Ain’t that a kick in the head?
August 29, 2007 – 5:52 amToday was not my best day.
Sunday I went to bed with swollen glands and an achy head, and since then I’ve been feeling worse and worse. And CJ is right there with me. That’s right… it’s August and we’re two sickies with snuffly noses and aching bones. Pathetic.
Today I woke up and groaned.
My head hurts, my legs throb, my back aches, my nose is full of snot… I long to roll over and go back to sleep, but CJ is right beside me, tugging at my hand. “Mommy, mommy, get UP!”
THIS is when I miss work. I would so be calling in sick right now.
And, as an aside, will someone explain to me why it is that four year old boys NEVER SLOW DOWN, even when sick? It defies the laws of physics, at least as I understand them. Seriously, didn’t Newton or somebody prove beyond reasonable doubt that PEOPLE SHOULD REST WHEN SICK?! No? Well, he should have.
Anyhow I drag myself out of bed and through the morning with reasonable success. Two Tylenol and a Sudafed later and I’m ready to face the day. We head out to do some errands, ending at a local playground where I’m hoping CJ can run off some steam.
There aren’t very many people at this playground — a group of three moms with their children, a father with his toddler, and a couple who are romantically entangled in a blanket on the grass.
I sit down on a park bench near the moms. They ignore me, but I’m not bothered. Seattleites don’t tend to be the friendliest sorts.
CJ scans the playground for potential friends.
He spies two little boys who look about his age and runs over to join them. From my park bench, I can vaguely hear him asking if he can play with them.
The answer is no, emphatically. They run away from him.
Not to be deterred, CJ runs after. Surely they’ll see reason if they just find out how fun he is. At least that’s what he’s thinking. I hear him cry out, “But we can all be friends!”
But this strategy that usually works like a charm seems to have fallen flat. One of the boys starts crying and runs to his mother for comfort. It seems that the prospect of being asked to play by someone NEW and DIFFERENT is just too traumatizing for this poor child to handle.
The mother comforts him. By now I am curious, leaning in to hear what she’ll say. Surely she’ll tell him it’s ok, that sometimes when you go to playgrounds you play with other kids.
And then I hear it, and my blood starts to boil.
“Just stay far away from that little boy, honey.” She looks sideways at CJ as if he’s an insect. The other mothers lean in and whisper to each other.
Seriously?
I can think of several choice words I’d like to say to this mother.
I have an idea. Next time you want to have your exclusive little play group in a place where no children will bother you… have it at your HOUSE!
Newsflash, genius… there are OTHER KIDS at playgrounds. It might be a good idea to get your little brat used to the idea.
But I don’t say these things. Instead I channel all my irritation and disbelief into my gaze. If they just looked over, they would TOTALLY know what I thought. Yeah, that’s right, don’t mess with ME!
I distract CJ by pulling out the baseball bat from the car and pitching to him. Finally another little boy arrives. He looks like he’s about CJ’s age.
“CJ, maybe that boy will want to play with you.” I say.
And sure enough, he does. Finally!
There is an awkward moment when I realize that this new boy and his mother are also joining the passel of exclusa-moms. But I try to be unruffled.
The boys are playing with a nerf rocket when something happens. I don’t see exactly, but CJ is screaming in pain. For a minute I am afraid he’s lost an eye… but no, I can see that a rather large and painful looking bruise is swelling up on his cheek.
We pack up our things and head for the car. I’m trying to balance 50-pound CJ, the baseball bat and two balls, and his baseball helmet, along with our two water bottles. Finally we get to the car and I feel in my pocket.
My keys!
My keys are not in my pocket!
My keys must have fallen out of my pocket somewhere in the great grassy field where I was playing, walking, sitting… they could be anywhere!
Meanwhile CJ is still screaming. My things are in a pile next to the car and one of the balls is rolling into the street. The exclusa-moms are watching. Did I mention my headache?
I pick up CJ and head back to the grass field that looks like it just might be my final resting place.
I stop by the necking couple to say, “Eh hem, excuse me. Yes, my keys fell out of my pocket so… if you happen to see them, could you give a yell?”
The man does a quick scan and then stands up. “I think they’re right over there!” he announces, and returns carrying my keys. I’m so grateful that I’m halfways tempted to pull him onto the blanket for a long drawn-out thank you kiss. Well, not that tempted. He’s actually fairly greasy.
And so we leave. We drive home, where I put an ice pack on CJ’s cheek, and we move on with our evening.
Here’s hoping that tomorrow is better. Please, please let tomorrow be better!
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By Nadine on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
How rude are those women!
I hope things are better now. If it is any help: I LOVE the way you write! I just get sucked into each story you publish here.
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By Carla on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
What?! What?! I can’t be reading correctly that a mom would say that to her son about CJ!!! My blood is starting to boil…
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By beta mom on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Ugh - it’s so hard to balance teaching our kids not to get ruffled and to take the high road….
and running those obnoxious people over with my car.
Hope you’re feeling better!
