Community Relations

Oh, I didn't fill y'all in on the new-and-improved neighborhood fun.

Blonde and Bully have been behaving, and there's been no abusive treatment of any one.

The girls get along. The boys get along, and if they have to pass each other on the green green grass of home, they do it peaceably. No tackling, no crying.

It's all good.

Sunday, the children also had a water battle in my backyard. At first, it was just the girls. Then the boys showed up. Cutie, the youngest, complained every time someone splashed him that his new shirt was ruined (it was water.) Bully didn't want to get wet, so I made the rules clear:

1) You don't want to get wet, you don't get to use a squirt gun or splash anyone else.
2) Don't shoot anyone in the face.

Waif apparently thought that rule wasn't for her, and I spent more time telling her to aim lower than I spent reminding anyone else of anything.

At one point, Bully was effectively shut out and wasn't allowed to load his weapon. Now, it's a water battle, and they're all nailing him right and left, and he's got no ammo? No fair (no matter what I think of the kid, it's still not fair)

I told him to meet me 'round front, and bring the squirt gun. (He arrived looking like I was going to kill him with his own weapon.) I filled the gun for him, and told him, Don't shoot in the face and under no circumstances tell them I did this!

He ran back around the house, shot them all and when the water was depleted, they all found other things to do.

With no fighting and no crying.

I'm not such a terrible wench after all.