Comments on: I am a dad who will fight for your honor… http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html New York parenting blog | Trying way too hard to be cool Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:52:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Rowan http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1638 Rowan Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:38:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1638 Nice Peter Cetera refernce there!<br/>I am a child of the 80s!<br/>I had similar experiences with my girls at playgrounds. I am not as shy as I probably should be with my parenting of other peoples children. "She's just a little girl. Leave her alone and go play with someone your own age." Yes, I literally said that to a 10 year old boy picking on my 3 year old (at the time). He tried getting smart, "No, I'm not your mom, but I can ask you to not bully a small child.", he left. Doesn't always work and isn't always comfortable or appropriate (if his folks had been there I would have said something to them instead), but worth it to protect my girls. Nice Peter Cetera refernce there!
I am a child of the 80s!
I had similar experiences with my girls at playgrounds. I am not as shy as I probably should be with my parenting of other peoples children. “She’s just a little girl. Leave her alone and go play with someone your own age.” Yes, I literally said that to a 10 year old boy picking on my 3 year old (at the time). He tried getting smart, “No, I’m not your mom, but I can ask you to not bully a small child.”, he left. Doesn’t always work and isn’t always comfortable or appropriate (if his folks had been there I would have said something to them instead), but worth it to protect my girls.

]]> By: cool dad http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1636 cool dad Sat, 18 Oct 2008 08:07:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1636 brenda - oops! i hope that didn't come back to bite you.<br/><br/>rachel - we're looking into having Mr. Norris be CB's bodyguard. i'm sure he'd donate his time for a good cause, right? brenda – oops! i hope that didn’t come back to bite you.

rachel – we’re looking into having Mr. Norris be CB’s bodyguard. i’m sure he’d donate his time for a good cause, right?

]]> By: Rachel http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1635 Rachel Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:28:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1635 Just send Chuck Norris after the bully. That'll teach him. <br/><br/>Sorry. No experience or (valid) advice to offer just yet. =) Just send Chuck Norris after the bully. That’ll teach him.

Sorry. No experience or (valid) advice to offer just yet. =)

]]> By: Brenda http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1634 Brenda Fri, 17 Oct 2008 05:20:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1634 Yeah, I'll have to agree with Photoqueen about beginning karate lessons or.... boxing. Invaluable for life. Even the Christian life. :)<br/><br/>This brought up all those nightmare flashbacks of my days as a parent helper on the elementary school playground. I'm probably not the one to give advice. The only little girl I gave a harsh talking to ended up being the principals daughter! True story. Yeah, I’ll have to agree with Photoqueen about beginning karate lessons or…. boxing. Invaluable for life. Even the Christian life. :)

This brought up all those nightmare flashbacks of my days as a parent helper on the elementary school playground. I’m probably not the one to give advice. The only little girl I gave a harsh talking to ended up being the principals daughter! True story.

]]> By: cool dad http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1632 cool dad Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:56:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1632 tam - good thinking!<br/><br/>onehot - but showing love doesn't sound as funny as pantsing a kid! but yes you're right. :) tam – good thinking!

onehot – but showing love doesn’t sound as funny as pantsing a kid! but yes you’re right. :)

]]> By: OneHotDish http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1631 OneHotDish Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:36:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1631 Although I don't have first hand experience as my first baby is still a baby I have heard some good stories concerning this topic. One of the best involved slightly older kids (junior high-ish age) but I'll post it anyway. A boy was getting picked on everyday at summer camp by a bully. He came home every night from the day camp and told his mom about it - she gave him good advice about not taking it to heart, not retaliating with violence, etc. but nothing worked. Finally on the last day of the camp they went to pick him up and he pointed the bully out to his dad. The dad went up to the bully and said something like "Thank you for being so kind to my son, I'm really appreciative of your maturity and friendship." The kid didn't know what to say and wouldn't have looked more wide eyed had the dad pantsed him. Maybe we need to respond with love - show the bully that we want to play with him and he doesn't need to be mean to get attention? Although I don’t have first hand experience as my first baby is still a baby I have heard some good stories concerning this topic. One of the best involved slightly older kids (junior high-ish age) but I’ll post it anyway. A boy was getting picked on everyday at summer camp by a bully. He came home every night from the day camp and told his mom about it – she gave him good advice about not taking it to heart, not retaliating with violence, etc. but nothing worked. Finally on the last day of the camp they went to pick him up and he pointed the bully out to his dad. The dad went up to the bully and said something like “Thank you for being so kind to my son, I’m really appreciative of your maturity and friendship.” The kid didn’t know what to say and wouldn’t have looked more wide eyed had the dad pantsed him. Maybe we need to respond with love – show the bully that we want to play with him and he doesn’t need to be mean to get attention?

