Riley and I were driving to her dance class last Thursday evening. We were driving down a main road in Barrie when suddenly a police car drove out in front of us , quickly spun around, came to a stop in the road and a female police officer jumped out grabbed a man that was running down the side of road. She quickly pinned him down while he struggled under her grasp.
Side Note: The fact that the police officer was female has no merit to this story but the fact that she kicked his butt. YAY!
Riley quietly watched this all happen. I wasn't sure what to say to her. I stayed silent wondering if she noticed and if she would say anything about it. We began driving again and she said "Mommy, I think I saw someone getting arrested" I replied that I think she was right. The questions started coming..."why was he getting arrested?" "why was the police hurting him" "was he going to jail"..... I tried to carefully answer each question.
I will be honest, we shelter our children. Is this good or bad? I'm not sure. I mean we wont even let them chew bubble gum or watch Sponge Bob.
Then she said "mommy, that man was adult. Do adults do bad things?" I hate that she asked that question. I hate that I had to tell her yes. I hate that she continued to question the types of things adults do that are bad.
I feel like she grew up a little bit in that car ride. I know we can't shelter them forever, I know that if we don't talk about things like this someone else will, I know that there will come a time when she chews bubble gum and watches Sponge Bob.
I just wish it never had to happen. I wish that she stayed innocent. I wish there were no "bad adults" in this world to talk to her about. I just wish I could freeze time and keep the innocence....forever.
