Last weekend some unknown persons stole the play structure my kids had in the front yard. It was very simple: a little swing, and a little platform with a slide. But they loved it. Camila would swing and swing, sometimes with Mika pushing her, and Mika would climb to the roof of the structure and look to nona's house (who is in LA). It had no value, we found it by the side of the street with a sign saying "free", but they kids loved it and it was theirs. Now someone stole it. Can you imagine something worse than stealing from a child? (OK, OK, I can, but as thefts go, this is one of the lowest).
Sometime before Camila's push car - another thing that we bought for $5 or $10 - was also stolen. Anyone who can afford the truck needed to carry this stuff, can afford to buy it as well. It's an issue of pure meanness.
What are my kids learning from this? That the world is full of bad people who would hurt them. Perhaps it's not a bad lesson to learn this early.
As for me, I'm afraid of my own neighbors. I see people in the street and I wonder who it was who took the structure. I'm also wondering what they'll steal next.