Let me start this story by saying I was hit in the face...BY A BALL. Getting hit in the face with a ball is the very reason I don't play ball sports. I am terrified of being hit in the face by a ball. In fourth grade I was forced to play baseball as part of physical education class. And a baseball hit me in the head right between my eyes. Traumatized, I subsequently did everything I could to avoid being the person "up to bat" and preferred to stand out in the field where I could attempt to catch stray balls but never really did. The current version of this traumatic experience happened at the end of Asher's (age 5) martial arts class, during open gym time. I have to hold Adirah (age 1.5) back during Asher's entire class so she doesn't disturb the older kids doing martial arts. But after class the younger kids are allowed to run around on the gym, pushing around obstacles, climbing and playing with the rope swing. Today the mat was full of about 20 boys rangi...