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By Karen (Pediascribe) on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Ok, wait a sec. I get grief b/c I homeschool and I’m not “socializing” my children correctly? And these moms pull THAT kinda crap?? I’d never say that to my kids about another kid on the playground! Grrrrrrr
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By Deb - Mom of 3 Girls on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
That makes me so angry - how incredibly rude!! I would have had a hard time not letting it get to me or saying something back - good for you on how you handled it.
I hope you’re feeling better! :)
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By Assertagirl on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Yuck, you just know those exclusaboys are going to end up being popular JERKS in high school.
CJ will not.
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By Summer on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
I can’t believe how rude other moms can be!!
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By For the Love... on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
What a bunch of wenches…
How tempting was it, as you were leaving, to loudly tell CJ, “No babe we need to go, I didn’t realize that the Witch and Weenie club met here on Wednesdays…”
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By So Blessed To Be Matthews Mom on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Wow…that is unbelievable. Those mom’s are everywhere not just in Seattle, unfortunately. That is what leads to the wonderful adults they will turn into.
Keep up the great job balancing your son when your sick while trying to enstill values and deal with the highschool bs that goes with it.
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By Queen of Shake-Shake on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
That is a bad day! I hope you feel better soon!
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By Mommy Daisy on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Aww, so sorry you’re sick. I hope that passes soon.
Why is it that moms think they have to be in a “club” for their kids to play together. I can’t believe they didn’t even offer to help when CJ got hurt. Stupid people! :P
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By Liz on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
WTF?
I just can’t comprehend the rudeness of both those children and the mother.
We rarely go to the playground these days–too mnay older kids runnin g wild and no parental supervision. it’s just too much stress. And I hate seeing Henry being pushed…PUSHED…of the slide. He’s only 17-months. And for a 5-year-old to push a baby off the slide is not something I can wrap my mind around.
Me? I’d like to think I’d have said something aloud to those nasty women. But I know I wouldn’t. I’d just sit there and feel awful. Betches!
Hope today is better for you!
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By andi on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
What an awful day! And what a witch that one mom was, telling her kid to stay far away from yours. I do hope today is better.
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By M on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
This is why I hate taking my son out. Moms are so freaking rude and to not teach your kid basic INCLUDE EVERYONE? AAAAAAAAAARGH!
Glad you found your keys. Next time bring a water gun full of syrup and shoot those exclusive a-holes in the eye.
And if you hit their kids too? So be it.
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By Taste Like Crazy on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
“But we can all be friends!”
Broke my heart…
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By Jen on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Ugh! Crap like this is why I just dread taking my kids to the playground. I just don’t understand some people (most people really). The good news is that you’re an awesome mom and you’ve got an awesome little guy and that all matters a lot mroe than some snotty bitches at the playground.
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By nell on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
“Stay away from that little boy?” Seriously? That is just so wrong. Who the hell says that to their kid? At the playground? I’m in shock. Ok, well, not really, but still. Seriously?
Oh yeah, I hope you guys feel better!
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By Deb on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
What a witch! Next time you see those gap moms, slap them upside their heads with your target and walmart card! Stupid bitches… I would have said something “like what did my child do that your son needs to stay away from mine? Thats just me!
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By Daring Young Dad on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
You woke up sick? Me too! Tuesday was the crud. Instead of mean people, our extra drama was a car-pole accident that took out our internet all day. :(
Oh, and I think quantum physics explains CJ. He must be subatomic, and therefore obeys a set of different, magical rules, because he’s traveling so near to the speed of light. Newtonian physics don’t apply in that case. :)
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By The Farmers Wife on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Damn that Newton! It’s all his fault!
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By Kimberly on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
I wouldn’t know whether to scream in anger or burst out crying. What a horrible day!
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By Jennifer aka Binky Bitch on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Oh no she dint! My blood is boiling just reading this!
I hope today is better, it’s gotta be, right?!
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By Rachel on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
So, did you ask the rude ass women what happened to CJ? They were probably too busy talking about everyone to notice, though.
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By Smiling Mom on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
That makes me so mad. So, you have more restraint than I do. If I was feeling so sick, exhausted, and then I heard a mom say that about my kids… let me just say, things wouldn’t have been pretty.
The least of what would have happened is that I would have walked over and said, “You know, my kid doesn’t bite. He’s simply trying to make friends at the park.”
Bitch.
Ok, probably wouldn’t have said the last thing since kids would have been around.
But come on!
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By Lisa on Aug 29, 2007 | Reply
Those moms are simply unbelievable. They didn’t have to be so rude.
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By canape on Aug 30, 2007 | Reply
Am I understanding this correctly? That none. None of those moms got up to help you with CJ after their kids had just injured him with a nerf rocket?
Boo hiss. Rude.
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By Carrie on Aug 30, 2007 | Reply
I think they deserve that simple speech you just wrote. The park is no place for those exclusaboys.
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By Cate on Aug 31, 2007 | Reply
Geez…I was half expecting to read that you had accidentally locked your keys in your car! At least it wasn’t that, right???
BTW, I think we should start a campaign for stay-at-home-moms to have sick days!
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By Cate on Aug 31, 2007 | Reply
Ooops..forgot to mention that I think it’s plainly obvious that that mother is a bee-otch!
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