Warrior Parents in Waddler B

The Emerald City's mascot is the warrior. I've always found it humorous that a Lutheran private school would adopt such a belligerent mascot.  I'm Lutheran, a descendant of a Lutheran minister and generations of stoic, back-pew, silent stock.  Those Lutherans, they don't say much, and if you step on their toes, usually they will apologize first.  So, even I was surprised when my beloved was maliciously attacked the other day at drop-off.

I guess the little angel snacked on Baby M. again.  She's never bitten anyone but him.  Some of her friends have gone so far as to try to hug her by strangling her, but all she did was run away and cry. Baby M. and the little angel, though - they have a personality conflict.  She never liked him, not from the day he and his designer leather shoes arrived on the scene.  To be fair, he's not the best-behaved kid in the bunch, either. He steals food and toys and prefers to use the little angel rather than a chair for pulling up.  His behavior is age-appropriate.  Unfortunately, her retaliation is, too.

We didn't know the little angel had bitten Baby M. until Mother M. walked in to Waddler B two mornings ago. My beloved was removing the little angel's coat when Mother M. started talking to Baby M. in his earshot.

"We have to keep you away from the mean little girls," she said.  My beloved paid no attention.  "They're biting you, and they're bad," she added.

When this failed to register with my beloved, she confronted him directly.

Mother M:  "So, what have you been doing for the little angel's teething?" she asked.

Beloved:  "Oh, I don't know.  The usual.  Teething rings.  She really hasn't been teething that much, though she's been drooling again lately.

Mother M: (skipping right to the point, fast as the White House press corps) "Well, it seems to me she's been using Baby M's back and neck."

My beloved was dumbfounded.  He launched into a muttered apology, noting that the little angel has been bitten several times and sometimes that happens, they're young, we'll talk to her, blahdadee da da.

Mother M. went on muttering and eventually left. My beloved called me. I felt my mother bear hackles rise, even though I know I reacted that way in reverse when the little angel was the bitee.  However, I didn't go talking smack to the other mother, and felt her statements were inappropriate.  I mean, we can't very well draw battle lines near the changing table, now can we?

I called the director and she agreed to ask Mother M. to bring her complaints straight to the teacher next time.  I was about to go when she added, "You know, Baby M. bites, too."

I thought as much.   I talked to the little angel about it before she went back the next day.

"Now, when you want to bite Baby M., I want you to scream 'FIRE!'"  That'll get their attention.