]]> By: Tam http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1629 Tam Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:44:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1629 seriously. next time, get a pic of the kid and post it on your blog. we got your back cool baby!<br/><br/>no. i cant believe kids bully a toddler these days. really? unbelievable! seriously. next time, get a pic of the kid and post it on your blog. we got your back cool baby!

no. i cant believe kids bully a toddler these days. really? unbelievable!

]]> By: cool dad http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1627 cool dad Thu, 16 Oct 2008 05:10:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1627 amy - unfortunately, i saw no parents in sight to scowl at. good advice on the teaching though. i'll have to remember that next time. after the pantsing.<br/><br/>mudpuppy - wow, i feel the anger rising in me for your son, too. trying times are ahead...<br/><br/>pq - if only i had a guitar, i think 'cool dad crew' would do a great cover... amy – unfortunately, i saw no parents in sight to scowl at. good advice on the teaching though. i’ll have to remember that next time. after the pantsing.

mudpuppy – wow, i feel the anger rising in me for your son, too. trying times are ahead…

pq – if only i had a guitar, i think ‘cool dad crew’ would do a great cover…

]]> By: Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1626 Mary @ Giving Up On Perfect Wed, 15 Oct 2008 21:49:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1626 Well, first you need to begin training. Based on your post title, I would suggest starting with "Wax on, wax off."<br/><br/>Seriously, sorry Cool Baby got picked on. I think I've read in parenting magazines that you can say to the mean kid something like, "Do you want to play? We can share the ball." or even "Please don't take away our ball." <br/><br/>Although, the harsh stare at the parents might work, too. Well, first you need to begin training. Based on your post title, I would suggest starting with “Wax on, wax off.”

Seriously, sorry Cool Baby got picked on. I think I’ve read in parenting magazines that you can say to the mean kid something like, “Do you want to play? We can share the ball.” or even “Please don’t take away our ball.”

Although, the harsh stare at the parents might work, too.

]]> By: mudpuppy http://arewestillcool.com/2008/10/i-am-a-dad-who-will-fight-for-your-honor.html/comment-page-1#comment-1624 mudpuppy Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:20:00 +0000 http://takecarenow.org/?p=320#comment-1624 Timely, to say the least.<br/><br/>I visited my Kindergarten son for lunch on Monday. I joined him during his recess right afterwards and watched as they all played tag. Then I saw a kid that used to be friends w/ him repeatedly pushing him on the ground.<br/><br/>I can't tell you how upset I felt. My initial reaction was to also string him up by his toes, but I knew that wasn't the best course.<br/><br/>The rest of my day at work was spent with a knot in my stomach realizing that I can't control the quality of my son's life 24/7. <br/><br/>I'm still trying to figure out how to best handle that situation and others to come. Obviously he started his martial arts training on Tuesday. Timely, to say the least.

I visited my Kindergarten son for lunch on Monday. I joined him during his recess right afterwards and watched as they all played tag. Then I saw a kid that used to be friends w/ him repeatedly pushing him on the ground.

I can’t tell you how upset I felt. My initial reaction was to also string him up by his toes, but I knew that wasn’t the best course.

The rest of my day at work was spent with a knot in my stomach realizing that I can’t control the quality of my son’s life 24/7.

I’m still trying to figure out how to best handle that situation and others to come. Obviously he started his martial arts training on Tuesday.

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