Just when you think you have the parenting thing nailed, an innocent sleepover with five 10-year-old girls slaps you wide awake.
After a movie and pizza recently, my daughter surprised her pals with cans of colorful silly string. Outside they went, giddy, laughing, spraying each other. Out of the blue, one decided she’d had enough because after all, as she yelled, “I just straightened my hair.” The tiny wisp of a girl turned Brian Urlacher and threw a can-wielding pal to the ground in a sobbing heap. I couldn’t believe my eyes. With boys, I’d almost expect some aggressive behavior. But girls? Weren’t they all sweet Disney princesses just last year for Halloween?
Frankly, I didn’t know what to do, but knew all the girls were waiting for me to do something. Of course I immediately picked up the crying girl and calmed her. Then I told “Urlacher” she’d have to go home because we just don’t hurt our friends. “I have anger issues,” she responded as I combed silly string out of her hair.
As the long hours passed until her parents returned my calls, the tension slowly ebbed.Before long, the girls were in a circle on the living room floor painting their finger nails.
Just who said the toddler years were so terrible?
