Why, oh why, do boys insist on beating each other up? I remember my brother and cousin doing it. I've heard stories about my uncles, my dad and my uncle, and my husband and his brothers, but it still continues to baffle me. Why does playing necessarily involve beating on each other? The fact is, it does. And it especially does around here now as the weather gets cooler and we're inside more and more. I had been intervening whenever I heard one of those bloodcurdling screams coming from another room. But now, I've resolved to take a more laissez-faire approach. They can come to me when they need me to work it out. Otherwise, I will intervene when there are serious injuries (and then with harsh punishment in most cases). We start out the day with a reminder to "go easy" on each other, and then often refresh that at lunch time when Daddy is home. But, if they are both doing it maybe they need to fight it out? I don't know.
Yesterday was one of those days. I told my husband that I think throughout the afternoon there was rarely a period of more than 10 minutes which was scream-free. Sure we had a nice poetry tea time and got some reading and other schoolwork done, but much of the afternoon was just hitting, pushing and screaming. At one point near the end of the day, I was in the kitchen making dinner. Both boys were in the living room playing. I heard an awful scream coming from 3yo. I started to run to the rescue, but then checked myself and decided to wait and listen. 3yo screamed for a few seconds, then I heard 7yo's voice:
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. Really I am. OK, now you can beat me. Beat me now. Do it! As hard as you can!"
I didn't hear any more noise, so I guess 3yo agreed and the problem was solved.
Five minutes later, more screaming. Then 7yo's voice again:
"Sorry. But you do it now. You toss me down, OK? Do it hard."
Whatever. I guess if it works and they still love each other . . . Boys!
1 comment:
This is hilarious. I will let you know if the fact that my oldest is a boy is negated by the fact that my youngest is a girl in terms of "beating free for alls" hehe... I will say this -- They both love the "hungry piggy" game, which is basically a tickle-monster type game -- and Stefanie is not too shy, even at 16 months, to chase after her big brother!
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