Monday, September 2, 2013

The Problem With McDonalds

On rainy days, hot days, or cold days
I like to do 1 of 2 things with the girls.
1. Go to the library.
2. Let them ransack the only play place in Brownwood, Texas.
McDonalds.

Today it was hot and rainy and we had just been to the library last week,
so McDonalads it was.

It seems like there is a situation that occurs everytime we go to McDonalds.
One time, Kensington peed in the top of the play area.
Everyone had to come down and it had to be cleaned.

From time to time we witness CPS supervised visitation meetings between
biological parents and their kids who have been placed in the foster care system.
Its always really awkward and little sad for me to watch. 
I hate that for all parties involved in those visits. It can't be easy.

I have seen the bully kids.
I have seen 12 year old playing the 3 and under area.
My kids have been cussed in front of by other young kids.
I once saw a young pre-school age boy who could not keep his pants
on for some strange reason.

Today was another one of those days and I have another story.
A little boy came up to Kensington while we were eating.
He had a rocketship toy in his hand and put it up to her head
(as if it were a toy gun).
He said,
"I'm gonna shoot you dead."
Kensington and Anslee just looked back at him,
they had no idea what he was trying to "play".
Thank goodness they were confused.

Yall. I didnt know what to do. His guardians (who looked to be grandparents, possibly?)
were on the other side of the play area and did not see or hear any of this take place.

I just said, Oh - we don't play like that. Thats not a nice way to play with friends.
He ran off and didn't come back.
I just told my girls after he left that it is never
"fun" to play using the words "shoot" and "dead".
We don't need to pretend like thats a fun way to play.
I don't think they really understood too much of what was going on -

But it just makes me sad that I had to have this type of conversation with my 2.5 year old.
It was probably totally innocent play, and that little boy probably had seen something 
on TV or maybe has older siblings, or a daddy that goes hunting or something.
Who knows.  
I just know it didn't sit well with me - someone pretending to shoot my daughter dead.

There are just times when I don't really know what to say or how to handle
little moments like these that will come up. 
What would you do? Could I have done something better?
Am I making this a bigger deal than it should be?
Sometimes, I am just still a silly first time mama!