Playground

As a child, I used to go to the playground a lot and had lots of fun. I was even telling a friend, whose husband I used to hang out with at the playground, at lunch yesterday how much fun I used to have. It was the childhood that I would like little Ba Ba to have. But guess I forgot that when I used to go to the playground I was at least 6 years old.

So little Ba Ba was at the playground today when he met with a tyrant, bully, horrid and ill-mannered kid. But then, guess it's not really that kid's fault. I honestly blame his mother. So anyway, little Ba Ba was at the playground happily playing and running up and down when the bully came. First bully tried going up the ladder and pushed a little girl that's probably 1 year or maybe younger than little Ba Ba aside. And when the little girl's mother told him off, he elbowed the little girl. I was aghast! The little girl's mother grabbed the bully's arm and insisted that he apologized. And he did. He's probably 3 or 4. Then little Ba Ba was going up the ladder and bully came, pushed Ba Ba aside but I scolded him. He then waited and when Ba Ba sat at the top of the structure or playground or whatever you call it, he stomped on Ba Ba's fingers. I got mad. And it was then that his mother called for him to go home. So all along his mother was at the playground chatting to her friend.

That got me and I promptly told bully's mother what he did to the little girl and to Ba Ba. All she did was, cuddled her son and stroked his head and said, 'Guai, guai!' Which means, good boy! I was livid! I asked her, how could she praise her son and not scold her son for his misbehavior? He did something wrong and I asked her what sort of mother is she? Well, all these were spoken in Mandarin. If I could express all these in English, she'll be in for more than an earful! I was beyond pissed, livid, mad or whatever! What sort of values is she passing on to her kids? And her friend was also calling the boy, 'Guai' too. I'm like you freaking kidding me, right?

I walked away thinking what sort of mothers or parents think that's its fine to bully others or to push people out of their ways to get what they want? Do they not think that their parenting will come back one day and bite them back? I'm not teaching Ba Ba to be a wimp or anything like that. To me it's wrong to push people out of the way to get to the top and to trample over people. I'd rather Ba Ba be at the bottom but his conscience is clear and he's a God fearing man. Yes, Ba Ba should stand up against these bullies and he should never become or take revenge on these people because vengeance is always the Lord's and the good Lord will always provide for little Ba Ba. And like I always say and believe, I don't care how much money or what sort of a job Ba Ba has in the future. As long as he's a God fearing man, I'm more than happy.

So will Ba Ba go to the playground again? Yes, he will. And will I intervene again, I might or might not. I'll intervene sometimes and if Ba Ba can stand up for himself, I'll let him do it but if he can't, I'll be there. But at the back of my head, I know that I can't be protecting him from such people for the rest of his life. I'll have to teach him coping strategies and pray that he'll know what to do.