just-us

I love a good story….

….especially ones with happy endings.

Those are the absolute best.

Maybe that’s why I write a blog….so all the away in a mangers that finally got sung and the beautiful Cinderella dances and the songs that last a lifetime….

….get to sparkle a moment in the spotlight.

Maybe I write the stories just to journal.

Maybe I write them for my children’s children.

Maybe I write them because they each have their own message to tell.

Here’s a story I wrote….and then forgot and then found again….with a message so strong and so powerful….

…that it deserves an encore. 🙂

just-a-tree

On that long-ago first day of school my son ran into the house and tossed his backpack on the floor with all of the angst and despair a brand-new first grader could muster.

He eyed me mournfully and declared, “Mom…..we have a bully.”

Startled I said, “A bully?  Really?  In first-grade?”

“Yes,” he stated emphatically. “And he’s big.  And strong.  And mean.  And he pushes kids on the playground.”

just-the-family

And that was just the beginning.

Daily….the legend of the bully grew.

There were stories of how he took kids lunches and made mean faces at them and pulled a girl’s hair in math class and punched the air and wrote on the bathroom walls.

And one day he even stole someone’s quarter in the lunchroom.

He was the scariest of the scary.

And toughest of the tough.

And the very meanest of the mean.

just-goofy

And I worried.

And worried.  And wooooorrrrrrrried.

What should I do?

Should I call the school?  Should I talk to the teacher?  Should I call the principal?

It was overwhelming.

just-them

And then…..one day all of a sudden…..it stopped.

All the tales and the stories of the hair-pulling and the lunch-taking and all those mean faces……

…..I never heard another word about them.

Not another word about the bully…..ever.

To say I was curious is an understatement.  

just-him

So one day…..I casually asked my son, “What ever happened to the bully?  I never hear you talk about him anymore?  Is he still bothering anyone?”

My son turned to me with big round eyes….“Mom…..one day he came up to me on the playground.  And he stared at me with his really mean eyes and started making a really mean face at me and clenching his fist.  And I was so scared.”

Panicked….I sputtered, “The bully came up to you?  On the playground?  What did you do?”

And then he smiled.

He smiled the sweetest most wonderful toothless grin I have ever seen.

“Easy, Mom,” he shrugged.  ”I spun around to face him…..

…and turned into a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Then I growled and showed him my claws.  And he turned and ran……

….and he never ever bothered us again.” 

So happy I let him watch all that Animal Planet. 🙂

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Comments

  1. Image for Marisa Franca Marisa Franca

    Awwwwww! That is so cute. Children are adorable and they can just melt your heart. Yep!! Thinking back it still brings a glow and a smile. We are truly blessed. Hugs to you. BTW How are you surviving the weather? We escaped Indiana just in time.

  2. Image for Angela Gabhart Angela Gabhart

    Hilarious!! I have a four year old nephew (also a KY resident) and I'm always greeted at their front door with at least one T-Rex!!! And yes, they are really scary!

  3. Image for Anna @ A Good Home Anna @ A Good Home

    Haha, that's wonderful! An excellent bully solution. Imagination saves the day every time ;) Also, what a gorgeous bunch. Your girls look so much like you! :)

  4. Image for Vicki Daugherty Vicki Daugherty

    Oh Karianne, what adorable children you have! How precious they look.... and I know "looks can be deceiving"....but not these kids! I don't remember seeing pics of your handsome hubs but your boys must look like him because the girls look exactly like their pretty mom. I am so impressed that they agreed to these pics long enough and did not try to maim one another! They/you are so fortunate to have a loving family with wonderful memorie to grow up in. Enjoy them to the max, while you have them.... they grow up too soon. Vicki in Louisville KY

  5. Image for Karen Karen

    I hope you nuzzle your boys' warm peach fuzz faces as often as they'll let you. someday they will have whiskers on them. *hugs*

  6. Image for Lynn in FL Lynn in FL

    Four absolutely beautiful blessings you have there, Karianne! And thank goodness they have a momma who taught them just when to ROAR!

  7. Image for Shirl' Anderson Shirl' Anderson

    Love that story! Your children are so...cute! Thanks for making me smile today. I remember when my nieces and nephews both went through the T-Rex stage. I still have some of the little figures they gave me to PROTECT me.

  8. Image for Kris Kris

    What a good-looking family you are! And I bet you are all beautiful on the inside as well. When my son was in first grade, he had a friend who sat with him on the bus, a sweet little girl. A big third grader picked on her and stole her hat. He told me he "did battle" with the boy to get the hat back. "How, exactly, did you battle him?" I asked. "Oh, I told him to give it back, and he did" was his reply. Priceless.

  9. Image for Anne Presley Anne Presley

    Its a good thing drama is not a part of the family vocabulary and imagination never reigns- just kidding. He has done an excellent job of passing on the understanding of the fear for the terrible lizard and how to unleash it. Hear me roar---r-r--r--r you are fabulous!

  10. Image for Vicki Vicki

    What a great story, KariAnne. But even more so, what a great lesson you taught your son. Even when we fret and worry about our children. We pray for their every success and safety. We want to fix all their problems. We want to repair all the bumps and bruises of life. And you did that in this instance yet you gave your son the very unique gift of being a parent of patience who allowed him to fight his own battle. To find his own way. And to resolve issues without parental intervention. You empowered your son. And he grew. Good for you and good for him! Blessings! (Great pics of your lovely children by the way).

  11. Image for Alice Hanson Alice Hanson

    Kari, That is just priceless . He grew up to be a handsome young man. Your children have a wonderful mother with writing skills for generations to come, so glad I get to enjoy them too! Smiles, Alice

  12. Image for Mary Crozier Mary Crozier

    Your children look genuinely happy and carefree! You are obviously providing a very happy home and life for them. Now I wish all the children of the world could have smiling faces like that!

  13. Image for Regina Regina

    One of my grandsons is in preschool this year. He lives and breaths dinosaurs. You would just die laughing if you could see his imitation of a T-Rex - he walks and moves his head just like an animated T-Rex, and this noise comes out of his mouth like I've only heard animated T-Rexes make!!!!!!! It is the most hilarious thing to see. I might add I am excited to know that possibly he'll be well equipped to scare off any bullies! Thank you, KariAnne.

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