The boys are in swimming lessons in the evenings and there is a wading pool for little ones to swim while the lessons are going on. I took Wyndser for the first time this evening and she was so excited to be going.
We get there and the boys go to their area of the pool for their lessons while Wyndser and I head to the wading area. This other mother and little girl were a few steps ahead of us. We get in there and Wyndser steps in the pool, walks over to this other little girl, and asks if she would like to play. Now, Wyndser will be 3 in July and this other little girl is already 3. The girl, River, plays with Wyndser for a little while, they just walk on their hands around the pool with their legs floating behind them. Wyndser was laughing and they seemed to be doing fine. I watched the entire time, but River's mother was on the phone with at least 3 different people and seemingly not paying attention. All of a sudden, River turns to Wyndser and splashes her in the face. Wyndser didn't react, just smiled and kept going. She does, after all, have 2 brothers who have "broken her in", so she wasn't phased.
At first.
River proceded to do it several more times, each time getting a meaner face and harder splash. I wanted to see what Wyndser was going to do and how she would handle it since she is about to go to pre-k in August. Finally, Wyndser had enough. River walked across the pool to Wyndser while she was playing quietly by herself and splashed her again. Wyndser said in a firm but calm tone, "Don't splash me again." I cheered mentally for her. She got out of the pool and came to me and I told her that she handled it very well when the other girl was being mean to her. She hugged me and got back in.
River got out of the pool and stomped and whined over to her mother (who was still on the phone). Mom told her that she still had time to swim and to go and keep playing nicely.
WTH?!?! Anyway, River goes back to the pool, Wyndser glides over to her and says, "Would you like to play with me?" in her sweet little voice, and River says, "Go away. I don't want to play with you. You are UGLY." :furious:
I gave an immediate and clearly audible
gasp and with that mom said, "River, come out of the pool and sit by me for 2 minutes for being mean."
I was stunned!! I was pi$$ed!! I was ready to wash her mouth out with soap. I looked at Wyndser and told her that she could keep playing and that the boys were almost finished. River sat out for
maybe 1 minute then mom let her back in the pool. She never said anything to me about it at all. I know that kids can say things that we would never expect them to say, so I think that the least she could've done was turn and say, "I'm soooo sorry she said that." I would have had it been MY kid!
Anyway, I'm so relieved that Wyndser doesn't know what ugly means (I don't think she does) so that it wouldn't knock her self-esteem. She is so fragile and tends to be pretty shy, so I was extremely proud of her for going to another child in the first place. Then for THAT to happen. My blood is still boiling over it. I have never been in a situation like this, so I didn't know what to say, but I know I wanted to let that mother (who is a dentist married to a teacher I work with) know that her daughter was a little spoiled brat.
It could've gotten REAL ugly.......
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