Bullying and Whispering

Princess is having potty troubles again, and Pea has started hitting, bullying, and beating up the big boys on the playground. All at only 2 years of age. This is quite a conundrum for a mother. While I am sure there is humor in both situations, I really just want to pull my hair out and scream, “Why me?” But alas, God does have a purpose, if not His own divine sense of humor, that is for me and these little crazies.

Just today, we met some friends from church at Chick-fil-a for a breakfast playdate. Well, let me back up to say that hubby and I took the kids to Chick-fil-a over the weekend, where Pea proceeded to hit a little baby girl while in the playground where we could not see him (of course), so neither one of us really knew what had happened. We tried to assume the best, but mentally I was thinking my baby has beaten another baby up.

So back to today, we go and of course, I seemed to be the only mother who had to pay absolute attention to every detail her kids were doing. I mean, my kids seemed to be the only hoodlums there. I am sure all the other mommies were having delightful conversations none of which I was able to participate in for very long. First, Pea clung to me. Then he got stuck, and he seriously, did not know what to do without Princess in the playplace with him. Princess had decided she was not ready to play yet. Finally, she goes in there, and they proceed to act a fool in the playplace. Then Pea hits a boy. I have no idea if it was provoked or not. None at all, but what I proceeded to see was shocking. Little boy who is actually bigger than both Pea AND Princess proceeds to try to hit my son back, so Princess steps in front of Pea and hits Little Boy. Then they proceeded to get in a toddler brawl. Mom of Little Boy and I rushed into the play area to stop said brawl. Oh. My. Word! What! Just. Happened?

Never fear there was discipline. I am going to have to search the bible for a verse against hitting and for peacemaking. However, when I told hubby about it, he was a proud papa and acted as though it was the best thing that ever happened. Well not really, sorta, but he seriously, told me not to tell Princess “not to hit back” as I had said.

The afternoon was filled with frustrating potty experiences and me thinking God must have forsaken me. Hubby came home. I whipped up a fast unplanned dinner, and then he and Pea went to the store, and Princess and I took a walk. It was a very delightful walk, as she is very fun to talk too. She said that the wind lives in the clouds, but that God decided when to open the door for the wind and when to close the door, so that’s how it gets windy. And that God likes to color and do crafts. I said yes, He does. He colors everything we see and even our hearts. We talked about strange things like the road being old and its cracks and how everything needs renewing from time to time (like getting new pavement and a new heart from God).

Then we came home and read Goldilocks and the Three Bears. When we heard our boys get home we turned the lights out and hid in the dark living room. Neither one of my kids like the dark very much, so Princess said, “But it’s scary.” And I said, “But I am here.” Princess: “Oh, yeah, it’s not so scary like this.” (huddled together) And then the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, “Remember that – I am with you always even when it seems scary. What do you have to be afraid of with me?” I suppose that means even when my kids are acting afool, bullying, and mothers are looking at me as if I am the scum of the earth. Yes, even then, He is with me. How wonderful is that!