Do you ever have one of those parenting near misses?
The kind where you caught your kid doing something really bad?
Something that could have been beyond disastrous?
But Thank God, you caught the kid just in the nick of time?
But then all you can do is conjure up every single God-awful scenario that could have taken place?
And you can’t stop?
Yeah.
I’ve been doing that all afternoon.
Because I had one of those experiences today.
I was sitting in the office doing a little work.
Number 7 was in here with me.
Sometimes she is cooperative and will occupy herself for a good 10 or 15 minutes.
She was doing that, so… carpe diem.
I was pretty engrossed in what I was doing.
Number 7 was behind me, less than three feet away.
And then I heard… the noise.
You know what I’m talking about.
Those very distinctive noises that snap you right back into reality.
A loud thud.
A crash.
Glass breaking.
Or, the noise I heard.
The most distinctive sound you can imagine.
One that you couldn’t confuse for anything else.
Directly behind me.
She had managed to unearth it from the file cabinet drawer where I keep it buried under a bunch of crap.
And she was using it.
Three feet behind me.
I had no idea.
Until I heard that sound.
SSSSSSSSSSSLICE…
The fucking paper cutter.
I turned around just as she made the second cut.
I’ve never moved so fast in my life.
And what did she say?
“Mommy! Look! I cut this!”
And yes. She did.
She cut a pretty good strip of paper, and, thank God, nothing else.
I wanted to puke and cry and scream and puke some more.
But instead, I just held Number 7 on my lap, holding her hands in mine.
So what’s the message?
I don’t know.
Lock up your paper cutters in a more secure place?
Maybe.
Or maybe it’s to be a little more present with your kids.
So much could have happened just three feet behind me.
The scenarios are limitless.
I know. Because I keep making up new ones that are more and more awful than the one before.
I could continue to beat myself up.
Or, I can be grateful for the little slap in the face.
Tonight I will go to bed thankful that Number 7 still has all her little fingers.
And tomorrow?
Tomorrow I’m going to be a little more present.
That, or get rid of the fucking paper cutter.
My son is just about 5 months old & just learning how to sit alone & roll around & push up with his arms… a few weeks ago he was sitting in the corner of the couch like he has a million times before smiling away while I get his stroller ready 2 feet in front of him to go for a walk… I put the car seat into the top n grabbed one of his toys to occupy him on our walk & looked back after .5 seconds of turning my head to him at the edge of the couch after rolling himself over & starting to push himself up using the arm of the couch.. My good God he was another .5 seconds from flailing onto the floor! Can’t leave him alone without being strapped into something anymore
Ohhhh… You’ve just entered the danger zone! Once they are mobile, it’s all over!
It happens so fast and so easily.
You said it. Blink of an eye.
Oh I could just feel the pit in my stomach reading this! Have been there so many times before and I am the worst scenario maker-upper…I wake myself up in the middle of the night with the what if’s!
Yep. It’s hard to turn off those what-ifs.
Little ones can get into so much trouble in such a short amount of time! I’m constantly amazed at how averting my eyes for even a split second is enough for my toddler to find something dangerous to do. You really need a second set of eyes as a mommy! Glad no accidents occurred, I know I would have been freaking out too!
I need a third and a fourth and a fifth set of eyes!
Ughhhh… yes! Like a previous commenter I have a little one (my first) who has recently become mobile- so I’m starting to experience all these scary what if moments too! Eeek! Glad nothing got cut but the paper!
I started reading and right away my mind went to what I walked in on my son playing with not too long ago. I’m more than a little embarrassed to admit this actually happened… My son is 21 months old and he is great at crawling up and down stairs, so we often let him go downstairs and play while we finish getting ready in the mornings.
Well, one lovely morning I come downstairs holding one of the baby girls in my arms when my son strolls across the room with a BUTCHER KNIFE in his hand. He must have just taken it out of the kitchen drawer and was bringing it to his usual spot (living room coffee table) to play with kitchen utensils (yes, those are a favorite). Naturally, I scream and run over to him to get that thing out of his hands. He was so terrified from my reaction that he’s never gone back to that kitchen drawer again. He couldn’t understand why I was so upset, since he’s allowed to play with other kitchen utensils – like a spoon or a spatula.
When did this kid grow tall enough to reach inside of the drawers?!? Yup, I’m pretty sure I had a mini-heart attack.
Omg, your post made my toes curl… whole body clench.
I JUST BOUGHT A PAPER CUTTER LAST WEEK.
I have a two and 4 year old. The sound that was once so satisfying in its representation of a nice straight clean cut now is the most horrifying sound with mental images of blood and detached tiny perfect fingers.
I feel your pain girl…
mine is on top of the giant desk in our office.
Parenting is challenging enough without the “what if’s”. My worse what if took place when my then 5 yr old went to get something out of the car. I did not check to see that he came back in. Minutes later our neighbor ran our bell telling me our son was trapped in the car.
He had hit the locks, didn’t know how to unlock it, didn’t think to honk the horn, and was STUCK!!! He was shivering, hysterical, traumatized but alive!
We have since taught him how to honk and honk and honk the horn should he become trapped again. I spent days “what ifing” myself. Years later and I still tear up at the thought of what could happen! Thanks for sharing your story with us!