“Did Boo just tackle Emme?”
Posted on September 10th, 2008 in behavior, friends
No. Don’t.
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I was taking pictures and therefore paying no attention at all. Sometimes the viewfinder becomes a magic tunnel from which I manage not to notice anything I’m looking at — all Boo’s misdeeds become just another pose.
Mikey Mike was entertaining both Boo and Emme with Chip and Dale dancing and I was behind the camera. Slowly, it settled onto my sloth-like consciousness that Boo had just taken Emme down in some sort of wrestling move. In her zeal to give Mike his tip, I suppose. (He’s a great dancer.)
So I pulled Boo aside and told her that tackling isn’t acceptable (unless invited: cf. “Buddy Boy“). I made her say “I’m sorry” although the apology, given that it was delivered to a tree, probably didn’t make Emme feel too much better. I even promised Boo a reward if she could make it through the rest of the day without pushing.
So we learn together to navigate the gray area between “wrestling” and “mugging.”
At least I didn’t get emotionally involved today, praise be to Mike and Emme’s good nature but also the chafing of experience. Today was the first bullying moment when I just did my parenting business without feeling embarrassed by Boo’s behavior. That felt like a success, anyway.
Now, all I need is a good euphemism for “bully,” since when you repeat something too many times it makes it a reality. (Like parents who say “she won’t eat mushrooms.”) Any ideas? So far, what’s come to mind is “peppery” or “boisterous.”
Or maybe “despotic.”
Yeah, I Twitter, don't laugh. 
September 10th, 2008 5:57 pm
Hussein-ian?
Milosovic-ian?
Gym-teacher-ian?
September 10th, 2008 9:22 pm
Or just Happ-i-ness. Cute photo.
September 11th, 2008 9:54 am
We are both too traumatized to think of a good word …
That is the best photo ever!
September 11th, 2008 10:35 am
At Funk’s school, they call it “using kind hands.” So, when a kid is being particularly… boisterous with their body, the teacher asks, “are you using kind hands right now?” And nine times out of ten, the kid KNOWS that their hands weren’t kind because the other kid is now crying.
Kind hands also means helping your friends, cleaning up after yourself, and being supportive of others.
When they use kind hands a lot in a week, they get a little hand certificate called the “Kind Hands” award. It’s kinda fun.
Until, in a fit of anger, I toss a toy across the room after stepping on it for the fifteenth time, and I hear from behind me, “MOMMY. You are SO NOT using kind hands right now.”
September 13th, 2008 2:16 pm
pushy? bossy? mean?
the thing is, all of them are still repeating negative things to be. The kind hands idea sounds useful. (the part about asking about positive activity, not the actual words. repeating ‘kind hands’ all the time wouldaa drive me crazy)
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