...oh dear. The kid that cried is going to grow up to be a sissy who is catered to. A birdie? Really??? Wow. Just wow. I suppose it depends on where he got hit and what the circumstances were (someone mentioned Autism), but come on. I got smacked in the face with a dodgeball by a 13-year old boy. 13-year old boys throw HARD. I did everything in my power not to cry, probably out of fear of being made fun of, but I considered myself tougher than that.
I find the world is too cushy for children these days. They don't even have the option anymore of sticking tweezers in the outlet and learning firsthand about electricity (I'm partially joking, although I did that when I was little. I think my generation is the reason for the invention of the outlet cover, actually). I've also noticed that playgrounds are now being built with some sort of squishy material instead of stones or sand. What the hell? Getting hurt on the playground is an essential part of childhood; don't bubble-wrap it! I don't know... crashing bikes, wiping out on skates, falling out of a tree... these are all things that kids do. They build character and make you tougher for when Life's real problems come along.
A birdie???? Ugh... what a wuss.