We started school. Andrew got right to work, Skylar wasn't awake yet and Cairn was slow to start. The morning just dragged on and on with Skylar doing very little work. Cairn was on task and then off task. She kept getting distracted by everything. Andrew was finished with his schoolwork by 11 AM (he also started at 8 AM). I had him do extra Tae Kwon Do practice since his belt test is Saturday!!
We were supposed to be at a friends' house by 12:30 but we didn't leave the house until then and I had to get gas.
We finally arrived at our friends house. It didn't feel right when I walked in. I thought it was going to be a different group of people. Within minutes one of the other kids was upstairs complaining about wanting to see the cat and didn't take no as an answer too well.
Andrew came by 10 minutes later just needing a check in which is unusual for him.
Then 10 minutes later, another kid came upstairs saying the little kids are bossing the big kids around. All of us moms kinda laughed it off, saying that's what little kids do, you have to put up with it or do something else.
5 minutes later - Skylar is running up the stairs yelling for me, there is a lot of commotion downstairs and then screaming. One of the moms and myself run downstairs. As we run I hear, "she is hurting him."
Andrew is standing at the bottom of the stairs holding his neck and sobbing uncontrollably. I pick him up and carry him upstairs and tell Skylar to come with me.
I can hear the other mom trying to get her kid upstairs and apologize to Andrew. Andrew remains scared as he doesn't want that girl anywhere near him. I can't get him to tell me what happened but Skylar will tell me.
All of the kids were coming out of a room and standing in the bigger room in the basement. Andrew walked by this girl, S, (age 11 or 12) and she picked him up by the hair, threw him to the ground. This is when Skylar ran upstairs to get me because she "knew nothing good was going to happen next." The other kids filled in that the girl then started hitting him on his back, his butt and just everywhere after he was on the ground.
Here are some pictures of Andrew's neck several hours after it happened. I didn't take pictures right away because I was trying to get him calmed down and everyone else. I didn't think taking pictures would help them calm down. He did have lots of red marks all over his chest, back and butt when he first came up. There is no other bruising though.
The mom tried to apologize and say that S had never hurt another child before, only herself. I wasn't in a good spot/moment so I didn't say a word. I wanted the kids to see me staying calm and if I had to talk to that mom I couldn't have stayed calm or reasonable.
The kids calmed down after 20 minutes and tried to go back to playing but everyone was pretty uncomfortable at that point. S was gone but my kids were pretty upset. We left and went to another friends house so I could calm down and talk about what happened.
After a short visit, we went to yoga and Andrew and I played racquetball. It was fun for about 5 minutes and then Andrew was frustrated. I think it was just the day. We made it about 20 more minutes and then we went upstairs to get the girls when they finished up class.
Dinner was pasta, a comfort food. We told Dad what had happened when he got home and then baths and bed. Andrew stuck pretty close to me the rest of the day and wanted me to stay in bed with him. He fell asleep pretty quickly though.
As I told the kids, tomorrow is a new day, we can forget about today and move on.
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