K loves going to Books-A-Million; they have a Thomas the Train track he plays with. While K plays with the train track, I'm able to decide which books I actually want to purchase. It's nice. We're able to stay for long periods of time while he plays.
Yesterday, as we walked into Books-A-Million, his face grew with enthusiasm as he turned to look at me. He didn't even have to ask, for I already knew what was on his mind. All I had to do was say, "Yes" and he took off like a kid in a candy store, racing to the train track. Of course, I quickly followed him and was right behind. As soon as I turned the corner to see K already playing with two other boys, a set of twins, I noticed a Sunday School peer of mine sitting on the chair watching his daughter play.
As my peer and I talked, I heard K start crying. As I turned around, I saw one of the twins snatch a train from K's hand. That is one thing we don't allow K to do. We do not allow him to ever take something from another person's hands, not even his sister's.
I know he's not perfect and there will be moments his desire overtakes his will to obey, but we always correct it when we see it happen. Well, as soon as the boy snatched the train from K's hand, I bent down and politely explained to the boy that we don't take things from people's hands and it's not very nice. Of course, this wasn't something the boy was used to hearing and he didn't like it, but the peer of mine chimed in and told the boy to give it to K. I didn't realize the boys were with my peer. I probably would have been embarrassed if I would have handled it differently, although he may not have agreed with what I did.
The boy gave K the train back. I saw another train a few feet behind K one the floor and I asked him to get it for the little boy; he did. He tried to give it to him, but the boy wasn't happy about it and said he didn't want it.
It wasn't too long afterward that I asked K to let the boy have his turn with the train, since the train actually belongs to the bookstore and not to us. K obeyed and offered the train to the boy.
I know there was more than one way of handling the situation. I could have let the boy keep the train and tell K that life is not fair and let him know the boy wasn't being nice. I don't like that decision for our family because I want K to be confident in knowing what is right and what is wrong and to stand up for what he knows is right. I don't want K to be one of those kids or grow up to be an adult that allows people to do something wrong and just stand by and watch. I'm also the type of person that doesn't mind when someone corrects my son when they witness him doing something wrong either.
What would you have done? Have you ever corrected someone else's child?
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2 comments:
Sounds like you handled that with great mommy skills and respect for the offending child. We don't allow snatching in our house either. I've only ever corrected friends' children that I knew would not be upset, but would have said/done the exact same thing.
You are right that we need to bring our children up not only knowing right from wrong, but not staying silent when wrong is done in their presence.
(I'm back reading, can you tell? LOL!)
I think that was definitely the right thing. The other day in church we were "latching on" to a visitor (that's what we do in our church- if there are new people, another family will "take care of them"). Every Sunday we have a fellowship/potluck meal and during the meal, this woman's son kept hitting Nolyn, purposely knocked over his drink, put his fork in N's food.. it was irritating, but I think we handled it well. Finally, Nolyn got up a moved. At some point, you have to walk away.
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