SIMILAR SITUATION

I am posting this letter from a mom (homeschoolfreestuff). A similar incident happened to us when we were at a playcenter in a mall. This boy, who could not have been more than 8 years old, irritated that Ethan did not want to share his blocks gave Ethan the dirty finger!! You can read about it here (prepared to be shocked). Good thing I was there and good thing Ethan was paying him no heed. But that boy really made my blood boil, that's for sure. So yes, I can relate to what this mom felt.


Socialization, or Avoiding Anti-Socialization

My son was having a birthday, so we decided to take him and a few friends to our local Chuck-E-Cheese. For those of you who haven't been there before, it's a pizza parlor with lots of games and fun things for kids to do.

Needless to say, there were lots of kids running around. Sort of like a an indoor playground.

Everything was going great, everyone was having fun. Then I spotted two bigger kids chasing my child and their friends. I ran over and screamed STOP at the older kids. They turned and began unloading the most amazing set of profanity at me. Words I haven't heard in years. I was floored to say the least.

Okay, I understand that teenagers learn horrible things, but these two kids couldn't be older than 9! Chasing a 5 and 7 year old, spouting language that would make a sailor blush!

I told the manager, and he went over to talk to the two kids. The two kids nodded, and that was it. The manager told me that they would behave. My kids were shocked, but their friends were visibly shaken.

In fact, every time the two kids came into the area my kids didn't notice, but their friends became visibly scared. Clearly, their public school experience taught them how bullies work. Once bullied, you will always be in danger.

My kid's friends couldn't relax after that, so we left. There was no point in staying.

On the way home, I couldn't help but think. Gosh, what an oppressive way to live. If my kids went to public school, they would have to deal with that kind of thing day in, and day out. What a way to live, what a way to learn? So is that socialization, or anti-socialization?

All I can say is thank God for the opportunity to raise and educate my children free from that kind of life.

~IKS~