Bullying Hits Close To Home

I had a busy day today doing research and visiting a few possible venues for a March baby shower for youngest daughter Sarah.  I'm spending a few days here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with daughter number two, Lindsay, to work on the planning.

Oh, there were plenty of phone calls made, questions asked, and desserts investigated.  For Sarah, you see, it's usually all about the cake.  When she got married, it took her all of about an hour or two to select her wedding gown.  Then it took her about twenty minutes to decide on the reception food.  Finally it took her maybe an hour to think about centerpieces and decorations.

However, it literally took her days, yes, I mean days, to select, sample, and decide on a cake.  And, during that wedding reception, there were eyes in the back of her head watching that cake table at all times.

So, yeah, I investigated three bakeries and cupcakeries today.  I bet I weigh ten pounds more, just from looking at all that good stuff.

Tori and Brianna

There was only one break in my running around today, in which I had a phone call with eldest daughter Rachel.  Yesterday Rachel attended a meeting she scheduled with the second grade teacher of my twin granddaughters Tori and Brianna.

It seems as though there has been some bullying going on now for quite a while.  A bully or two who are bullying the twins.  My granddaughters.  My second grade granddaughters.  My second grade granddaughters who are the most friendly and outgoing and accepting seven year olds I have ever known.

Now there's a story about a hammer that I must tell, a story that goes back about twenty years now.  Daughter Rachel was about 12 or so, and was being harrassed by an older teen down the street from us.  My husband, who was in the middle of an outdoor building project on our home, heard the ruckus and headed down there to investigate, hammer in hand.

Please know that the hammer was in his hand because he was working, not to pound the bejesus out of anybody.

It's just that that teenager didn't know that.  All she saw was a big guy coming toward her with a hammer, and she went running.

This legendary story of dad and his hammer has been fondly retold down through the decades ever since.  Whenever there's trouble in the camp, it is not uncommon for us to hear him say, "Do I need to get my hammer?"

Well.  Hearing today then, about bullying done to my granddaughters by another second grader just about sends me to my hammer man.

What seven year old has the right to make fun of another child's haircut?
What seven year old has the right to dictate who can or cannot play with whom?
And what seven year old has the right to determine who can or can't sit with whom at the lunch tables?

Arrrrrgh.  I wanna get the hammer man and have him care of this.

It's a sad state of affairs when this is how maliciously young children act towards one another.

Please, let's take the high road.  Let's generously love one another, and teach our youngsters to do the same.