Girl Power

This morning I took my 5th graders to school and we were a little early. I decided to walk them to the play ground being I had a meeting at the school after school started. We found a bench by the playground and just sat and watched kids play. Normally I would shoo them away and make them play but today we just sat. It was a nice morning, Haley was a bit tired and after my "bad day" yesterday, I needed to just sit as well.

We were watching this sweet little girl (Haley guessed 1st grade but I said maybe she was a small 3rd grader like Haley was). She had a purple basketball and was shoot hoops and I was pleasantly surprised how many baskets she made in a row. She seemed to be giving it her all. Then she walked up to a group of "big" boys (probably 5th-6th graders) and asked if they would play with her. My guess is that she has a big brother in the bunch (though that was never made clear).

To my surprise, all the boys said yes and found another ball to start playing "Knock Out" (Haley informed me what it was called). For all those who don't know what that is, two people shoot at the basket and the first one to get a basket "Knocks Out" the other and the next two people shoot. Here was this sweet little girl (much smaller than Haley for comparison) playing with about eight "big" boys. Let me just say, she made my day.

First when she would "knock out" the boys, the other boys would playfully chant "You got knocked out by a girl." As a mama of several girls, my heart jumped hoping these boys would be nice and to my surprise and joy, they were. Not only did they take it in stride to get "knocked out" by a girl but they cheered her on. Every time she got a "knock out" they would cheer. One of the tutors on the playground gave her a high 5 one time. A small little crowd stopped to watch. Time after time, this "little bit" got the basket ball and shot over and over till she got a basket and then waited her turn again. I watched as the "big" boys ran around her doing tricks and throwing it over their heads. Never once did they trample her or play unfair. Some of them even seemed to let her take a shot just to see if she could get them out.

She's in the middle of the crowd with her purple basketball.

This whole time, not one single adult managed this, set rules, intervened or disrupted this innocent play. All I have to say is I love that my kids go to a Charter School. These kids seem to "get" it. They are innocent but fair. They are loving and cooperative. I saw all the character traits this school is "trying" to teach in full action this morning. By the end, my girls and I would let out a little cheer every basket this girl made. All I can say is...more power to you girl! Play with the "big" boys. When our boys are being raised to become men of valor, our girls get to apart of it all with grace, dignity and a few "knock outs."