Confrontation

Once upon a time, I really thought I wanted to be a lawyer.  I liked the little rush from debate.  As I have gotten older, I'm SO glad that I never went in that direction.  I really would rather avoid confrontation in my daily life.  If it is not putting my family in direct harm, I walk away.  If someone says something to me regarding offense at a facebook status, I remove them from my friends list and move on.  When someone calls me a minor name, I move on.  When someone hurts my feelings, I pout for a bit and move on.  This week however, my blood pressure has been given a run for it's money. 
1) The President addressing school aged children on Tuesday: http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/
I am SO over this, but I can't seem to let it go.  I CANNOT believe that people are so up in arms over this.  And I have yet to hear a reasonable argument for children to not see this.  Are these Americans so threatened by an education president that they cannot allow their kids to hear the message of "stay in school"?  President Bush (the senior) made a similar address.  I have to say that I don't remember it.  I hear that there was some speculation about his motives, but seriously?  Were children pulled out of school?  Were permission slips sent home?  What the hell do people think the President is going to say that is going to warp our poor little children's minds?  If you are SO opposed to the President, then wouldn't you want your children to be armed with knowledge of what they are opposed too?  If you are SO opposed to the President, then I would ASSUME you would talk to your children about this and WHY you are opposed to the man (like it or not) who is the leader of this country.  I would like to think that parents are bigger than surly teenagers that didn't get their way and so have now decided to sulk. I honestly don't understand what people think is going to happen.  Do they think that their children are going to turn into some sort of right winged robot?  And what message are they sending their children?  It's okay to not listen to authority figures as long as mom and dad don't like them?  That could come back to bite you pretty quickly.  Anyway, I have hidden several people on facebook because I sick of debating it and seeing the very lame arguments people are making.  I, for one, will be watching the 18 minute speech with my children on Tuesday at noon.  This is me now letting it go (I hope.)
2) Lack of supervision at the park:
This afternoon we went to the "spin-y" park.  I love this park.  Almost everything spins.  While spinning things make me sick, they make the kiddos giggle and it exhausts them.

We get to the park and the first thing we notice is there is an inordinate amount of children there and there are no adults.  Elijah is carrying a ball.  This little girl toddles over to him and tries to take the ball from him.  This is what essentially happened:
me: I'm sorry that's his ball.  (I take the ball back from her and give it to Elijah.  She tries to take it from him again.  I'm looking for an adult that is with the child.)  I'm sorry, but this is his ball. (I take the ball from the little girl again.)
a voice from on top of the monkey bars, across the park: Hey.  She is special needs, leave her alone.
(Um, what?!?) me: She is taking my child's toy.
girl: She doesn't understand.  She's special needs.
me: I understand that, but she still shouldn't be taking someone else's toy.  She needs to learn this and she should be supervised.
girl: (deciding that maybe she SHOULD get down and take care of her charge. continues mumbling.  grabs the little girl and gathers her entourage.) Let's go on a walk.  Some people are just rude.
Jerry: See ya.
They walk around the area a few times and each time they pass the park they make some remark.  Jerry stares at them and gives them a little wave and smirk.  They finally stop wandering around and sit under the picnic shelter that is adjacent to the park.  Talking loudly about me and how rude I am.  Whatever.  Where the hell are your parents.  This girl could not have been older than 13 and the child is 3 and (apparently) special needs and nonverbal.  To me, that would mean that this 13 year old should have been right on top of this child at all times.  So we decide to take a walk before leaving fro dinner.  As we start our walk back to the car, a woman comes up to us and asks, "Did you take something out of my daughter's hand and almost knock her over?" WHAT????
me: No.  I took a ball that belonged to my son out of her hands and explained that it was his.
woman: She is non-verbal.
Jerry: Well, she isn't wearing a sign around her neck saying that.
me: We were made aware that she has special needs.  But I feel that if a special needs child is playing on a play ground, she needs to be supervised closely.
woman: My older daughter was watching her.
me: Yes.  From on top of the monkey bars.
woman: And where we you.
me: By the cups.
woman: I knew she was lying to me.
Okay, so right here, I have to think, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU LETTING SOMEONE YOU DON'T TRUST WATCH YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD.
me: Yes.  She and her friend were up on the monkey bars while the other one was with your daughter.
woman: What other one?
SERIOUSLY?
Jerry: The one with the sandy blonde hair.
woman: I don't even know who that is.
REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLY?
me: I would never hurt a child.  I was simply standing up for my child, as I am sure you would do.
woman: yes.  I'm sorry that she was rude to you.  I'm paying her to watch her and she is on the phone right now and (into the phone) IS IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!
She walks away.  We walk back to the car.  I'm so upset by this confrontation and the obvious lack of sense in the whole situation that I'm shaking.  I end up with a massive tension headache from the whole ordeal.  It could have gone SO much worse, but the woman obviously didn't trust the older daughter and, honestly, I would NEVER feel comfortable leaving my 3 year old special needs child with ANY 13 year old.  This woman obviously had either come from home or a REALLY relaxed place of work.  Jerry said I hand;ed myself well.  And honestly, I was SO aware that I was confronting someone in front of my children and that made me uber aware of my behavior.  I don't think that I would have acted differently if they hadn't been there, but I was aware that at least Elijah was paying attention.  So I guess a good thing did come out of it (other than the 13 year old getting what she deserved) Elijah is learning how to handle confrontation in a calm way.
All this to say that I really don't like to argue.  It makes me shaky.  It makes me want to cry.  And all around, is just bad for me.  It's not that I won't argue... but I don't like it.  This is so not what I planned on blogging about today... but alas.  This too shall pass.