This post is long. And it’s different. It’s about how Ro starts to reason the world around him. As all previous posts, it’s real.

Yesterday we went to our friends’ house and Ro got to play with his friend G. After a while they started playing with two long plastic Star Wars style “light sabers”. Ro had the blue one and G the green one. Sure enough, soon they were hitting things they shouldn’t hit.

me: “Ro, we don’t hit the table, only soft things or the other light saber! No hitting of people. Do you understand?”

<big grin, and big nod>

Ro proceeded to beat up the grass. Turning around and looking at me to ensure he’s allowed to hit the “soft thing”.

Ro: can I hit the tree?

me: No, a tree is hard.

Ro: But not the leaves.

me: But you can’t reach the branches!

Ro: YES, I CAN!

<he found a low hanging branch with leaves around the corner that he could hit>

me: good job, Ro, thanks for listening!

<they went on to beat on the grass and tree branch and a bush, but they didn’t beat around the tree ;-)>

After a while the older girl K, G’s sister, started playing on the swing. The boys climbed onto the adjacent play structure and fought with their light sabers.

Suddenly G. threw his light saber at his sister on the swing.

She got hit badly, fell half off the swing, lost her glasses and was crying loudly.

I ran up to her, consoled her, asked where she was hurt and what happened. They all told me consistently that G had thrown his saber at her while swinging. I was glad to discover that K was fine, just shaken and mad.

But some corrective action had to be taken. I took G aside, explained to him that his behavior hurt his sister and was unacceptable. He nodded. I then told him that the light sabers were going away since he made a bad choice.

His dad then took him and he had to retire early for the night. Play time was over for G.

Ro was very bummed and protested that he shouldn’t loose his light saber.

me: Ro, your friend K got hurt on the swing by the light saber. G made a bad choice.

Ro: But I didn’t do it.

me: right, but you were playing with G. You could have told him that he can’t throw the saber at his sister. You knew that it was bad.

Ro: But *I* didn’t hurt her!

me: it doesn’t matter. you were playing together and could have helped G to make a better choice. The saber game is over. Now, – come, give me a hug!

<hug>

I then went back to the patio and let Ro and K play together. They started playing with the swing and to my surprise started discussing the incident:

G’s sister: that’s not fair, that you lost your saber, you didn’t hurt me

Ro: I know! But my dad sais I could have told G to make a better choice.

G’s sister: you should have kept your light saber. Only G should loose his.

Ro: I know.

So there I was: in the dog house – in the bad books with the kids. Parenting requires a strong personality 🙂

Funny, sad, real incidence and cute.

Maybe I was a little too hard on my little one. Later I had to go back and hug him again – he’s so serious, when figuring out what’s going on… It was the first time that he was penalized for bad “group behavior” that I remember. This is what I think threw him off.