Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!

I blame the book Playful Parenting. I read it when I was a new inductee into Mommyhood. Actually, I read a slew of parenting books in those early months. I think was I looking for that non-existent user manual for children. Now that I am a grizzled veteran, I know to take all parenting books and their contradictory theories on how to raise your children and use them as bonfire fodder. S'mores, anyone? Aside from its title, I don't recall much about Playful Parenting beyond the author's advocating of nontraditional play with children (e.g. wrestling with girls). His argument for doing so seemed sound. He believed it would help make them more confident and comfortable in their bodies. Given my issues with body distortion, I wanted to spare my daughter that particular angst, so I began to playfully wrestle with Alice who loved it.


The point to this back story- a few Sundays ago John was heading to the airport, so it was just me and the girls. They were playing in the living room while I puttered around the kitchen cleaning up after dinner. I smiled as I heard gales of little girl laughter erupt regularly; at least until the laughter was interspersed with odd thumping noises. I generally try to leave well enough alone when they are contentedly playing. I did not hear limbs being severed or screeches of terror. Still, my curiosity was piqued, so I decided to investigate.


I stood in the doorway of the living room and watched aghast as my two girls (ages 3 and 1) wrestled together. The World Wrestling Federation had nothing on these two. I decided to reprimand Alice, the oldest who should know better. As Alice lay prone on the floor, I lit into her for treating her smaller and more fragile sister so roughly. I should have known better. While I listed the reasons why wrestling with Angela was the wrong thing to do, Angela, who was kneeling next to her sister, decided stand up and then body slam Alice. While they laughed uproariously, I muttered, "Never mind" to Alice and walked out of the room. Angela can fend for herself, which now leaves me time to decide what their professional wrestling names should be. Any suggestions?