Meanies

On Friday, Aaron and I took Hank to a local park with a brandnew playsystem. The play structures were swamped with other kids, mostly older than Hank. We let Hank loose to play and explore and he seemed to be having a really good time. He found a little cave-type spot beneath a slide and was busy spinning steering wheels. Aaron and I took a seat on a nearby bench and checked in with Hank periodically. I had just peeked in to find Hank playing with the steering wheels and mingling with some older kids, when I made the comment to Aaron that I was so glad that we have boys in that boys tend to take care of themselves and be somewhat self-reliant. No sooner had I made that comment when we saw a 4 year old kid run out of the little cave, bawling, and complaining to his mom that he had been punched by another kid. Aaron and I looked at each other nervously, hoping that Hank wasn't the offender. Aaron went to check on Hank and, as he got close, saw that some mean kid was full on throwing punches at Hank left and right! Aaron was FUMING mad and grabbed the kid by the arm and yelled at him to stop hitting. Hank didn't really know what to do--he was just stunned. Aaron brought Hank to me for some hugs and I made sure that there wasn't any serious injury (I seriously thought he was going to have a black eye because he eye was dark and swollen) and turned him loose to play some more. After the initial shock, Hank didn't seem to be bothered at all but Aaron and I were still seething over the incident. What kind of kid punches a two-year-old in the face? Poor Hank has no experience with brothers or fighting of any kind, so he didn't know how to react. I'm not sure what the moral of the story is: teach Hank self-defense? find a new park? hunt down the mean kid? Aaron wanted Hank to have slugged the kid back, but I don't think its in Hank's nature to be aggressive. He's a lover not a fighter. I'm just mad that Hank got beat up by a bully at the park!