later. ;)
i think i'll have to chalk up karate lessons for Piglet too. :(
I hate bullying! I agree with Betty... I hope the parents set their sons straight and apologized to GMK.
ohhh! it's terrible that she had to go through that! karate it is! she'll be able to hold her own!
dude. did you tell the boys' parents what happened?? i like june's advice.. but i don't know if parents would like their kids' you know what being kicked. they are little after all and usually don't know any better.. or are still learning. as for more grown boys.. all's fair game. anyways, poor gmk.. maybe instead of just running away, you could instill in her that boys are all really stupid and that she is a most superior being. that boys don't know any better, so she should flip her hair and just walk away. :P (i'm totally serious.)
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