We got to the outdoor rink a little before 4pm – meaning that the hockey-playing kids were still shooting pucks around and icing everyone around – so we got everyone into their skates and dusted off the mittens and.. waited.
And waited.
And when 4pm passed and the hockey-playing kids were still being assholes (pardon me) and scaring the beejezus out of Little One (who can barely stand on his skates) Middle One and Oldest One became quite disheartened that they wouldn’t be able to skate. I assured them that, oh yes, they WOULD be skating.
I then started making very pointed (and loud) comments about the time to the passing jackasses.
When that didn’t work, I called out to the kids to ask if they were “planning to stop now that it was past 4pm.” The sign clearly stated that the hours from 4-6:30pm were for “recreational skate” and specifically noted that hockey was forbidden in the interest of not letting the little kids get injured.
And then, when the kids got snitty with me, I put my foot down (literally) on their puck and informed them that we had a little person with us who wanted to skate, following the clearly posted rules, and that they needed to STEP OFF THE GODDAMNED ICE.
Maybe I was a little calmer. Not much.
But when the one older kid got really snarky and informed ME that he didn’t HAVE to follow the rules, I just about grabbed him by his little mesh hockey face-mask and beat him with his own stick.
(Seriously. I have no idea what the hell has gotten into me.)
Instead of putting the smack down, I took out my digital camera and began to “document” the scene for the administrators of the school who would, without question, recognize the asshole child.
Granted, I’m quite certain that they’re not overly concerned with the whole dealio but, whatever, MY KIDS WANTED TO SKATE AND NONE OF THEM CAN SKATE WELL AND HAVING PUCKS WHIZZING PAST THEIR HEADS MADE IT WORSE AND..
NOBODY FUCKS WITH MY KIDS.
(No, really, I have NO IDEA what I was doing there.)
Said child promptly began freaking out and shouting, “NO! DON’T TAKE MY PICTURE!” when I informed him what I intended to do with it. Then he started talking smack again.
So I took a few more pictures.
One kid – a decent, kind child – asked if, perhaps, we could share the ice even though the sign said “no hockey”. He proposed that the hockey playing kids (4 of them) would take one half of the rink and we could have the other. I agreed to this as a decent resolution because, duh, if the puck isn’t near MY KIDS I am not inclined to beat on children.
Oldest One thanked Coffee and I profusely for helping him get space to skate. He then proceeded to skate like a maniac and get better at it with each passing second that he could actually CONCENTRATE on the skating and not the jackass other kids.
I swear to god, I’ve lost my mind.
(But I’m not even slightly embarrassed about it.)
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Where were the people who run the rink?
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Nowhere. It’s part of the school playground and run by volunteers (parents) so it’s self-policed…
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lol….psycho mom…cool…..lol
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What I loved most, of all of it, was that all three kids thought it was AMAZING that Coffee and I stuck up for them and that we were willing to tell a bunch of “older kids” to screw off just because OUR kids wanted to use something (and, of course, we were within our rights – we don’t just go around instigating shit!)
I should note – I didn’t get within 10 feet of any of the kids, I didn’t swear at them and I didn’t threaten them with anything other than some photo-taking. So really, it wasn’t THAT big of a deal.
Normally I try to avoid confrontation at all costs… but I’m clearly channeling my Dad these days in the whole “protect the clan” concept.
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I love it when parents stick up for their kids. Not only does it model “gee, they love me and they will do anything for me”, but it also teaches them how to deal with conflict.
At our rink – a mother and a little girl sat on the benches for ages one day while I shoveled the rink, and some older boys played hockey. These were good kids, and were keeping out of the way of me working (it was going to get flooded later). After a bit, the girl was crying, and they headed towards the car. I walked after them, and asked what was wrong. The mother (yep – the grownup) said “the boys are not giving us space”. I said “did you ask them?” she said “No”. I hollered “Guys? Can this family have half the rink” They said “Sure” and actually put their stuff down the middle so they knew to stick to their side.
The little girl looked at my like the sun was coming out of my but. I felt so sad. I was her hero. It should (and could) have been her mom.
My gosh – kids are just people. You can ask. And if they are asses, you can handle them like asses. Fair and Firm.
What wonderful lessons, Violet. Keep up the great work.
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I dunno happykat, that little girl might be right. I think I detected a glow behind you when we met at the mall.
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Th need to avoid confrontation is overridden by the urge to prevent your kids from having to confront.
Kinda like how you would never take on a pitbull yourself, but put it between you and your kids, and watch the reflexes fly like a hummingbird on cocaine…..
Good work Psycho(although a very restrained one)-Mom!
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And henceforth you shall be known as “Mammabear”. And I’m not coming between your cubs and their skating/Wii/porridge/whatever. :)
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In America this would no doubt be twisted around into you being a pedophile for taking pictures of underage children because “Gosh, we didn’t have watches on and kinda lost track of the time officer but those freaky people with terrorist colored hair were taking pictures of us and we got really scared.”
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You have not posted in two whole days. Did the hockey hooligans get you?
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lmao at the terrorist colored hair comment.
It’s true, though.
In the US you’d have probably been in trouble over the picture taking if they’d put up a stink.
No model releases for underage kids or whacked out stalker charges or something.
It’s ridiculous.Regardless, I was telling my 14 year old about the incident and he was like… whooooa… sweeeeeeeeeeeeet.
:)Y’all are the heroes of kids everywhere now.
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Congratulations, Violet. You’re definitely a mother.
I know. But just in case you ever ask yourself “I wonder if I have what it takes to be one” again.
I bet not only Oldest One, but the three of them fell in love with you again that day.
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YOU GO! I agree with Kat. I wish I had had a strong parent role model as a child. I had to take assertiveness training later in life.
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