Tell me everyone has this reflex...

[Bathsheba]

I've been at home with our children now for over 9 years. I have 3 DDs, 9, 6 and 3.

I have developed this horrible reflex that I feel really guilty about and please do tell me that its not just me.

When ANYTHING happens, there is a constant barrage of questions -so now if I hurt myself (burn my finger on the iron, hit my head on the cupboard door) or do anything by mistake in the car (slip on ice for example) or just if something happens (stuff falling out of a cupboard on my head"...I now automatically say loudly "Not now girls, no questions"....

Even if they haven't asked anything...

Because I know its coming - if I've just hit my head and said "ouch" then the last thing I need is 3 small people running from all ends of the house to see what has happened and ask lots of questions ("what happened?" "Why did you do that?" "Why do we have cupboards".. "what happened"....)

Or I don't need questions about how much I love Pokemon or how many bananas I can see hanging on the banana tree as I'm reverse parking.

It makes me feel so guillty. Please tell me I'm not the only one...

No, I don't do it.

I think you are fine though.

:)

Well they're kids and that's how they learn. Why not give them the chance to ask but not always?

I don't do it by the way!

Oh 99% of time I answer everything but its just my instant reaction to hurting myself or similar...or the other day my wheels spun on ice while I was driving etc...

I twitter on at them all the time answering everything else....

Yep I do that, always have. DDs are now 10 and 13 and have known for years that if I hurt myself I need to be left alone for a few moments without any intervention at all. Once I say something then they can ask what happened/get me a plaster/give me a cuddle but I do need that tiny bit of space first.

If I'm ill on the other hand, then they are welcome to minister to me as much as they like!

Ah that seems fine then. Why not come up with another phrase or just not say anything - might take effort but worth a shot

Totally with you!

Dd is 8 and knows to give me a few minutes to deal with the shock/pain i'm feeling then she can hassle me to check i'm ok.

I tend to do the same with the kids - unless there is blood i don't need to know that you stotted your toe/fell over etc.

Only thing i'll fuss over is DSs breathing and blood but even then i want to clean the blood, fix what's wrong then listen to the prattling on.

I'm the same as gymmummy. I don't want to be harrassed if I'm injured.

I'm even worse. If I'm feeling under pressure (critical stage of cooking, driving towards a tricky exit or roundabout) I don't allow them to talk at all!!

Aww no I think it's a bit off to close them down before they've even had a chance to ask what happened and whether you're ok.

I know it can be annoying, but ask any parent with kids who totally lack empathy which they would prefer.

I'm sure if you heard a bang and an 'ouch', you'd want to immediately know if your kids were ok?

YANBU. I have a bubble. If everyone is swarming around me I just say 'bubble' and they wander away. If I need to concentrate I shush everyone, specially if it is driving.