What would Michael Landon do?

When the time comes, I fear we may need to send Samson to school with two lunches and double milk money. He's like a magnet for toddler bullies. At Madelyn's party, I had noticed that while Samson was playing with some Sesame Street toy, a particular little girl was watching and waiting for the right moment to move in. You know how on those National Geographic specials, when you get that bucolic image of a zebra peacefully munching some grass and then the camera pans and you see a lion standing by patiently? It was sort of like that, except the zebra was wearing overalls and the lion was in a princess dress. Anyway, she made quick work of Samson, despite my best, measured Dad voice saying: "Can you both play with that toy? Can you share that with him?" Clearly she could not.

There's not much you can do in those situations --- especially when it's a kid you don't know. Because this little girl was Hitler-youth blonde and had icy blue eyes, I was reminded of Nellie Olsen. [Side note: I spent hours as a kid being forced to watch Little House on the Prairie; it didn't quite rise to the level of the Ludavico technique, but it has obviously had some lasting (and possibly unintended) consequences.]

In any event, I thought about how Pa would always counsel his kids to be good and kind and not fight with the Olsen kids, because even though they (the Ingalls) were just poor farmers and couldn't afford fancy calico clothes or vacations in Mancato, they still had dignity and were good, God-fearing people.

[Second side note: I have always been slightly suspicious of kids who are too blonde and blue-eyed. And no this is not an ironic statement. For the record, we are strawberry blondes in our house, and Samson's eyes are cerulean].

In any event, I maneuvered Samson away from Nellie in search of toys she didn't want to play/hit my child with. And I thought about how funny it is that parenthood gives one such a personal stake in interactions between kids that they themselves probably remember for only a few seconds and then totally forget. I also thought of the wisdom of Pa Ingalls in trying to keep his family above the fray.

Later on, when Samson was playing in the basement, he was standing and holding on to a keyboard toy Nellie was seated at and playing with. He wasn't trying to touch the toy or take over, he just needs something to hold onto for support while standing. I stood off to the side and watched Samson smile at her. And then I watched Nellie look at him and put her hand to his little shoulder and give him a good, hard shove.

He made his way over to me, not happy but not in tears. I picked him up and walked back over to the toy and Nellie. And I thought "What would Michael Landon do?"

So I leaned down and said, in my best Dad voice: "You know you really should share that toy. He wasn't trying to take it from you; he's just not as big as you are, and he needs help to stand up. Also, Santa's dead."

Ok, I didn't really say that last part.

At least, as far as you know.