A favorite game is swinging. Now, we don't actually have any swings out back, but the girls are nothing if not imaginative. They take their jump ropes, secure them up over some branches and get down to business, hanging like monkeys and attempting to climb up the ropes and swing about maypole-style. All in all, it's a fairly innocent game that keeps them occupied for long periods of time.
One instance, though, resulted in one of those parenting moments where you find yourself saying (or in this case, shouting) things you never could have imagined you'd say in your whole life.
Jack was out back with the girls while I cleaned up the kitchen. The arrangement of the house is such that I can fairly easily check on the kids from inside and the yard is basically safe for the baby, especially with the girls out there playing and keeping an eye on him.
Or so I thought.
Midway through the dishes, I heard an angry scream from Jack. Sighing, I walked over to the back door expecting a tantrum because someone took away his ball. Instead I was greeted with the sight of my daughters trying to tie Jack up with the jump ropes and heave him off the ground. The ropes were wrapped all around his waist, legs and shoulders. Yes, shoulders. As in, inches from sliding up around his neck.
I slammed out the door, hollering, "Stop it right now! Do NOT hang your brother from the tree!".
They threw me some guilty glances, lowered him down while each babbling out explanations about how it was the other one who made her do it. Jack, all the while, was wiggling free and yelling in frustration. Once free, however, as I hustled over to pick him up and save him, he grabbed one of the dangling ropes and started pulling, trying to get back up.
We now have a basic rule against tying people up. We'll see how long that lasts... before the next thing.
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| I'm safe with them, right? |
1 comment:
ya know, i remember doing EXACTLY that with my girlfriends little brother when we were about eight and he was about three.
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