Fighting Rules?

by Amy Platon

Hubby and I have a 7 year old boy.

This weekend we “hit” on a topic that we don’t seem to agree on, and I want your opinion.

It’s a question that we parents with boys have all asked ourselves. What do we tell our son to do when another boy hits him?

My husband is of the “Hit him back” school of thinking. But he also went his whole adolescence without a single brawl.

And if you all know me at all you’ve probably guessed, I totally disagree. However, in an effort to find the middle ground, I offered this as a solution:

If our boy gets hit in the chest first, then it’s ok for our son to hit back, but only in the chest, equal to his punch.

I was pretty proud of that solution actually. But my husband said that that too much for our son to consider when he’s in the heat of it all. My expectation would be too high of him.

Of course, I’m thinking of the mom-to-mom aftermath. “My son hit your son in the chest, and your son hit him back in the nose and now it’s bleeding. That’s out of line!”

I feel like if my son at least understood the rules of “fair fighting” then I could at least back him up as responsibly as possible, and not feel totally wrong.

What are your thoughts? I would especially love it if you ask your husbands opinion and would love comments from dads who have been in school hood fights themselves. I’m looking forward to your thoughts!


Also visit this lovely blog for other "Not Me Monday" sagas!

Eye Level

by Amy Platon

My anniversary and New Years come hand in hand, like a gay couple gallivanting through a poppy field. They skip past me down the yellow brick road. I usually shout something like, “Hey, what are you, running in circles? I saw you two last year, and what are you always so happy about anyway?”

There are a few things I know for sure. Like, the best thing about being married is that I have someone else to bounce ideas off of. Someone credible that when he says, “go for it,” I know he means it, having all the same things at stake. Ahh, that rocks!

I’m so proud of my relationship because hubby and I are at such a beautiful and delicate place - that eight-year mark. Where I have seen in other relationships, the end or a departure of sorts. And although I would never be so naive to say that won’t happen to us, I can say with some confidence that it won't happen to us today.

And I remember the moment that it all started for us. Again, I mean. And I’m amazed at how simple an accomplishment it was.

We were often wrapped up in our routine, like workers in a factory, watching the clock, getting the work done - all of it serious business.

Until it occurred to me that the boy in the 'work station' next to mine, was my husband. When his eyes wandered up and connected with mine, unexpected to him. I smiled. Not just at the thought of him, but because in that moment I saw him. Until then I realized that I had been looking at him all these years. My smile, so genuine I guess, he couldn’t help but smile back.

I tried again in the mirror that day. It took a few tries, because the first couple of smiles looked painfully like a school yearbook photo. But when I got it, I saw that I looked prettier that way.

It’s something about the meaningfulness in the lines around my mouth and the ones that shoot out from my eyes. So now I smile when I see my husband, not just for my marriage, but so that he can see the person I want him to see. The one, that is in love with him - for all he does for us, and for what he does to me.

And those two (New Years & Anniversary), they can run right past me. Prancing in their popularity. But for me, there will be no running. I would just like to sit here and enjoy what I have right now, today. I’ll take it all in and let it resonate. I will live my life at eye level. That is my anniversary gift. That is my new year’s resolution.

Want More?
Another 'Smile' Story by me :)
Another one I know you'll like
Also intrinsic about me and hubby
This one too!

Read more at the lovely Diaper Diaries Blog