Park Experience

We went to a new park (new to us) a few days ago. It was a different experience. The schools around here don't have playgrounds. It really is quite pitiful. The first time I saw the play yard of a school I thought it was the saddest looking thing ever. It looks a lot like prison yards. Just fenced in black tar with a few basketball hoops. Really sad. Anyhow, since none of the schools have playground equipment they will take the children to the nearest public park. There is one by our house. So we dropped in the other day around the lunch recess. First I pushed the girls on the swings while I watched the older kids on the playground. When a few classes had gone back I pulled them out and let Bekah play. I watched her....she was wide eyed watching all of these children. She was one of two caucasions and the other little girl did not look like the same kind of little girl I have.

Anyhow, she finally got comfortable enough to sit and talk to another child. They talked for a few min and I saw her point Miriam and I out to the little girl. Bekah began playing with her. A few other little girls came running up to me asking if they could play with my baby. I told them they could talk to her, but that I would leave her in the stroller. I talked to these little 1st graders for a while. One told me she was done playing on the playground, because a little boy in her class was calling her an "a__hole." She said it so causually, it was shocking. I told her that was too bad and then said, well you don't say those kinds of words, right? She looked up at me with a confused look on her face and finally said, "I guess not."
One of the other little girls was talking to me about the baby sister she had at her house. She then said,"Does this baby have a Daddy?" I thought that as the saddest question ever. It just told me about what their lives were like.
Anyhow, I am grateful for the family that we have and the priveleges we have been able to enjoy in growing up in our own homes and the things we are able to offer our kids.....mainly stability and good morals. Appartently this school is not a very desired school, but the good news is that we are not in that school district so if we do hang around here during elementary ages, then Bekah won't be going to that school.