Frith O’Steen

We had a day off yesterday, so the boys and I went over to the Lindsay Wildlife Museum for a while, and then followed it up with some time on the playground. Sutter is becoming more agile all the time, climbing as many big kid ladders as his mom will allow him to, so we headed over to the Big Kid Playground. This structure is left over from a previous time (aka: my childhood), a time when playstructures were made from slippery and shiny metal that gets very hot in the sun. Naturally, being the less-kid-friendly of the two playstructures, this is the one my younger son desperately wants to go to.  Sutter held his own on most of the slides and ladders, but at one point he got to the top of platform where the only way down was an enclosed tunnel slide. Being not quite 2 and a half, his common sense (finally!) kicked in, and he balked at the top. Unfortunately, this being a spring break week for all the elementary schools, there were LOTS of kids on the playground, and there was a line building up behind Sutter. He was too high above my head to reach, so I tried to coax him to sit on his bottom so I could reach up and help him down. Decker meanwhile tried to help by sitting at the bottom of the slide and calling up in his helpful squeaky voice, “C’mon Sutter! You can do it! I’ll catch you!”. No go. I think the little guy was stopped in his tracks and unsure what to do. In the midst of trying to remedy this impasse, a big kid at the top of then slide jostled Sutter, and Decker yelled out “Hey! Don’t step on my brother!”.  Naturally the big kid thoughtfully stepped back, looked sheepish, and gave me room to help get Sutter down. PSYCH!!! Nope, what really happened is that after Decker asked the kid not to step on Sutter, another big kid at the bottom of the slide yelled up to the big kid at the top, “Step on him! Step on him!”. Before this mama bear could even begin to respond to that, I hear this passionate high-pitched yelling from down below: “NO!! NO!! LEAVE MY BROTHER ALONE!!! STOP THAT!!”. Oh, Decker. I so heart you.  At this point Sutter apparently decided that letting his mom help him would be the best course of action, and so I lifted him down and Decker ran around the slide to come check on his brother. Here’s a transcript:

Decker: Sutter - are you ok?! Did those mean kids hurt you?

Sutter: (Partly upset but also enjoying the attention) Those big kids hurted me! Big kids hurted my fingers!

Decker: I know, those big kids were bullies! They shouldn’t step on you! I told them not to step on you!

Me: Decker, you stood up for your little brother! Good job, buddy! That was really cool!

Decker: I know - I’m a hero!

On the way home we relived the dramatic scene a few more times, Decker reveled in his heroism, Sutter reminded us all that his fingers were stepped on, and I helped Decker practice how he would yell if that happened again. (Lower pitched, so people could understand him better. Just as passionate, though. That part was good).

I’m really proud of my son. He’s a good big brother. And Sutter knows it.