This morning, two of my children got a hands on lesson in Newtonian physics. It is always painful when these things happen. Very few of these lessons end well. For my kids, things went better than they might have....small favors. Like almost all Newtonian lessons, stupidity played a major roll. Many of the yearly Darwin awards are adjudged to individuals testing physical laws. In this case, though, it was more lack of experience stupidity than pure moronic stupidity.
My son populates the top bunk in the room he shares with his little brother. This bunk bed has been a source of many a minor injury as it is used less as a bed and more as catapult/jungle gym/antediluvian torture device. They find new and better ways to hurt each other every day. This morning, my husband and I were torn from sleep by a very loud and vicious thump. I went to investigate with John on my heals. When I entered the room, my son was laying on the bottom bunk clutching his stomach. My oldest daughter was sitting next to him comforting him with the very compassionate words..."your not gonna die Drake". I inquired about the sound and apparent resultant injury. My question was met with immediate silence and the fearful look of the guilty. I pressed further for an explanation. Their eyes met for only the briefest of moments and then Drake said..."Breena kicked me and I flew into the wall" I was enraged! She shot back..."it was his idea" For a moment I was taken aback...it was his idea for his sister to kick him into a wall? Intriguing! I questioned further.
Seems my son got the grand and very idiotic idea that if you hang from the underside of the top bunk, you can swing out. If someone is standing next to the bed, you can kick him/her ninja style. It is all very TMNT. He had performed this stunt on his older and, might I add, much larger/heavier sister with no apparent ill result. He then decided, since is went so well when he tried it on her, that they should reverse rolls. He did think ahead. It appears he was worried about being struck. In an attempt to protect himself from the impact, he held his large oversize teddy bear in front of him as padding. You see... he's no dummy!
Here comes the physics lesson. 52 pound Drake, pitted against a 78 pound Breena. Add in velocity and the small area of impact (only her feet). It all equals NOT GOOD!
His sister mounted the bed and prepared to swing out. As she moved to attack, a premonitory "high-ya" tore from her lips. Her feet connected with the teddy bear. Drake flew backwards and into the wall. Physics in action my friends!
They weren't punished heavily. The lesson was self taught.
