Little one, I do so worry about you.
She's so timid. Outgoing with the family and family friends she's grown accustomed to, but she's truly bashful and very timid.
The other night, I walked into the den and Joel was slapping her in the face. Something he doesn't do if I'm sitting there. Joel minds good.. a firm no and he stops. But Mik wasn't giving him a firm no. She just sat there, moving her face away to soften the blows, but she wasn't telling him to stop.
He's small, it wasn't hurting her, but still.
I gave him his firm no, and she said, "Oh, Mammy, it's alright, I don't mind."
I just looked at her for a time and then I said.."Mikyla sweety, somewhere, a little girl is most likely running around in her mommy's living room, in diapers...who will grow up someday to be Joel's wife. If we don't teach Joel, that it's not okay to hit girls now, when he grows up, he'll think it's okay to hit his wife too. Now that little girl's mommy loves her little girl very much.. don't you think we need to teach Joel to be good and not mean so that when he marries that little girl, he'll treat her nicely and not be mean to her?"
This...dawning.. lit up on her face and she nodded emphatically. "Oh yes, you're right! We DO need to teach him not to hit or be mean to girls! We do!"
Agreed!
Now we give him his "No!" every time he raises his hand to strike them.
I refuse to help rear an abusive male.
I refuse to let Mikyla think it's ok to sit there and get slapped by a male.
I just wish all mother's and caregivers would teach them, both girls and boys, not to do that and not to permit that.
Posted by juel at February 15, 2005 12:46 AM