Happy Hump Day. The girls and I kept a low profile today. We needed to catch up on some sleep so we stayed home and slept! We all took naps and then just to get out of the house we headed to the car wash (1st time for the girls). After that we headed to the park.
Hailey had her 1st bully experience at the park today. All 3 of the girls were running up a long ramp over to a slide, sliding down and then running back to the beginning of the ramp. Hailey got separated from the other 2 at one point and stopped to wait for them. She was standing right in front of me. On the ramp was a little boy - maybe a little younger than the girls but he was bigger than them. He looked Hailey right in the eyes, pointed at her and said 'NO!' basically telling her she can't come up the ramp. Then he proceeded to spit at her. I didn't move a muscle. I wanted to see how Hailey reacted. IT BROKE MY HEART. She put her hands over her eyes and pretended she didn't see him. And then she wouldn't go up the ramp.
What I wanted to tell her to do: You go tell this punk to back the f*ck up and move over. And make sure you push him off the ramp while you're at it.
What I actually said: Hailey - what he did wasn't acceptable. Just say no thank you and go around him.
By that point Hannah & Emily were at the beginning of the ramp ready to run up and I asked them to wait for Hailey. But she still wouldn't go. Ugh. You just can't fight every battle for them. And they have to learn to fight their own battles. She did eventually end up going by him after a bit. And his mom came over. I never said a word to her...I knew I didn't have to because he told her to 'go away' when he saw her. But her reply was 'I can't go away - I need to make sure you're not being bad.' That says it all.
The rest of the day at the park was nothing but fun.
Tomorrow we're going to try to make it to dance...
This post makes me sad for Hailey and also said for Christopher. Because he very well could have been that little boy. He doesn't always know how to read and act on social cues in an appropriate way. I fear that he will be targeted too because he doesn't understand. Long before our experience with Christopher I have worked with Daniel from a young age to remind him that bullying is a two way street. Sometimes a person that is bullying is doing so cause they really wish they could be your friend and they don't know how. Show them how to be a good friend. If that doesn't work them simply walk away. But at least try. Be compassionate and understand that you what you see it's always what is.
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