Cage Fighting at the Mall

It is hot in Texas. We are in week two of the heat advisory and the pools are now only open on Saturday except for one that is open from 1-6. Sadly that is smack dab in the middle of nap time so the pool is pretty much a no go at the moment. So in order to expend some energy and not fry I took the kids to the indoor mall playground this morning. Grace was loving it because there were a bunch of other kids there to play with. But then a dark cloud passed over the play land as a little four year old boy named Nicholas entered. About 4 or 5 kids had congregated by a tunnel and were happily playing, oblivious to what was headed towards them. Nicholas approached the tunnel and tried to push another little boy out of his way. The little boy resisted and Nicholas karate chopped him and when the little guy doubled over Nicholas launched onto his back and savagely bit him on the neck! I thought I was in a Twilight movie! I have never seen anything like it and I have seen many a play ground brawl. Usually little boys just kind of wrestle. Next Nicholas launched into the tunnel, hit an unsuspecting Grace and bit her foot. I ran over and pulled all the other kids out of the crazy kid's path and confronted Nicholas. "Where is your mother?" I demanded. He would not respond but by this time a bunch of other moms had circled and were surveying the bite marks. More minutes passed and Nicholas' mother finally appeared and started disciplining him. This is how we found out his name was Nicholas. She dragged him, screaming and crying to apologize to the victims and then put him in time out. I felt badly for her, she seemed mortified but her kid was so aggressive I thought it was strange she hadn't kept a better eye on him. A kid doesn't get those fighting skills from playing nice. Anyway we soon left the playground but all day Grace has been saying, "Nicholas hit me" and "Nicholas bit me. He is in time out." She just seems confused by the entire episode. Grace rarely hits anyone, she is crazy gentle but the momma bear in me secretly wished that she would have decked that kid. I suppose it is good my child instinctively takes the high road especially when dealing with an older trained ninja fighter. When I first started school I remember my dad telling me, "If someone hits you, you hit them back as hard as you can and you wont get in any trouble at home." Luckily I was never in that situation but I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! And another thing I know a lot of parents who get mad when their kids tattle, which I understand but if they aren't allowed to hit back what are they suppose to do? Just keep getting abused? Since Grace wont hit anyone I would want her to tattle so she wasn't some naughty kid's punching bag. I suppose I would feel differently if I had kids that constantly fought but good natured John is too little and Grace is a Quaker with the patience of a martyr. Maybe little Larson number #3 will have a more fiery temper, like his momma, and then I will eat my words.