Big Sister Power

I was so proud of Marin today the way she deftly outwitted another child who was taking advantage of her. We were on a class field trip to Chipmans Pumpkinland, a big farm that re-invents itself every October as a Halloween theme park for kids. It really is pretty cool.

I was assigned to Marin and two other girls I'll call Kay and Em. Em is a very pretty blond with big brown eyes who changes from charming and lovable to bossy and sassy and back on a dime - a potential future mean girl. So naturally, she is the ringleader of my little brood.

The three of them run off to play on a wooden train set.

Em proclaims "We need a driver" and Marin and Kay both raise their hands to be the driver.
Em chooses Kay to be the driver.
Then Em says "We need a baby to ride in the passenger car" so Marin volunteers to do that, and Em says "No, I'll be the baby."
Marin gets this look on her face like "What can I do?" and Em, sensing this, says in a flip tone "Oh, why don't you just ride in the back".

I believe Em is too young to have meant anything racial by this, but the hair went up on the back of my neck and I'm thinking "Birmingham. That little bitch".

Marin nonchalantly says "How bout I ride in the back and be the big sister?" Em dismisses Marin with "Fine, be the big sister."

Suddenly Marin starts bossing Em around. "Sit on your bottom. Hands on lap. No crying. etc"

Em looks at Marin and says "Why are you bossing me?" and Marin replies "I'm the big sister and you're just the baby, so you have to do what I say." Em gets this "Shoot, I did not see this coming" look on her face and just sits there and sulks.

Marin flashes a grin over at me as if to say "Don't worry about me, Dad. I can handle myself pretty well in kindergarden."