Yesterday, Lucy and I met up with our playgroup at Champion Kids, an indoor play place in Marietta. This was the first time I had been to the new location, and I was a bit dismayed when I discovered the trampolines and inflatables are now in different rooms. When we arrived, the trampoline room was the only one open, but Lucy liked being bounced on them the last time we went, so we headed in.

Lucy made a beeline for the trampolines. I wasn’t surprised. Now, the trampolines at Champion Kids aren’t raised off the ground. They are built into the floor and are surrounded by gymnastics padding, so it’s perfectly safe. Lucy jumped with other toddlers, and she also went on the trampolines when the bigger kids jumped, and it cracked her up when she fell. She loves that kind of thing.

I was sitting with my friend chatting when a mom approached me, asked if Lucy was my daughter and then told me I needed to take her off the trampoline. Why? Because this mom said she was too small. I told her that I am Lucy’s mom, and I will make that decision. And, Lucy was fine. The mom told me that I didn’t care about my child’s safety, and I rolled my eyes. She responded with, “Don’t roll your eyes at me because I care more about your child than you do.” Whatever.

She walked off, and my friends and I continued talking. I looked up a few minutes later to check on Lucy, and she was happily jumping away. Then, I saw this mom walk over to my daughter, PICK HER UP AND REMOVE HER FROM THE TRAMPOLINE. At that point, Lucy started to scream because some strange woman picked her up. I was LIVID. I marched over, grabbed Lucy and told the employee standing by the trampoline that that woman was NOT to touch my child again. I would have said something to the mom, but I was so mad that I thought I was going to punch her, so I walked away to cool off.

One of my friends, however, went over and told that mom that she was NOT to touch other peoples’ kids. The mom said that I OBVIOUSLY didn’t care if my daughter broke her leg. Then, she cussed my friend out. Classy. My friend spoke to the same employee that I did and was told that this woman is a troublemaker and always causes problems.

Technically, what that woman did was simple battery, and my dad, who’s a lawyer, told me I should have called the cops. I probably should have. Next time, I will. But, I’m pretty sure we won’t be back. A business that condones parents who grab other peoples’ kids and doesn’t kick them out isn’t one that I want to patronize.