"Hello, I'd like to report a parenting problem."

I yelled at a kid today and I'm not proud of it. Sure, he's bigger than my son but how much bigger than him am I? He's a bit of a bully and I bullied him good in what feels like a hollow victory. What did he do? He took my son's bike and when my son asked for it back (five times) he acted as if he couldn't hear my son who was jogging alongside of him.

Deep emotions from my childhood welled up, a neighborhood boy very much like this one who did what he pleased b/c he was bigger than me. I yelled his name to stop him in his tracks and told him (in a very loud voice) that when someone asks for something back that is theirs, you give it back to them, plain and simple.

It had the desired effect, but it kind of threw my son off, hearing me yell like that. My wife heard and was not comfortable with what I'd done. It's not easy being a parent: rational, calm, measured in words and wise in actions. Maybe kids like that are around to teach us patience and force us to find solutions to problems that do not involve violence, verbal or otherwise. I'm still learning.


***