I Hit Him Back--First; And: You've Got a Problem?: Mom Horning Story #6


Years ago, my number four son (Donald) uttered one of the greatest truths of all time.  He was barely three years old.  A very quiet child with chickie yellow hair, blue eyes, pink cheeks, and lots of freckles, he was not tall for his age, but his determination for justice was monumental.
The first sign of “trouble” was a knock on our door.  An irate mother stood on the stoop ready to knock again on the door—or anything else.  She looked accusingly at me and said “Your son attacked my little boy on his way home from school.”  Naturally, I thought of one of our older sons, but she spied Donnie behind me and said, “There he is, the Little Monster.”  Her tall, extremely well-fed seven year old son smirked at me while whimpering up at his mother, “He knocked me down and sat on me.”  I’m afraid at that point my dignity left me: I laughed.  The angry mother grabbed her son by the hand and left in a huff saying, “It’s no laughing matter.”  When we went back inside, I said to Donnie, “What happened?”

It seems that the day before, the Bully pushed Donnie off his wagon and took his apple, so when he appeared again, as my son related it, “I thought he was going to hit me, so I hit him back—First.”

We’ve quoted Donnie many times since, and the truth remains.  When confronted by a Bully, if you think he’s going to hit you hit him back—First.


Little children can be so wise.  Not always subtle, but with few words, they cut away the fluff, the innuendo, to get to the heart (in more ways than one.)

When our daughter, Libby, was small, her father took her to the “Y” kiddie pool.  After an hour or so, it was time to go home.  Her “tennies” were tied, but when Dad was fastening his own, the lace broke.  Never very patient, he “blew his top,” and a spate of intemperate language flowed.  When the swearing stopped, Libby stared up at him and flashing dark eyes, and with hands on hips, said, “You’ve got a problem?  Solve it!”  With that, she picked up her towel and little plastic duckie, and walked off towards the gate.


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