I took the car out of park when I was about 2, causing my mother to have to sprint and throw herself into a moving car on a steep hill.
Mal: Take your people and go. Captain: You would have done the same. Mal: We can already see I haven't.
'Out Of Gas'
Spike's Bitches 33: Weeping, crawling, blaming everybody else
[NAFDA] Spike-centric discussion. Lusty, lewd (only occasionally crude), risque (and frisque), bawdy (Oh, lawdy!), flirty ('cuz we're purty), raunchy talk inside. Caveat lector.
Ginger - Jan 04, 2007 7:36:26 am PST #8846 of 10004
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
Aims - Jan 04, 2007 7:36:47 am PST #8847 of 10004
Shit's all sorts of different now.
We ask Em if she's alright and then say, "Wow. I'll bet that scared you, huh?" and then follow it up with, "You shouldn't do that anymore without mommy or daddy. Let's go play with [insert toy]."
beekaytee - Jan 04, 2007 7:37:51 am PST #8848 of 10004
Compassionately intolerant
holding onto to the hand of a child can actually dislocate the child's shoulder.
Oh. my. stars. Halloween night, a family came by after I'd folded up my candy dispensing tent, so I was inside. The father apparently wanted to take a picture of the kid in front of my pumpkins. I happened to walk out the front door, which must have startled him...like I'd be angry or something nonsensical. Anyway, he leans over my waist (for me) high fence, grabs the kid who must have weighed 35-40 lbs and hoists her back over the fence by her forearm.
Dude! No need for dismemberment. I felt terrible for the child. If I'd been a python about to swallow her, maybe the grab and yan, would have been appropriate but sheesh.
Ginger - Jan 04, 2007 7:38:36 am PST #8849 of 10004
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
I'm not a parent, obviously, but I've found that "oops" seems to go a long way. You've acknowledged that they fell, but you're not making a big deal of it.
Amy - Jan 04, 2007 7:38:38 am PST #8850 of 10004
Because books.
The other side posits that reacting as if it were no big deal meant the child would ultimately learn to take things in stride.
What Hec and Jessica said. I'm like Hec -- I acknowledge that they fell (or whatever) with a hug and a kiss, but then I immediately downplay it. "Oh, that'll feel better in just a second. You're okay! I'm so glad."
Rather than dirt, though, my magic trick is, "Let's run some cold water on it." No idea why.
Jessica - Jan 04, 2007 7:39:14 am PST #8851 of 10004
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
My dad's oft-repeated phrase was "You know how to make that stop hurting? Don't do it anymore."
Pix - Jan 04, 2007 7:39:48 am PST #8852 of 10004
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie
[insert toy]
...but not into that outlet.
Aims - Jan 04, 2007 7:40:07 am PST #8853 of 10004
Shit's all sorts of different now.
The woman I used to babysit for made her kids apologize to whatever they bumped against.
"Sorry table!"
"Sorry floor!"
"Sorry couch!"
So. funny.
JZ - Jan 04, 2007 7:40:12 am PST #8854 of 10004
See? I gave everybody here an opportunity to tell me what a bad person I am and nobody did, because I fuckin' rule.
there ended up being a major debate over whether or not to offer sympathy when a bump or fall occurs. One side says, of course, you should acknowledge the pain. The other side posits that reacting as if it were no big deal meant the child would ultimately learn to take things in stride.
I had a director once who said that when his kids were small and taking tumbles all the damn time, he would always take just a second to assess whether the tumbler was actually hurt or just startled -- if it was just a startle but the sprout got sympathy, tears would happen anyway. So he'd comfort for actual pain, but if it was just a toddler WTF he'd start clapping and say, "Great slide! Home run!" and the kid would start beaming.
Burrell - Jan 04, 2007 7:40:59 am PST #8855 of 10004
Why did Darth Vader cross the road? To get to the Dark Side!
Egad, why is this conversation still going on?! Oh well. My kids seem okay for now.
Oh Aimee, I have some dresses and such that Franny has outgrown, some of it cute, but some of it too small for Em probably. You should come over and the kids can play, andwhat clothes are too small for Em can be mailed to Lily.