I know I already have earned "meanest mom." A couple weeks ago Spencer and I earned "Parents of the Year" hands down. We accomplished this feat by allowing our 4-year-old son to ride on a friend's zipline, without his foot in the rope for added security and without a helmet. Why would we do such a stupid thing? Well, Madeleine and our friends' kids were all riding it this way like a bunch of old pros and we obviously didn't think through the situation very well. So, here's what happened:
He climbed the ladder up to the start of the line (which truthfully was a red flag in and of itself) and started his ride down the zipline. Spencer and I and the dad of the other family were all standing there watching and cheering him on. Then he hit the end and the momentum he gathered along the way sent him flying. His feet went up in the air and his back hit a tree about 10 feet away, then he went down and hit his head on the ground/brush at the foot of the tree. Thankfully, he sprang right up, but he had cut his head pretty good and the blood was gushing. Needless to say we were freaked out. Considering how awful the whole thing looked and how bad it could have been, we are really lucky. We didn't feel lucky to sit for 5.5 hours in the ER, but it's a blessing that we have access at all the necessary medical care, right? Anyway, that gave us plenty of time to think of all the things we could/should have done differently so we could have saved our boy the pain he had to endure. He ended up with 4 blue stitches. They came out last week and the doctor let him keep them. He's hoping to bring them to school for show-and-tell soon.
His glasses went flying too went it happend and they seemed to have vanished into thin air. I looked around for a few minutes before we went to the ER and then throughout the week our friends continued to look for them, all to no avail. We couldn't imagine where they could have gone, but they definitely weren't in the yard by the zipline. Until Saturday of that week (this happened on Monday) when they finally appeared in the grass. Very strange. Good thing he had his old, taped up pair to wear in the meantime.
Without a doubt, Parents of the Year, right?
11 comments:
pretty awesome story. i let darby ride down a hill on fourth of july without a helmet on her bike and she crashed and got a big old goose egg. we all do it and learn. i was actually the one her told her she didn't need to bring her helmet cause i'm that awesome. never again.
plus isn't scars on boys like totally cool or something?
No worries. He's a boy. Boys are supposed to get scarred (physically) doing he-stuff like that. He had fun, right? (OK, until the sudden stop and plummet to the ground) Does this comment get me entered in the Indulgent Grandfather of the Year competition?
Yes, we know about "should have" and helmets. We are counting our lucky stars that this one has a happy ending. You will be more aware of the red flags from here on out.
that is definatly going to be a story that you laugh about when he gets older. Great one!
Live and learn, right?!?!? We have had SEVERAL "wish we would have done that differently" parenting moments that have ended with injuries, but don't blame yourselves, things like this happen...and for what's it worth, I think that you are a FANTASTIC Mother!! :)
Sounds like how I felt when Sadie fell out of her swing and chipped her tooth on my patio. Totally preventible!
wow! on his shirt that does look like a LOT of blood. Live and learn eh? I'm totally curious about Madeline and her behaviour, Kate has been auch a sassy pants lately and very negative and I have no idea of how to get her to snap out of it, add to it that I have no new clothes to bribe her with. I'll have to find something else, I think finding something they care about and rewarding them with it is a good idea.
Scary! I hope you sued your friends! Just kidding. I'm glad he's ok and that you were cheering him on - that's all that really matters.
He would fit in our family just fine!!...
I'm so glad he's ok! He'll have a great story to tell!!!
That is so scary!!! I am glad he's ok. What a tough kid. My boys would have been screaming bloody murder. Don't beat yourself up, we all do things we regret as parents. It happens. We do the best we can. You are an AMAZING Mom!!!
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