We took Charlotte to Chick Fil-A this evening to play, it was going fine and she was having a blast enjoying the other kids. I sat outside for a short break to sit with husband who was feeding Sam. He finished eating so I went back inside to check on her. There was another parent I'd already befriended talking to a group gathered at the top. She tells me they are all upset with one girl and she can't figure out what's going on. I immediately knew it was Charlotte and her scream of STOP IT confirmed she was aggravated. Someone asked her name and she's not accustomed to telling people her name so she ignored them and tried to get past the kids who blocked her in. Then an older child, probably around 5 I'm guessing from the language skills asks Charlotte if she knows God. C screams back NO! I want to laugh but it gets caught in my throat as I realize she's feeling backed into a corner. I'm losing my voice from a cold so I go out and get husband to talk her down the slide. He's better at this then I am, I want to scream at all the kids to come down right now and glare at all the parents in the room doing nothing but I'm afraid it will upset her more and I don't want her to freak out any more than she already is. They keep going at it, blocking her into a single car where she's boxed in, gathering in front like mean vampires. I'm so upset, holding Sam, looking around for any other parent of the kids blocking her in to intervene but they are all zombies, ignoring everything. Mike comes in and calmly asks her to come down and after a few tries she comes down the slide. I hope the bossy zealot will come down so I can find her parents and tell them she was bullying my kid in the name of God but she stays up there and frankly I just want to get my kid out of there.
I didn't grow up like this. I grew up in an extremely reverent church where Christianity was a way of life, you showed people your faith by living a good honorable life. No one I grew up with has ever (that I know of) gone up to a total stranger and asked "do you know God"? I know what that girl was trying to do. She was assuming Charlotte didn't know God because Charlotte was upset and screaming back.
I'm upset, I really wish I would have screamed "EVERYONE DOWN NOW!"but I was worried about upsetting Charlotte more than what was really necessary. After leaving I told her she was a good girl and that I was really proud of her for coming down when her dad asked.
Once again I must apologize to the world for repulsive Christians, we are not all like this.
1 comment:
I'm so sorry Charlotte had to go through that.
CREEPY kids!
I have no problem with religion, or even someone discussing it with E (in an age appropriate way and prefacing it with an "i believe this, but everyone has different beliefs"), but the corner and proseletize? From other kids? That would send me through the roof, I'd be so pissed.
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