Prejudice Vs Instinct

As much as I would love to be psychic or have some great mental powers *waves hand* "This is not the speeding car you are looking for, officer." I do not possess such ability. However, everyone always talks about motherly instincts. When you just know something in your gut. I had a full four paragraphs written up on how I felt guilt for judging this family from soccer the moment I saw them. I wrote it the first week of practice and wasn't quite happy with the flow so left it to edit later. I couldn't explain it other than I must have been creeped out their general appearance, even though that normally doesn't mean squat to me. Agh! Was I turning into a shallow soccer mom?? I was in serious personal turmoil over this. After a few weeks of being around them, I realized I shouldn't feel guilty. I think this is one of those moments when it was my instincts telling me something wasn't right.

I usually am the type to try to include everyone. At the playgroup I made a point to get Tamarin introduced to a little girl having trouble getting involved with the group. It's important to make an effort when there are kids on the fringe of a group. Don't just stand there, get involved, try to help. This other family though..... they creeped me out the moment I saw them. The more I hear and see from their children the less I want my children anywhere near them. The siblings are verbally abusive to the sister on her team. The little girl says awful things about herself. This last practice even the coach stepped in and told her she was great and shouldn't say things like that about herself. Tamarin told me after the game this weekend that she was saying lots of rude things including calling herself names. It's sad.

I guess the point of this post is just to say, trust your instincts. Even if you're not sure why you feel a certain way about something or someone. Stay in tune with those feelings and don't brush them off or feel like you are making something out of nothing.

Update a few days later: Tamarin just told me exactly what I suspected. Over the last couple of weeks she has been trying to tell me dirty jokes. Bashfully and rather unsuccessfully, but the intent is clear. I had been asking her if she came up with them or if she had heard them somewhere. She had been very insistent on not answering me so I was thinking perhaps we had finally reached a "gross things fascinate me" phase. Today she once again told another joke and I asked her if someone on her team had told her that one. She said yes and told me exactly what I figured, it is the little girl I was talking about in this post. Ergh. So frustrating. I told Tamarin that if she starts to say things like that again she needs to get up and move. If she follows then she needs to come sit by me. Not that I think it will do any good, but I'm going to talk to the coach at practice about keeping an ear open and stopping that. I have no problem with kids having toilet humor, but this is not the age for it. Plus one of the things she told me as "joke" makes me think DHS may need to be called. Rest assured if I get another hint that someone in that family is putting that girl in harms way I will be calling DHS in a heart beat.