Getting Out

After being cooped up all day yesterday, Jordan seemed to need to get out today. And honestly, I've never been a home body. All three of us girls ate our breakfast. As usual, Emily scarfed hers. She takes fistfuls and shovels in like the eggs will disappear at any moment. The eggs lasted moments. Then we cleaned up and headed out to the YMCA.

Our local YMCA has a kidzone. I can drop the kids off for up to an hour and a half while I work out. It's been a god-send this summer since I have been on a mission to reclaim my body for myself. To Jordan, it's the most social interaction with kids she gets on a regular basis. She has friends there and she loves the "teachers". There is a separate section for the under two crowd. It's so good for Emily to have other little ones to play with as well. Today, there was some crazy little boy in there about eight or nine years old. He was pushing a toddler sized stroller at a break-necked speed. Two of the three teachers were trying in vain to get him to stop and settle. The third teacher was signing me out and explaining an incident Jordan had with the boy.

Jordan told the older boy she was strong. This kid apparently felt threated by my three year olds claim of strength because he said he was stronger, then proceeded to bend her finger back. Before you get up in arms...and believe me I took a cleansing break so that I didn't jump over the half door to strangle the kid who would dare to hurt my girl...you should should know that I trust the discipline policy that is in place there. They put him in a time out and made him apologize to her. The teacher said, "We were all pretty amazed at how forgiving Jordan was." Of course they were! Jordan is a pretty stoic kid.

Jordan and I had a talk in the car ride to lunch about bigger kids. I told her that sometimes kids don't know the rules or make bad choices during play times. We talked about how bigger kids like that little boy, aren't the best choice for her to play with. I asked her who she likes to play with most. She told me her best friends at the Y are a little girl named Nicole and Alana. I asked her why she likes playing with them so much. She told me because they all like playing dress up and they are nice to her. I asked her if that boy liked playing the same games as her and if he was nice to her. She said, "No, so maybe I wont play with him anymore." Smart girl.

I love the age Jordan is. She is developing a knowledge of right and wrong, likes and dislikes. She reasons for ever choice that she believes in. I can only hope that her willfulness and strong personality become great assets to her in womanhood. I know that they have been great traits for myself as I've made choices about my career and parenting.