Superheroes

Curse you Batman.

And Joker.

And Aquaman.

You've taught my kid to hit, punch, and shoot.

You've taught him to go "Pow! Pow!"

With sticks. And blocks. And harmonicas.

So today we had to have a talk.

"Hey Will? I don't like it when you say 'Pow! Pow!'"

He thought for a second.

"But Batman does that mommy."

"Yep, he does." You got me there, Will.

My turn to think. I didn't like my response.

"Hey Will, Batman is a superhero, right? Well only superheroes are allowed to hit and punch and shoot."

"Only superheroes?"

Shoot. Now he's going to think that that's all a superhero does. He'll grow up and not realize that anyone can be a superhero--we are heroic in our actions, in caring, in responsibility, in helping others.

Shoot shoot shoot.

I mean, Pow! Pow! Pow!

"Yes, only superheroes."

He seemed okay with my answer.

A few hours later we went to the park, the kind with a little water playground within it. After slipping and hitting his head on the ground and a little rest to feel better, he was ready to go back at it.

He ran to the button that turns on the water. He wanted to push it. He wanted to turn it on.

And so did some other punk little kid about his age.

I saw it coming. They were saying "Nooooo! Miiiiiiine!" and their little hands were grasping for the button and pushing and then whack!

That punk cracked Will on the head with a cup.

Tears. Oh dear. What was he going to do?

I scooped him up, tried to calm him down. I stared down the punk and his mom, who of course wasn't watching.

A sip of juice, a few grapes, and lots of hugs, Will calmed down. He stared at the boy who was still playing in the water.

"I ready to play now mommy."

He walked cautiously back to the water playground, went right up to the kid and he said, "I didn't like that! No thank you!"

He used his words. He didn't hit him back. He didn't Pow! Pow! Pow! at him.

Tonight at dinner, I brought up what happened in front of Greg. I said to Will, "You know how mommy said only superheroes hit and punch and shoot?"

"Yeah mommy."

"Well you used your words today, Will. That's even better than a superhero."

He beamed.

"And kids who are even better than superheroes? Well they get marshmallows for dessert."

And marshmallow is the magic word. So I got to be the superhero for a moment.