Other Peoples’ Kids – Let’s Take Back the Playground!
When my youngest was about eight months old, I took my two girls swimming. All was fine until Mr. Obnoxious Six-Year-Old entered the scene. He ran around the pool, leaving toddlers spluttering in his wake, so he could splash babies in the face. His mother stood at the edge of the pool, saying, “Bobby, honey, you don’t want to do that.” (That’s probably the stupidest thing you could say to a kid. Of course he wants to do it. Otherwise why would he?). Meanwhile, my three-and-a-half-year-old asked me, “why doesn’t she just lift him out of the pool? She’s bigger than he is.” Yes, she was. But she wouldn’t always be. And what would happen then? Tick. Tick. Tick.