Seeing Red!

I am a pretty laid back mom. Well I suppose I am pretty laid back in general... I try to allow Grace the freedom to explore and make mistakes and not get too worked up about things. What she is touching, climbing, tasting... All part of her learning process and she is smart and curious; so if I let myself get worked up, I'd have to be institutionalized. But hitting or grabbing or physical aggression of any kind is not tolerated in my house. It is immediately, strongly and vehemently corrected the moment it occurs. Grace may not be old enough to comprehend that she is causing pain or may not even know that such actions are associate with malice but I am bound and determined that she will understand that it is not acceptable behavior, ever! Unfortunately not all parents feel the same way I do about correcting such behavior. I could rant and rave on society's lack of parenting until the cows come home, but that is another post for another time... This morning at Gymboree our usual quiet 1 or 2 child class was made up of 5 kids. Not bad, but mildly disappointing compared to the last several weeks. One of the boys in this class today was a big boy. Not big old, probably not more that 18-20 months, but big 'big'... Grace is a strong kid, but very petite for her age. Compared to her neighborhood girlfriends, she is the runt. And her friends are of normal size and weight. It started with him (Issac) climbing over Grace to go down the slide. The slide she was sitting at the top of preparing for her turn... Issac trampled Grace and crashed into the child at the bottom who was mid-slide when Issac started down. The mother said nothing... The next time it was a head lock. Random, for no other reason than Grace was the one nearest him, head lock. Again, from the mother, nothing. This time I corrected him. "Issac, you have to be gentle, Grace is a little girl." (getting annoyed now.) Grace pouted and looked frightened but seemed otherwise okay. After giving me a hug and getting reassured that she was okay she rejoined the class and waited for bubble time (her favorite). As Grace meandered the through the bubbles and observed the other children popping and playing among them, we both let our guard down. From what seemed like out of nowhere, I see a blur as Issac full steam ran at and football tackled Grace. She hit the ground hard! I hear the wind come out of her and this kid was on top of her. His mother actually stepped in front of my path to my child and without any speed or urgency picked her child up off of mine and said... "Issac, I don't think she liked that." Calm as can be!? Are you kidding me?? What the 'F'...!! My child is hurt, screaming, class stopped, all eyes are on Grace and me, the owner is asking if Grace is okay.... and all she can say is... "Issac, I don't think she liked that"!?!?! Meanwhile Grace's eye looks like it is going to be black, her neck has his fingernail marks all over it, I am afraid that she has broken ribs... NOTHING from the mother!!! What kind of mother allows that???? For as anti physical violence as I am... I could have beat this child. Yes, I said it, and I am sorry, kind of, but I could have tanned his little hide - or at least sucker punched his mother. I said nothing... If after I had assessed Grace's condition and calmed her down the mother had still been there... But without a word of apology, class ended and she left. I wonder if she was even embarrassed? As mortified as I would be if Grace ever... I'd at least apologize to the mother and see if the child was okay. I still am so angry that I fear I am giving myself an ulcer.