Bully-proofing

So....it was not the first time I have witnessed another child being mean to PB. I'd seen small actions before but knew PB was way too small to "get it". Thank goodness. Even then, I was surprised by how much I was affected when other children were mean to PB. And this most recent incident was no different.

An older child saw that PB was the youngest child at the event and was a relative stranger. We'd only played with them once before. After a while, he came to tell me no one liked PB because he was loud. And that neither this boy nor any of this friends wanted to play with PB. I told the boy that was ok. He didn't need to play with PB if he didn't want to. Then later, I notice him with PB in the bouncy house... following him around. Tripping him. Pushing him. Each time but the last, my sweet PB just got up and kept bouncing, almost as though he figured each time was just an accident. The risks you take in a bounce house full of rambunctious preschoolers. The last push sent PB to the mat...hard...bringing tears to his eyes. Just as I was approaching to retrieve PB from the bounce house under the guise of having to get home. My sweet boy had tolerated enough for the day. 

You might think I am being over sensitive. Over protective. Having a "that mom" moment when an ant hill is made into a mountain. And who cares if I am. But I did hear other parents correcting the older boy, reminding him his father had already spoken to him about his behavior. 

Now listen...I am a (fairly) rational person. I know children can be mean. I know PB will likely experience a lot of meanies in his young life. And it breaks my heart. 

Yes, PB has pushed and hit. But I truly believe it wasn't PB trying to be mean. It was out of not knowing any better. Not knowing how else to communicate. And we have spent MONTHS trying to correct the behavior because...it's mean. 

I will not always be able to save PB from mean kids. And there will come a time he won't want me to. So I will do my best to bully-proof this kid. He will know he is smart and fun and worth playing with. He will have the self-confidence to say "stop it" when he's someone's target. And he will have the empathy to step in when he sees someone else is a target. And I will do my best to teach PB not to be mean to others. That hits and pushes and words can all hurt someone. 

At least I hope for these things and will do my parenting best to make them a reality.