Younger Boy got hit in with a ball in the shin tonight at practice. As soon as we got in the car he was blaming it on his teammate who "pushed him" in front of the ball. Not true at all...I saw the whole thing happen.

Younger Boy was screaming at me telling me it was all his teammate's fault.

It is moments like these where the blaming comes out.

I explained his teammate wasn't anywhere near him so he didn't push him. I witnessed the whole thing. I explained sometimes you get injured in sports and it isn't anyone's fault. It just happens. I explained I had no role in it so it wasn't fair to me to be yelling at me.

The misdirected anger and blame is something very ingrained in both boys. I don't know if Younger Boy understood what I was trying to tell him, because he just shut down and wouldn't look at me. This is his typical behavior when he knows his thinking or actions were misguided...so I have hope.

Praises for teachable moments.

Prayers for a quickly healing shin. There is a large bruise there.