Old Western at the playground

Not many people like to be told that they are not allowed to do something when they have every intention of doing it.

Toddlers don't like being told, "no" and will express their displeasure with that word in a very intense way.

Isn't it nice when someone is willing to stand up for the little guy and make the bullies go away?

Isn't it nice to watch your own child stand up for the rights of his younger sibling?

  

The first act of standing up for his little brother with Bravery, Honor and Courage, happened the other day at our neighborhood park for my oldest son. 

 I was so proud of him that my eyes got all misty as I watched how seriously he took to this offense toward his little brother.

Now here's the scene:

Neighborhood park, 

Enter:  Baby brother approaches playground train.  

One Train:  Two 4 year old kids loudly announced that he was "NOT ALLOWED ON THEIR TRAIN", (said in the whiney playground bully voice). 

Enters: Big Brother 

He overhears two 4 year olds yelling at baby brother.  

The Hero has some questions to ask himself about the situation.

How will he take care of these two bullies?  

How will he fight this battle and make things right?  

Will he "Use his words" like he was taught since he was just a little guy?  

Will he punch the two smaller boys or yell in their faces?  (my pick as a mom...but I held back)

Will he just push them off the train? (another favorite of mine, yet I held myself back again)

 No... He did it in a very Big Kid way... Peacefully he walked to the train.  He took the high road.  He decided to just climb up on the train and sit more elevated than they were.  They stood at the bottom level and my son took to the trains smoke stack.  Once he was in his high position he just put his hands on his hips and that was it...they backed down.  The bullies said, "we can do that", (again said in whine bully voice, of course). My son replies, "oh well, but you CANNOT do this", he then climbs his way high onto the caboose.  He knew full well that grandma would never allow such crazy climbing for such newbie park dwellers of such a young age.

He conquered King of the Hill Style!

 They didn't notice that the King's little brother was then climbing all over that train by this time. Baby brother is secure in his position as brother to this big brave guy.  They were just in awe that my son could make it way up to the top like that... silence fell... they suddenly were not so big after all.  

Soon they left defeated.  Battle over!!

My son said,  "I need to stick around on the caboose for a little longer until I know that those 'Bad Guys' are not going to come back and start any more trouble"

I have learned in my married life and now a mom of two boys, that this is true... A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.  So I waited as he got comfortable on his platform, I watched my son win a battle by thinking things through.

I'm a proud mama.  sigh...