Being the Bad Guy, Yeah, It's Me.

I'm the bad guy, uh, gal. I'm the one who says no, who holds the line when my son wants to do something, "just this one time, I promise!" No. Over the weekend Mason could not find his skateboard helmet and wanted to go ride. "Please?!" he pleaded, "I'll be careful." No. I offered up his BMX full face bike helmet but he protested, "That's so dumb. I"ll look like an idiot wearing that while riding my skateboard." I told him he should have thought of that when he finished riding last time and that he should have put his helmet where it goes instead of wherever it is right now - that place that he can't find it.

He said he would not ride...but he did, even after I assured him if he rode without the helmet that I would confiscate his board and he would be restricted for I don't know how long. I'm the bad guy who gave him a piece of my mind in public. He cried. I think those around us were a bit uncomfortable, too. He finally quit protesting so I stopped scolding. I thought for a moment that maybe I went off in public and that maybe I should not have in front of our friends. Well, my doubts were put to rest when three people, separately shared with me that they appreciate that I say what I mean and mean what I say when it comes to Mason and discipline.

I don't really think I am the bad guy. I have just a few things that I draw a hard line in the sand with and protecting his head is one of them. I was thrown from a horse back in 2009 and suffered a concussion. I lost many of my memories for months. I think I got them all back, but who knows. I know that Dave would recall something that I had no recollection of so he would show me photos. Talk about weird! I could see I was there, I could see what he was talking about, but I could not remember the event at all. In that case, I did finally recall it while driving down the freeway weeks later. Just this last Christmas, a friend of ours got a new skateboard and in minutes, he slipped and hit his head on a parked car and busted his skull behind his ear. He was life-flighted to a hospital and spent several days in intensive care. It can all happen in the blink of an eye and it's not just that I said he has to wear a helmet, it's the law. I don't mind being the bad guy one bit if it means I keep Mason whole and healthy, hopefully he knows being the bad guy is because I love him so very much!