My Philosophy

I am a nice person. Kind. Considerate. Compassionate. Sweet. I try to be good to small children and the elderly. I give to homeless people at every opportunity (one even knows me by name and asks after the children!). I believe in non-violence. I have always admired brains over brawn. I'm a "Use your voice, not your fists" kinda girl...until I had children.

I have three daughters. Girly girls. Delicate little things.

They are nothing like me. This has caused me a great deal of anxiety. I don't want my girls to be pushed around. I don't want their good-nature to be abused. I want them to be strong. To be loud. To fear no one. I want them to be better than I ever was.

So, there's this demon-child in the kindergarten class with the twinnies. We'll call her Chantal (because in the third grade I hated Chantal sooooo much!). Chantal has decided that she just loves my little girls. So much that she feels compelled to pick them up and hug them, then drop them unceremoniously to the ground. I know she does this because

1. Katie told me
2. Bethie told me
3. Dan saw it in action (but thought it looked like great fun and DID NOT intervene)

Katie and Bethie enjoy the hugs,  but are upset about bouncing off the pavement afterwards. At first, they tried running away from Chantal. But Chantal would chase after them. Then they told Chantal that they didn't want to be hugged anymore, but Chantal refused to cease and desist. The twins then reported Chantal's behaviour to TWO teachers. Those teachers were unable to stop the "love fest". Katie and Bethie decided to pull out the big guns: they told me.

BOOM!

Yup, I went off like a rocket. How dare Chantal put her hands on my children!

The twinnies and I had a little chat. We talked about respect. We talked about appropriate behaviour. We talked about soliciting help. We talked about how they are not allowed to play with children who hurt them.

Then we talked about the facts of life.

Here are my facts:

1. Let people know that their behaviour or words hurt you
2. Give them a chance to correct the situation
3. If that doesn't work, appeal to a higher authority
4. If that doesn't work, take care of the situation yourself (do it hard and fast)
5. Remember, there are TWO of you. Always help your sister. There is power in numbers.

I feel that my children were not put on this Earth to be terrorized.They can learn it now, or they can learn it when they are 30. The easy way, or the hard way. Either way, it will end! And that is what I included in the note that I sent to school.

I received no response from the teacher.

I am beside myself. Fixated. Obsessed. Enraged.

The next time something like this happens, I will not send a note.

The teacher can respond, or not, to my face.