How do you react when your kids hurt themselves or have an accident?

[gameboy]

Like to think I'm sensible, level headed and able to cope in a crisis. I've had basic first aid training 2 or 3 times over the last 10 years.

However when the kids fall over, hurt themselves, or have any kind of accident I feel hopelessly unprepared and panicky.

Was in the kitchen yesterday when I heard a loud crack from the living room. DH also heard it from 3 floors up in the attic. Rushed in to find DS2 (3) on the wooden floor, bawling, and DS1 (6) saying sorry, sorry, and in tears of panic himself. Seems that they had been wrestling on the sofa (something I'm always telling them off about) and DS2 fell backwards and cracked his head.

I simply didn't know what to do! My instinct was to scoop him up, but actually I left him on the floor for a few minutes, sort of laid down next to him and tried to assess the damage/ whether it seemed serious.
Once he sat up himself we then cuddled him, tried to find the bump etc.

Last week DS1 woke up in the night and was violently sick - all I did was stand over him at the toilet rubbing his back and wiping his nose/ mouth with a tissue..

Are mothers meant to be able to cope with evey eventuality? And how do you decide when something is serious e.g. we didn't go haring off to A&E with DS2 after his fall, but he could have a fractured skull!

I am the worlds worst in a accident! total rubbish.

Thankfully my dh is calm! Is your son ok now?

I am sometimes ok and sometimes not LOL.

Dd1 aged 2 rolling round on the floor in agony, i burst into tears.

Ds falling down the stairs, i cried more than him.

Dd1 smacking her face off a wall lots of blood etc, me quite calm and collected.

Dd2 smashing her mouth, me calm and collected.

I think the majirty of the time I am quite calm. I think it depends on their reaction too thogh.

i'm pretty laid back about it, but panicking underneath! LO's just get on with it, after a quick cuddle. My sister acts like its the end of the world and my lovely 4yr old niece as a result will give an hourly injury update of any scratches/bruises generally only seen under a magnifiying glass.

I like to think I'm pretty level headed and TBH I don't see what else you should have done that you didn't in both cases.

Have to say when DD's are sick I sit them in bed with me and let them sick into a large bowl rather than making them puke in the loo. Lots of loo roll for wiping up and a glass of water to freshen mouth.

Regarding bumps to the head I wouldn't worry too much if they are bawling and aren't sick/ pass out dizzy etc. I once went hareing up to A&E and they didn't even get a nurse to look at DD for 40 mins by which point we gave up and went home cos the DD's were all moaning that they were fed up.

If I'm really unsure about something I ring my DM. She is a secretary at a Dr's so I feel I can trust her judgement.

I stand back and wait to see if they get up and rub it better themselves .. always encourage them with a 'get up' and a 'rub it better'

have done this since they were babies (DD still only 21 months)

they don't make a fuss unless they are really in pain .. unlike some others kids I know

i think a lot of their reactions depend on how u react. My DS1 is quite clumsy(must be growing or something) and if he falls and i see it he creates but if i pretemnd not to have seen and its on ly a little bump then he will rub it better then carry on doing what he was doing.

Gameboy you actually sound like you cope quite well you stop and assess the situation. There is no point in going crazy trying to impliment first aid if you haven't taken a couple of seconds to suss out the damage.

This reminds me I have a first aid course tomorrow and I haven't read the pre course notes or watched the DVD's gues what I will be doing all night . Its a refresher but I feel so out of touch with it all now.

I act very calmly, if I dont panic, they dont panic, and if it is just a little fall, I laugh at them and they end up in hysterics too.

simplyred - yes - he's fine thanks

Twiglett - yes - I'm a bit like that too - I assume it's not serious unless proven otherwise. But I do sometimes worry I'll miss something..