Topic: injuries

Splitsville: Honey, I Bruised The Kid

Splitsville: Honey, I Bruised The Kid

Welcome to Splitsville. This weekly column will focus on parenting after a divorce, break-up or one-night stand that didn’t end like a Katherine Heigl movie.

We all know the sinking feeling in your stomach when you watch your child get hurt. There’s an overwhelming panic when they first cry out that’s almost impossible to describe. I’ve never felt anything like it. Whether its a splinter in their foot, a scrape on their knee or a bonk on the head, child injuries are heart-wrenching and terrifying.

The most awful injuries produce large marks for the world to see. A black eye, a bruised cheek, or, Heaven forbid, a cast can make every passerby look at you like an awful person. You take an injured child into the store and people start to stare. Sure, there’s a logical explanation for the boo-boo, but its not like you want to explain it to every person you see. Even if you tried, people would wonder why you’re so defensive. If its difficult to explain to a stranger how your child was hurt, its near torture to try to tell your ex. More »

Children Who Whine About Their Injuries Are Annoying

Children Who Whine About Their Injuries Are Annoying

This past weekend our little one (just turned 2) had a special day with Dad. Mostly that meant they ran errands together. At one store, she went right into the corner of a table and got a nasty wound that makes her look like Harry Potter right now. You know, the lightning scar on the forehead? Well, my husband reported that she screamed bloody murder for about 30 seconds and went back to having a good time. So everything seemed fine. She was a bit cranky when she came home and did have a weird episode of screaming even louder than normal. And without any good reason. But that’s kind of typical for her. More »