Mean kids

So, Collin and Cayla experienced their first "means kids" at the playground yesterday. Or should I say: Collin, Cayla, and I experience our first mean kids yesterday. I emphasize "I" because the twins were clueless.

We were playing at our neighborhood playground, like we have been all winter and up come 3 kids (2 girls, 1 boy) and their 3 moms. Cayla has recently begun asking anyone who comes to the playground if they want to play with her. Collin either follows in her wake or runs around playing soccer. So up Cayla runs, "Do you want to play with me?". "No", they shout and run away. For the next 20 minutes, Cayla chases after them asking them if they want to play and they run away screaming. Cayla is in her glory - running, screaming kids. This is right up Collin's alley, so he starts running after them too. Not a great situation, but oh, well. Then they start calling Collin and Cayla "babies" and one girl sort of pushes Cayla. The Moms step in and tell the kids to stop being mean (sort of - they yell it across the playground). I step in and the teacher in me takes over. I then try and distract Collin and Cayla with swings, monkey bars, and tag. They will have none of it and continue to chase after the kids. So, since we've been there quite a while and it's time for dinner, we leave. As we are walking home, Collin is mumbling and grumbling about leaving the playground and says, "I don't want to leave my friends!". Arrrrrrggggggggg. For the first time ever, my mad mom pot boils over. "Collin, those kids weren't your friends. They called you a baby and wouldn't let you play with them!" I take a deep breath and compose myself ready to have a long philosophical discussion with Collin as to why kids are mean, why we should be kind, respect . . . Collin has already moved on - he's playing soccer with a pinecone and Cayla is fascinated by a pile of dog poop atop a diagonal, metal grate.