The Boy Child, at school yesterday, was bitten by one of his classmates while playing at being animals. The teacher described it as coming to her attention thanks to a blood-curdling scream. She explained that no skin was broken and no bleeding took place and the Boy Child was given ice for his arm. I really wasn't fussed, I must confess and I told the teacher, "no blood, no foul".
So, we all stood there, his teachers, me, and the Boy Child and I looked down at his beautiful face and I asked him, gently, what happened.
He told me: "people bite me up i my crass".Someone bit you in your class?
"Ja".
And what happened next?
"Teacher hente meg ice" (my teacher got me ice).
Well, next time someone bites you, you bite them back, ok?
Ok.
His teachers laughed. They thought I was kidding.
The Girl Child didn't think I was kidding. The first thing she asked her brother when she heard about it was, "did you bite them back?" And then she told him, next time someone hurts you, you hit them back. Or pull their hair.
She understands. I've explained the hitting rules to her before. She is allowed to hit only if someone hits her or if someone hits her brother.
You have to stand up for yourself and for yours in this world. No one else will do it for you.
Posted by Random Penseur at November 23, 2005 02:04 PM | TrackBackAgreement. Total. It beats me how the new philosophy is our kids are not to allow themselves to be victims but yet they shouldn't fight back. There's something missing in that equation.
Posted by: Roberta S at November 23, 2005 03:29 PMThat was always the rule in our house,too. You may not hit first, but if somebody hits, bites, pulls your hair, whatever, then go for it kid!
Must be the Barrister's School of Hard Knocks :)
Posted by: Jocelyn at November 23, 2005 03:34 PMI LOVE YOU FOR THIS, RP! YAYYYYY!
The schools won't be happy about it but too bad. You're right. It's the truth. This whole PC BS these last few years about kids learning they cannot defend themselves at school has been driving me up the wall.
Posted by: Amber at November 23, 2005 06:31 PMDon't be too surprised if you find out one day that his school is one of them whacky ones that actually blame a fight on the kid that threw the second punch because of that "it takes two to tango and the Boy Child should have let the aggression go rather than escalate the violence by continuing it" short-sighted bend-over-and-take-it nonsense.
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 23, 2005 11:44 PMI am in compleete and total agreement with you, m'dear. (No big shock, there, though, huh?)
I just stopped in to wish you and your lovely family a beauteous thanksgiving.
xoxo
Posted by: Margi at November 24, 2005 03:33 AMWhen I was his age, my father instilled the same lesson in me. He was rather adamant that I understand that I was nevber to start a fight. But if someone picked on me, I should do my best to end it. His advice to me?
Kick him in the balls as hard as you can. Drop him, and end it right away.
Gave my mother fits, and I never had to actually resort to that. But it instilled in me an important lesson, the same one you have imparted to your son.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by: Mark at November 24, 2005 10:52 AMHappy Thanksgiving, RP! Just remember to tell the Boy Child that he doesn't have to wait for the turkey to bite him first.
Posted by: Tuning Spork at November 24, 2005 01:01 PMYou go, girl child!
Posted by: Hannah at November 26, 2005 04:48 PM