Rough and Tough

I took Landon to the library for "Play Date" time a few days ago. He was one of the youngest ones there along with a little girl who was about seven months old. They played great together. She would hand Landon a block and he would throw it and they would both giggle. It was so fun watching him play with another child his age. He was truly engaging with her.

The other children were all about two years old. Some older and some a little younger. There were about twenty children total.
So as you can imagine, it was pretty chaotic.

Children screaming, some crying, and some just yelling because it is fun to be loud.

However, there was one child who was not behaving at all.
He was grabbing toys, hitting, and pushing other children.

At one point, I looked at his mother and she laughed and said to me, "Oh this is normal. Boys will be boys. They were made to be rough and tough...you will see."

Umm...false.

I understand little boys have a ton of energy and are more prone to want to play a little more rough, but that is no excuse for just being plain mean to other children. And I couldn't believe his mother was condoning his behavior by saying he was made to be "rough and tough."

Landon wasn't made to be rough and tough.

He was made to be kind, giving, and loving towards other people. No excuses.

Of course I want him to stand up for himself, but I don't want him to use violence to do so.

Landon is in a phase where he hugs everything.
He hugs his Wild Things characters and his other stuffed animals.
He recently kissed a scarecrow that was dressed as a pirate.

I like to think this is a reflection of what he sees through Tyler and I. He sees us hugging each other and we hug him every chance we get.

I pray he grows into a good, creative, problem solver. Not a little boy who resorts to violence to get what he wants.

I pray he respects and values other humans.

And I pray Tyler and I surround him with knowledge, explanation, and so much love that he doesn't know any differently.
Regardless of what he sees in the world around him.

P.S. If I could just keep him this tiny and sweet his whole life, I would do it.