Have you seen this kid?

Today we took the kids to the mall to (among other things) make the obligatory trip to see Santa. After seeing Jolly Old St. Nick, Lila needed to be changed, so while I took care of that, Rey took the boys to the play area.

After I finished changing her, I walked up to the play area just in time to see a little boy open his chompers, lean over, and bite into poor (little?) Cole’s arm. Cole immediately started screaming like a banshee.

Most mothers can attest that their children have a regular cry and an I-am-really-really-hurt cry. Cole was crying the latter. He’s a pretty sturdy kid, takes a lot of beatings from his big brother, but he was inconsolable from this bite.

The little boy broke skin. Cole has a big purple welt on his arm, along with three very defined teeth marks.

Here’s the part that’s pretty astounding to me—the parent of the biter made no motion to discipline his child, nor did he inquire as to whether of not mine is okay.

Look, I’m really sympathetic towards the parents of biters. My nephew was a biter and it nearly drove my sister to the brink. I realize it’s often not correctable and simply needs to be outgrown.

However, please, have the decency to come over, check on the bitten child and at least offer a meager apology to the parents for leaving them with a freaking out child.

Cole is healing well physically (it’s not nearly as raised or purple as it was) but the poor guy is emotionally wounded. He doesn’t understand why a kid would hurt him like this. He explains with tears in his eyes that “That guy eat me on the arm with his mouth!” And even if you ask him about it now, hours later, he tears up, almost like he’s scared.

Once bitten, twice shy.