Lessons we learn from our children

Oh today was a glorious day, the sun shined, the sky was blue and I took myself and my big girl camera off to see some tulips. I spent two hours absorbed in beautiful flowers, and colours, and smells....I also made sure to send my sister lots of photos whilst she prepares for winter down in the Southern Hemisphere. When my phone chirruped at me, I thought it was her again telling me she hates me with all my tulips; it was however, one of Miss Mouse's friend's mom. This friend visits us every Monday after school to play, have dinner and then the two of them go off to Girl Guides. But today she wasn't coming. She had had a playdate with Miss Mouse's bestie over the weekend, and said bestie got caught up on the moment and felt it was very important to tell this girl all the bad things Miss Mouse might've said about her. This friend's mom was very mad. Bang! went my day as immediately I had awful flashbacks to my school days and being ganged up on - oh these tween years are just a nightmare. My stomach was in knots and I felt miserable for my girl.
I went in to fetch Miss Mouse from school with such trepidation. Angry Mom was there, she avoided me and left swift after I arrived...and Miss Mouse came skipping up to me completely carefree. Nothing had happened. No words had been said, she was oblivious. And I had to break it to her.
She was devastated for two reasons.
1. Her bestie had gone behind her back
2. She knows she didn't really mean what she said, and hurting this girl was not something she would want to do.
We found angry mom and her daughter in the carpark, and Miss Mouse immediately apologised, they hugged and giggled and tonight they spent the evening at Girl Guides happily with each other.
It's done....for them at least.....for the two moms involved, not so much. I can see this other mom is angry, and she is the most placid, lovely, kind lady...so for her to get in touch with such a direct message to me today tells me this has hurt her. And for that I am so sorry. If the roles were reversed I would be the Angry Mom. I avoid confrontation like the plague, but if my kids are involved then I will come at you like a lioness on steroids. I am hoping this mom will see that her daughter has forgiven Miss Mouse, and she can too.

Mr. A took the stance of "if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say anything at all", and to a degree I completely agree with him, but it is so easy to get caught in a moment. You are chatting with your friends and bring up a third party and sometimes things get said. I am not sure there is one person on this earth who can stand up and say they have never said hurtful things behind someone's back.
It happens, and then sometimes you are called out for it. And I think this is where your true colours show, because if you should take responsibility, and say "Yes, I said it, and this is why" and live with the consequences. And this is what my sweet girl did. She went straight over, said sorry and asked to be forgiven. We don't know what was said, but is it actually worth finding out all those nitty gritty 'he said, she said'? I don't condone Miss Mouse's behaviour with her bestie in the first place, gossiping and spitefulness are not traits I wish to cultivate, but I am damn proud of her for how she handled it....I think she might've just taught me a lesson today.