What is My Child's Experience in this Moment?
Yesterday I took Koa (7) and Kalea (19 months) to Arena Sports to play in the bouncy house area. Koa ran off on his own and I shadowed Kalea as she explored. While I stood watching her through the mesh wall of the bouncy house, I heard a brash voice beside me, "Hey! Not cool, man!" My eyes automatically shifted toward the voice, finding a thirty-something woman. I followed her gaze into the bouncy house to the subject of her disapproval. This "man" she was speaking to was a three year old boy who was playing with her three year old boy. The two boys went on playing, seemingly oblivious to any issue. I observed their play: smiles on the faces of both, giggles streaming out of them as they chased each other while grasping the squishy gator-skin dodgeballs, threatening to attack. "Carson! You need to come out of there. That boy is not choosing to be kind. He's already pushed you down once and I don't ne...