How to alienate your grandchild at an early age

When we went Christmas tree cutting with our adult children and their family I, in true and pure playfulness, started lobbing snowballs at Stella. By this time the little girl had found her affection for eating snow. Having grown up with four brothers I learned that when someone does not participate in play you keep pestering them until they do. So lobbing (as opposed to throwing) another one at her she bent down for another lick of the white stuff and on the way down she received my little gift to her ... in the face! Oh, man ... I felt terrible. She didn't cry or anything, just stood there looking a bit shocked. Apparently, I did not feel terrible enough to stop. I tried to engage her with another lob and wouldn't you know she was either on her way down or up from grabbing herself another fist full of snow and bam! Right in the face a second time. I hurried over to her as she was shrieking this time and helped her clean up and reassured her that I was done. Man, I can't wait until she is bigger, maybe then she'll want to play ... if she is still speaking to me ... if she is allowed in my presence anymore ... if I am not disowned by her parents by then ... Rae Ann? Tom?


The cordial invitation...


The challenge...


Just seconds before the ill placed lob.