Fighting it out at the OK Corral....uh, playground

Well, it almost came to blows. Save the quick actions and thinking of a couple of sun-weary mothers, it could have been ugly.

The two preschoolers had met only minutes before -- "Mommy, I made a new friend!" And the 4-year-old boy, and my 3-year-old girl were racing down the slides, around the swings and over the climbing toys. All was good.

Until.

Well, until I was talking to my big girl, completely absorbed in our discussion. The other mommy was talking to her friend, equally absorbed.

Voices are raised. And all of a sudden they do not sound happy.

Knowing it is past nap time and we are pushing it even BEING at the park, I jump up and begin talking while I walk, "Cate, are you being nice?"

Other mother is also quick on her feet, "A, are you being nice?"

Pouty faces abound as Cate spins and tells me, "He is being MEAN to me." And our new friend, "She is being mean to ME!"

Calmly, "Cate, what happened?"

Are you ready?

"He says Claire is HIS sister!"

"She says Claire is HER sister!"

"She is NOT his sister. Claire is MY sister."

"She is NOT her sister, she is MY sister!"

My girl had the boy by his collar. The boy had my girl by the collar. They were about to come to blows over whose sister Claire was....

I glanced at the other mother...

"Is your daughter's name Claire by any chance?" With a smile, the other mother nods her head. Mystery solved and crisis averted.

We should all be so loved.