My first Really Big Argument with a child at the preshool.
By The Horse
@TheHorse (205607)
Walnut Creek, California
May 11, 2021 4:23pm CST
Today was a good day at the preschool. For the most part. But I had my first major "falling out" with one of my favorite kids today.
A couple of weeks ago, I read the kids "Where the Wild Things Are," a 1963 Maurice Sendak children's classic in which Max (a little boy) wears his wolf suit and "makes mischief of one kind and another."
After I read the story, the children demanded I make them wolf tails outside, so they could be wild things, like Max. Then they demanded I make them wolf masks, so they could be convincing wolves.
Today, one of my "best friends," Brilla (pronounced Bria), asked me to make her a wolf mask. She already had a wolf tail she had made. I cut out the eyes and nose for her, but when the mask was done she said it looked more like a cat than a wolf.
I admit it. My wolves look more like cats than wolves, but I am not a visual artist. She started crying, and said "I don't want it! It's a cat!" She then went and sulked behind the tricycles.
My hunch was that she was tired. I have not yet read her group "I Will Take a Nap," a funny book by Mo Willems about how we need a nap when we are cranky.
At lunch, when I brought her her milk, she gave me a look of of both love and sadness. "Your wolf looked like a cat," she said, through her pout. I said,"I am better with tails than faces. Here's you milk," kissed my hand, and patted her (just 4-year-old) head.
Do you think she will forgive me by tomorrow?
26 people like this
23 responses
@TheHorse (205607)
• Walnut Creek, California
12 May 21
@marguicha Yes. I may borrow "I will take a nap" from the next classroom over and read it to her. It's a book by Mo Willems about being "cranky."
3 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45463)
• India
12 May 21
She would surely forgive. You have been so good with the kids!
3 people like this
@1creekgirl (40489)
• United States
11 May 21
I suspect she won't even remember it by tomorrow.
When my grandson was little, he had aggravated the mess out of me one day and we had this conversation:
Nathan: Does forgiving someone make you feel better?
Me: Usually.
Nathan: will you forgive me?
Me: Of course.
Nathan: Do you feel better now?
When my grandson was little, he had aggravated the mess out of me one day and we had this conversation:
Nathan: Does forgiving someone make you feel better?
Me: Usually.
Nathan: will you forgive me?
Me: Of course.
Nathan: Do you feel better now?3 people like this
@1creekgirl (40489)
• United States
13 May 21
@vandana7 He wants to be in politics. I think he was ready years ago.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
11 May 21
You could work on a wolf mask during the night. It can't be too difficult. No whiskers and a longer snout than a cat. Big teeth.
I read "Where The Wild Things Are" every other day or so. I have sleepover guests staying with me. One of the daughters of the family with which I live in the same house has married an American and is here for some time with her two children, nearly two and nearly four years old.
7 people like this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
11 May 21
@TheHorse I don't know for how long they're staying here. I don't have young 'parents' staying with me, only a young German mother with two children who's married an American and has moved with him to America. She's visiting her German family.
The young woman doesn't want to go back to the USA, she doesn't like it there and hopes that her husband will come to Germany. I don't know any details. I don't want to ask, she'll tell me when the time is right.
5 people like this
@TheHorse (205607)
• Walnut Creek, California
31 May 21
@vandana7 Nah. SHE made amends by asking her to make her a cat tail and face the next day. We spent some extra time together just to make sure our relationship had not been shattered by the "thunder shower" of the previous day.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215338)
• Chile
11 May 21
She´ll forgive you. But I wouldn´t dare offer to make a wolf´s mask.
2 people like this
for you are the King of Where the Wild Things Are 
@kaylachan (57578)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
11 May 21
I don't doubt it. She's four. I doubt she'll hold a grudge.
3 people like this
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
12 May 21
First of all i truly respect people who deal with young ones; and feel appreciated.
Am sure she will forgive you
2 people like this
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
12 May 21
@TheHorse May it be better than you expect, a super happy face for that matter
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (98787)
• India
13 May 21
Not necessarily. I drew a picture of our neighbor as a kid...I presumed it looked quite like her, and others appreciated it...as such. It was a chalk drawing on black slate. Then an elderly person from the family unwittingly rubbed it off not knowing its importance to me, when I had gone for lunch. I did cry a lot... and I remember it to date. I am nearly 62. Forgiving is different. Forgetting..............not sure.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26199)
• Singapore
13 May 21
@vandana7 Yes forgiving comes easily to them. Obviously, you were hurt.
Over forty years ago, we had a neighbor and their three kids were regulars at our house and kept good company with my wife. The girl was about seven years old I used to play with her.
Recently, I reconnected with this family. Now "the girl" is in America and wrote a long email about how I used to entertain her with a few details that I had forgotten!
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (155957)
• United States
12 May 21
She will forget about it; and she will be fine.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (155957)
• United States
13 May 21
@TheHorse I read your new post. It all turned out for the best.
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
12 May 21
expectations - you are in that magical giant role - :adult" young children don't understand that even giants have limits.
but today she will have forgotten!
2 people like this
@DocAndersen (54413)
• United States
12 May 21
@TheHorse that is interesting as always you have asked a great question. That, following up on past injuries is really an adult thing.
my guess is no, but you never know.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45476)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
12 May 21
A nap or a Snickers bar...
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95042)
• Marion, Ohio
12 May 21
I am sure she will. You need to practice making masks 
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73326)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
12 May 21
I am sure you have already been forgiven, Children tend to go by moods and feelings. I am sure that your cat-wolf was not bad at all,
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
11 May 21
Hmm, not sure, after that "big fail" but then I could not even make a wolves tail so would be in trouble constantly.
2 people like this
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
12 May 21
@TheHorse I can scribble at best.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (94440)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
11 May 21
I am sure that you and Birlla will kiss and make up soon.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (94440)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
12 May 21
@TheHorse My late mom had a saying "Be angry for a while and then be happy once again."
@arunima25 (85265)
• Bangalore, India
13 May 21
I am sure that she will. And I know that you had a good day with her later as I read the art session that you had with her and she approved your clouds
And I mentioned about wolves in my other response. I misunderstood it to be wolves in other sense like a fantasy teenage novels of werewolves. I see many children coming up with such fantasy characters at such young age( influenced by elder siblings or someone in family) and I find it uncomfortable to discuss with such age group. But here it's some other wolf
Best thing about young children is that they don't carry baggages from past. They let bygone be bygone.
And I mentioned about wolves in my other response. I misunderstood it to be wolves in other sense like a fantasy teenage novels of werewolves. I see many children coming up with such fantasy characters at such young age( influenced by elder siblings or someone in family) and I find it uncomfortable to discuss with such age group. But here it's some other wolf
Best thing about young children is that they don't carry baggages from past. They let bygone be bygone.1 person likes this
