Mommy Heartaches

We've been out at the pool every afternoon this week. I love it!! It's the only thing we can do outside in this heat, and the girls don't want to be inside, so we're at the pool. I love every part of it except I am starting to realize how mean little girls can be. I mean little girls that aren't even in kindergarten!! It seems like there are a million 5-year old girls at the pool. Well, I found out this week that 5 year olds don't like playing with 3 year olds. Maybe I'm a little too sensitive, but my heart has been broken so many times this week.

First it started on Tuesday with a little girl named Kennedy. Hannah and Kennedy played so well together at the pool for over an hour. Hannah even went and got a popsicle for Kennedy when she got one. Hannah was having so much fun...until Kennedy asked Hannah how old she was. Hannah proudly said, "I'm 3, how old are you?" Kennedy's response was, "I'm 5. If you're 3, I can't play with you. I can't play with 3 and 4 year olds. I can only play with big kids" Hannah is so sweet and innocently asked her why. Her response was, "because 3 year olds are babies." I think I took it much harder than Hannah. I told little Kennedy that that wasn't nice and told Hannah that we would go find someone else to play with. Poor little Hannah asked me the rest of the day why Kennedy didn't want to play with her anymore.

Yesterday we were at the pool and when it was time to leave, I told Hannah to gather up all her toys. There were some kids playing with some of her toys, so I told her to politely tell them that she was leaving and ask them if she could have her toys back. She did just that...in the sweetest little voice, politely asked for her toys. There was one MOM that had one of Hannah's buckets and balls. Hannah did just as she was asked and sweetly asked for them and explained that she was leaving. The mom's response was, "It looks like you have PLENTY of toys already! I don't think you need anymore" I marched over there and explained to her that I sent Hannah over there to gather up her toys. I mean seriously, a MOM? She should be ashamed of herself!!! What happened to "thank you for letting us play with your toys?!?!"

Then today...Alice Anne didn't want to play and Hannah wanted a friend to play with. She is so brave...much braver than I was at her age. She saw a little girl with pink goggles on that was on the total opposite side of the pool and she asked me if she could swim over there to her. It took her several minutes to make it over there, but she made it and she asked the little girl if she wanted to play with her. The little girl's response, "how old are you?" I'm thinking...are you kidding me? "Hannah innocently answers, "3." The little girl said, "no" and swam off. Hannah cracked me up. As the little girl was swimming off, Hannah said, "Hey, pink goggles girl, why don't you want to play with me? Pink goggles girl, lets play!" No response. I told Hannah that we could find someone else to play with. We swam back to the steps and there was another little girl that Hannah saw. She sweetly asked her if she wanted to play and the girl said, "no, I already have a friend to play with." Hannah said, "but you can play with me too." I don't remember exactly what the girl said, but it wasn't nice and I had had enough of all these mean girls, so I jumped in and told her that she needed to talk nicer. Well, her mom overheard me and came over and made her apologize to Hannah and told me thank you for stepping in. She said, "I don't know what it is with these 5 year old girls, but a mean streak hits them and they are so nasty." Thank you!! I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees it. Surely my little angels won't be like that, right?? I certainly hope not!!

Sweet little Hannah asked me when we got in the car today why no one wanted to play with her. Holding back tears, I just said that they were all playing with their brothers and sisters and that sometimes little girls aren't very nice, but we have to teach them how to be nice. What else do you say to an innocent little girl. She looked over at Alice Anne and said, "Alice Anne, will you play with me next time?"

Just the beginning of many mommy heartaches!