The Library Brat

Today was a very frustrating day at story time. Or should I say after story time. We always stay awhile. I look for books both for fun and for preschool and the kids play with the toys.  In the past there have been times another kid might grab a train or lego from one of mine or Miriam might do the same to another kid, but parents have always been close and the incident was a one time expression of normal preschool/toddler play. Today, however, was different. We had our first run in with the Library Brat also know as the play ground bully. For whatever reason she targeted Miriam. It started innocently enough. Miriam had attached to a book she found (this usually happens) and was carrying it around. All of a sudden Miriam came running to me sobbing her heart out, this little girl had her book. At the time, I thought Miriam had laid it down and the other girl picked it up. In any case, the mother was near by and when the little girl admitted taking the book, she made her give it back. Well, 15-20 minutes pass, Miriam is happily playing with the trains, when the little Brat moves in for her revenge. She would wait until Miriam was across from me and then would run up and knock all of Miriam's trains off the track. She wasn't taking them to play with them, she was just purposefully grabbing them and throwing them to mess with Miriam. Now Miriam *IS* a bit of a Drama Princess so she would scream when The Brat did this. I hushed her and helped her pick her trains back up. Well, this happened no less then 5 times. The second to last time, The Brat ran in grabbing trains and throwing them and as Miriam screamed "stop", she grabbed one out of Miriam's hand and throw it across the play area. Miriam was at the end of her patience, so she pushed The Brat. Of course, I stepped in to stop Miriam from really laying her out like she deserved. As I helped Miriam pick up her trains, I did something I've never done before... indirectly lecture someone else's child while talking to mine! "Miriam you can't push other people, EVEN IF THEY'RE MEAN and THROW YOUR TRAINS ON THE GROUND!!" You get the idea. All this time, Library Brat's mother was too busy talking to her friend to pay attention to her Brat's actions. Finally, on the last attack, Miriam screamed so loud that Mommy Dearest couldn't ignore The Brat anymore. She swoops in with the "oh, is MacKayLynnion taking trains?" routine, I was too mad to say the expected nice, "Oh, she's fine! Miriam, give little MacKayLynnion some of your trains."  And since I'm too polite to say, "Would you keep your BRAT from attacking my daughter!!"  I said nothing at all!