Life’s little bumps
Three of us went to Borders today. Wilson went to search some books, and I took Anya to the children’s section. Off her pram and onto the carpet she crawled. I read to her some pictorial books, and after a while, she’s more interested in climbing up the steps (by herself) where a few other kids sat and read.
It was when she got on to the first step, only about 8 cm high, that she wanted to get down again, lost her balance a little, and … uh oh … landed nose first onto the carpet.
She’s all okay after a good 10-second-cry and hugs & kisses from Mommy, but she’s left with red scratches on her nose.
Almost every other friend we know asks us how she got it. Hehe.
When it comes to bumps and falls, I always try to put across to Anya that they’re common and that sometimes we can even have a good laugh after it.
Instead of going into a huge panic attack – which will surely scare the kid even more – I usually soothe and hug Anya, asking her where it hurts and kiss it better. Nine out of ten occasions, she’d cry for a little while, and continue playing again as if it’s not really a big deal.
Life’s full of adventure. And every adventure has its ups and downs. The rides are not always smooth, but that’s actually alright.
If our kids live in a constantly over-protected environment where they never experience what it is to feel a little inconvenient, I really think 99% of the time they’ll grow into adults who’ll find it hard when faced with life’s problems and struggles.
