A Toddler's Revenge

I wanted to be an easy going Mom. One who handled things as they came up with fairness and wisdom. I always thought that was my own Mothers strength. Never favoring one child and giving punishment where needed. Mom was always willing to hear all sides and could even change her mind if she felt she'd acted to quickly.

Now I found myself, not with kids close in age, but two boys with diverse ages and abilities. And, the older son was ALWAYS responsible for the spats I was suppose to settle. As TK was trying to pull himself up and take his first steps, JT was discovering new ways to tease the little one. Sometimes pushing him over as soon as he got into position and other times waiting till the first little foot came off the floor. Never a hard shove, JT wasn't mean. All it took was a bit of a nudge, or a bump with a shoulder or hip. He would even push the object of TK's desire a bit at a time till TK would fall trying to reach something.

It was terribly frustrating for TK....and for me too. Yelling was totally worthless. JT didn't care. Swats and outright spankings didn't faze JT. I could send him to his room or a far corner, but time was against me. It always started again. And, it went on and on, and I thought my younger son would grow up hating his older brother.

One day when TK was about two, the older son tormented the younger son till I was ready to scream. JT was just getting better at not getting caught. A snack bar seperated the kitchen from the family room where the boys were playing. Trying to catch JT in the act, I furtively watched when they didn't realize I was watching. Wouldn't you know that was when JT would be occupied with his match box cars and actually innocent. It was TK who I caught in the act. Thank goodness, I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

TK had also noticed his tormentor had forgotten him for the moment. He picked up his Fathers tin of pipe tobacco in both little hands and was sneaking up behind his brother. I was mildly amused. Deciding to let this play out, I just watched. I believed JT deserved this punishment, and if the little one was able to protect himself, maybe my job would be easier. Besides, how much force could a two year old exert?

WHAM! Oh my, OH MY, what a shock. I should have stopped the child. I was a horrid Mother. The sound of that tin can colliding with JT's head sounded like the dead horrid clang of a cracked bell. But to my toddler it was a sound of pure joy. Then there was the silence of shock. TK dropped his weapon, clapped his hands gleefully, and hurried away as if not responsible for his brother who was curled up in a ball, holding his head and too surprised to even cry. By the time the eight year old found his voice and his breath to let out a wail, the two year old was innocently playing in another corner of the room.

JT had an awful knot on his head. But, once I was sure his head hadn't split wide open, my sympathies returned to the receiver of months of torment. I instructed JT to think about what had happened. I told him I believed he probably deserved what he got and he better remember it the next time he felt like picking on his brother. Of course that one incident didn't solve the problem, but I must say....the playing field had shifted a bit.