Toddler Law

The REALLY new face of law enforcement.

The kids were over.

With their kids.

The house was full, lively and bustling.

Dinner was finished.

The grandkids, newly released from the dinner table, were making up for lost time.

They had managed to store up a lot of energy in the hour it had taken to eat, and time was running short to burn it off before hometime.

Cousins were chasing cousins.

The noise level had risen dramatically.

The toddlers, always the last to wade out into the cousin-cyclone were hovering about the table and the adults still sitting there visiting.

Our just-turned-two-year-old (not to be confused with our two-and-a-half-year-old) had just been given an assignment.

Go and refill Mama’s glass with water.

Her responsibility rested heavily on those small shoulders and she was holding said glass carefully in front of her with both hands, and making her way slowly through the dining room and hallway and into the kitchen.

Just as she reached the hall, two of her cousins, brothers, dashed past her into the front room, intent on their game of ‘chase-and-beat-the-other-guy-with-a-pillow’.

It’s a very popular game.

Still holding her glass, she marched indignantly into the room behind them, her face a comical mix of righteous exasperation and toddler-ish-ness (real word - maybe). “Guys! Guys! No hitting with pillows!”

The two brothers bounced back and forth in front of her.

Oblivious. And giggling.

This time, a bit louder. “GUYS! NO! NO HITTING WITH PILLOWS!”

Still no reaction.

“GUYS!!!”

Her mother intervened. “Boys! Calm down!”

They immediately subsided.

Then she turned to her small daughter. “Hazey, are you getting Mama’s drink?”

“Oh. Yup.” The little girl returned to her errand.

How many of us have been witness to some sort of shenanigans?

Out-numbered and infinitely out-weighed.

Would we have the courage and commitment to do something about it?

To stand, feet planted, in the middle of the monkeyshines and say what must be said.

Or, more accurately, shout what must be shouted.

Obviously, the world needs more just-turned-two-year-olds.