Socket Wrenches

I've been meaning to post this for several days, but it was still so shocking to me that I was trying to wrap my brain around it.  Last Friday we went to Inflatable Zone with our playgroup.  While we were there, I happened to look over and noticed a group of children gathered around one child on the floor.  This child was NOT in our playgroup, and I've never seen him before. 

I was thinking that kid must have had cupcakes (aka crack for kids), so I looked a bit closer, and come to find out the kid had a pile of tools in front of him that he'd just pulled out of his backpack.  His camoflauge backpack with his name "Jackson" embroidered on it in dayglo orange. 

Now, these were no garden variety Black and Decker play toys.  These were DADDY tools.  The real deal.  No wonder everyone was gathered around.  After collecting my jaw from the floor, I noticed that dayglo orange Jackson had a huge collection of at least 12 screwdrivers (Phillip's head and flat), 2 rubber mallets, 2 hammers with claws on the back, several socket wrenches, and a pair of plyers.  I'm not joking - this little boy had an arsenal.  And he was fast attracting the attention of every child in the room. 

About this time, dayglo orange Jackson's mom noticed he'd busted out his tools.  She quickly intervened, saying "Jackson, let's not get our tools out right now.  There's too many people around and we don't want to share them with everyone."  Little Jackson quickly hustled his tools out of eyesight.  Seriously?  Trust me, even if Sammy WANTED to share dayglo orange Jackson's tools, there is no way I'd allow that.

Which brings me to my next question . . . who allows their 4 year old to carry around a full grown toolbox in their little backpack?  One of my girlfriends overheard the mom telling her friends, "He wouldn't leave the house without his socket wrench today."  OK, I'll give you that.  Frequently, Sammy won't leave the house without one of his transformers.  But who let the kid play with an adult socket wrench, anyway?  And why can't little dayglo orange Jackson leave his socket wrenches in the car? 

What were you thinking when you brought screwdrivers into a room filled with inflatables?  And what went through your brain when you pictured your 4 year old son playing with adult rubber mallets and hammers with claws on the back?  At what point did you not picture someone getting bonked in the head with a hammer? 

Are you kidding me?  My girlfriend Debbie just about summed it up when she looked at me and said "What the french toast?"  But she didn't say a breakfast food.  She said the word.  And I totally agree.  I don't mean to judge, but be a parent - don't allow your 4 year old to play with adult tools, and if you're going to do that, for goodness sake please don't bring them around other children . . .