Joys of Parenting: Learning from our Kids

  Today after a fantastic story time at our local library, the boy and I headed to the children's section for a little bit of play time.  Our library is just the coolest.  The children's section is surrounding with hollow trees for forting, and filled with super modern fancy toys for playing.
  At this point most of the moms and kids from story time had migrated for a few extra minutes of play, and the boy had made friends with another little kid about his age.  They played great together and were really having a great time, when I saw it from across the room….  The little boy open his mouth in a great big belly laugh, and it was right there glaring at me, front and center and all alone.  This poor little boy had no front teeth except for one lonely gold tooth.  I was so distracted by it that I almost missed the look on Ashyr's face.  He as floored and completely excited!
  "Dude! Do you have a gold tooth?" he said to the boy.
  "Yes."
  Ash just stared at him in amazement.  I got a sinking feeling in my gut that he was going to say something that would totally embarrass me or him or the kid.  Instead he asked, "Are you a Pirate?"  The little boy just looked at him sideways and then continued to play.  They continued to make their pretend laser guns that shot flowers as I sat and watched while reading my Colorado Parenting Magazine.
  The boys were playing great.  Keeping themselves in control, following my rules of not pointing their pretend guns at anyone, and really just being good little boys.  And that's when I heard the ridicule coming from the two hefty, sweat pant wearing,  scrunchi clad moms.  Back and forth they said to each other that they were "never going to let their little boys (who each appeared to be about a year old) play with guns.  There is no reason to make believe with guns." and they went on to say things about how "I should be ashamed that these boys played like that and the only reason to use a gun was to kill an animal." I was completely in shock that I was hearing all of this.
  The entire time they were speaking to each other about me as if I were not sitting right there in ear shot of them.  I bit my tongue (and text mean things about them to my bff).  I couldn't believe that these two shulmpadinka's were questioning my parenting.  I must also interject here that while my overly intelligent son played very nicely with his new friend and his pretend flower producing laser gun, one of these ladies kids got almost half way out the library door before someone brought the one year old back to his mother, and the other child stood and watched on while chewing on a book.  But my point is that I couldn't stop thinking judgmental things in a defense for their negative words.
  Meanwhile, back to my awesome kid….
  I decided to focus my attention back on Ashyr's positive actions and behaviors with his new snaggle toothed buddy.  At this point they had shaken hands and decided that they were new best library friends.  Ashyr then politely introduced himself, "I'm Ashyr, what's your name?"
  The little boy replied, "I'm Robert Paul."
  Shock came over Ash's face and he said "Man, with a name like Robert Paul, and teeth like those, I bet you would make one great Pirate."
  I died.
  And Capitan Robert Paul laughed.
  Then I learned a really important lesson about judgement from an almost 5 year old.