Blog Dare: 121

Today's Prompt: That is when I turned into Momma bear...

We recently went to a local and very popular park, where they have a section of playground geared for many age levels. There are signs posted on each section as to the minimum and maximum age level that should be playing on the equipment, swings or slides. The boys love the biggest cork screw slide, and will play on it over and over again. The great part about this play ground equipment is that it takes a good five minutes to climb your way back to the top, as it is so big. While we were there a group of teenagers arrived and quickly took over the swings. The group got louder and more rowdy and soon began to shout, swear and say very vulgar things. They then moved to the playground equipment and took over the slide that the boys were playing on. Mikey stood aside and let the teenagers have their turn, and asked when he would be able to go down the slide again. I told him it would be his turn next, and he would be able to go again as soon as they had all gone down the slide. He waited his turn like a champ, and I stood there holding Ryan's hand while we waited. The next thing I know some huge teenage guy, knocks Mikey over as he attempts to go back down the slide, in front of his rowdy friend. I lost it!!! I made sure Mikey was okay, as he had fallen down to the next level on the equipment, and told Mikey to watch Ryan. I marched over to the group of teenagers, and demanded to know where their parents were and why the boy did not apologize to my son? The rude teenager responded with more cursing, and asked who I thought I was? That's when I turned into Momma bear...I told them that there are signs clearly posted that tells of the maximum age limit, and they all were clearly older then 8 years of age. I then gathered my kids, as they were now crying...threw them into the car, and drove over to the park ranger's office. I explained what had happened, and then the park ranger followed me back to the play ground. He told the teenagers to leave or he would be calling the local police department to have them removed from the park. While my boys went back to playing, I stood and smiled, as the teenagers left the park firing insults at me and the park ranger. The park ranger thanked me for contacting him, and said that their has been a rise in teenagers causing mischief, and he was sorry for their behavior.

I was afraid I had embarrassed my boys or caused an unnecessary scene, as I wondered if I had over reacted? When has your inner Momma Bear come out? How did you handle the situation?