Scrapers

Yesterday was absolute gorgeousness, no joke. It is December and it was almost 70 degrees. So as soon as I got the 3 of us clothed, combed, shoed, and fed we went to the park. I honestly thought the place would be packed and was secretly dreading it. Imagine my surprise when we arrive and the only people at the park are the runners and walkers. Not one child to be seen.

So the kids play and climb and run for about an hour and a half, and then they start to build "drifts" using the recycled tire that is the padding under the equipment. They are making roads, and trenches and hills. Quietly working together. No fighting, no throwing pieces of tire in one another's hair. It is quiet.

I am watching, and I look up about 45 minutes into this and see we have company. A couple of bigger boys, 5 and 4 with Grandma. The boys run around and swing and climb and then grow bored after about 10 minutes. They watch my babies for a minute, and then they start kicking and destroying all of the "roads" and "drifts". Dash and Pink Ninja were horrified. They looked at me, and I looked at "Grandma". Hoping she would intervene with a threat or something, but she was too busy on the cell phone. So I stand wondering what to say, or do.

So I watched my children who beat the crap out of one another for a hobby, who I really think secretly hate one another pull it together. They start protecting one another, and they protect each others work. 2 year old Pink Ninja in her usual "no fear" style wagging a naughty finger at the bigger of the 2 telling him over and over that he "are naughty". She wants to swing at the kid, but is backing him into a corner. Dash is protecting their work, and doing all of the talking. "This is ours, and you are not a nice boy, Santa Claus is watching you." I watched in amazement.

I guess they don't hate another, and it is a good thing to know. Because there are days when I referee for hours on end, and I think I have made obvious mistakes. Today I had about 4 minutes of relief from it all.