"But, but... it was an ACCIDENT!"

Boys. You can't live with them, and you can't tie them up and shove them in the back of the closet.

Today #2 got in trouble at school for "accidentally" punching someone in the face. How do you "accidentally" punch someone in the face, you ask? Well, you're a 7 1/2 year old with the self control of a 4 year old, who has to flail and exuberantly demonstrate what happened when someone got hit in the face with a ball. You can't just use words to tell the group of kids who asked what happened to Timmy. That would be too easy. Obviously the situation called for a re-enactment.

Now, I know what you're thinking- he didn't purposely punch the boy in the face. He didn't punch him out of anger. I wholeheartedly agree. However, he still hurt someone else because he couldn't control his limbs. If this were an isolated incident, it wouldn't be a problem for me in the least. But #2 has a looooong history of hurting people because he can't watch where he is going, or what he is doing, or because he's acting crazy, or because he wants to do something and someone is in his way..... I hope he outgrows this soon. I hate the idea that one of my kids has no regard for other people- most of the time he has to be told to apologize when he hurts someone else. It's like he's oblivious to the fact that his actions cause other people pain. Oh, but watch out if someone bumps into him or knocks him down! You'd think he had an arm chopped off in most cases.

The Man and I have warned #2 numerous times that one of these days he's going to hurt the wrong person, and rather than the victim running and telling the yard-duty lady, he's going to get punched in the face himself. I know this is evil of me, but part of me thinks a punch in the face on the playground is just what he needs to "get" it. Not that I want him to get hurt mind you, but he seems to be one of those kids that has to learn things the hard way.

Sigh.