Hurtful Hugs

Ryan started a new music class. Today was his first day. For the majority of the class time he ran around, hung on a ballet bar, tried to pull the speakers down, and rarely paid any attention to the teacher. Since I am a control freak of a parent, this drove me crazy, not to mention the fact that I was completely embarrassed! The class was small, three kids total. The two other moms knew one another and their kids were the same age, just under a year old. Ryan is in a crazy hugging phase where he will hug anyone and everyone. Although it looks sweet at first, his hug turns into a crazy WWF takedown. The little girl was his first victim. She was sitting so sweetly. Ryan bent over to hug her... cute until he knocked her over backward down to the hard floor of the dance studio. Never fear because I was near! I saw this happening before it actually took place. I was able to rush over and place my hand beneath the little girl's head saving her from what would have been a hard hit. Then I just felt horrible, apologized profusely to the other mom, made Ryan apologize and told him to be very gentle with the baby. Finally class was over, not a moment too soon. But Ryan was not done! The other child in class was a little boy who had watched Ryan act up during class. He was trying to hang from the same ballet bar that Ryan was hanging from. Ryan saw this as his grand opportunity for a hug. He hugs the little boy, and I rush over in case it takes a bad turn, which it did. I was trying to pull Ryan off the little boy, which made him hold on tighter. Then my little wrestler wraps his legs around the waist of this poor little boy who is still holding onto the ballet bar! I don't know how he let go, but finally he did, or maybe I am blocking it out of my memory. I, then, apologized to that mom and had Ryan apologize to the boy. The poor boy looked like he did not know what just happened, but he was not happy. As I was gathering my belongings to leave, exhausted and thoroughly embarrassed, I overheard the two other moms talk about getting lunch together. Any guesses as to what their lunch conversation was about? To top it off, they asked the teacher if the class met at any other times. Ryan did not make a good first impression, guess those moms won't be asking us to lunch any time soon!