Another blot of my copybook of crapola parenting skills :-(

[dejags]

My two year old was found carrying my 3.5 week old newborn daughter upside down this afternoon from the front room to the kitchen. He was seconds away from dropping her when I cottoned onto what was happening (all I could see was her head sticking out of her blankets - he was carrying her by her legs)

DH and I were in the kitchen bickering about dishes when DS2 decided to try and help by bringing DD to me.

I felt sick to my core - imagine what could have happened .

A great story for one of their 21st birthdays no doubt.

[LadyTophamHatt]

Yonks ago Ds2 headbutted a tiny baby ds3 after fighting with ds1. I hitthe roof and screamed blue murder atthem.
Ds3 had abig red mark and bump on his head at about 2-3 weeks old!!

after that I really had to keep them in check around him...heaven know what else wouldhave happened to him otherwise.

Whne Ds4 came along it was Ds3s job to do the water and cotton wool, can be a bit messy but its only water and it kept him from flattening ds4

[foxybrown]

Dejags, I think threads like this make us ALL feel better!

[dejags]

You are all so sweet.

KM - don't worry when I was pregnant I shouted and was horrible all the time .

LTH - I try to involved DS2 but he is so heavy handed I actually leave the room to change her. He bounds around and we've had several near misses. Having said that DH agrees wholeheartedly with you - so I'll try again tomorrow to give him some jobs.

One of the perils of having a 28 month old who is the size of a 4 year old. He just doesn't have the coordination to handle her carefully.

Mostly likely Precious Third Baby syndrom though .

Thanks everyone, I really feel better.

[LadyTophamHatt]

Dejags, I cannot tell you how many blots I have!!

What we've done is to enrol the overly helpful Ds into the parenting process when they've tried to pick them up.
I've told them that they are very heavy and very very delicate so really only grown ups should pick them up but I've given them a super important job of tearing up the cotton wool and wetting it for every nappy change because I don't wantto get wet hands...a total lie but what little person wouldn't wantto be in charge of the water??!!
I've shouted at them afair few times when the horror of seeing them holding the smaller version of themselves by the leg/arm/head/neck has scared the bejeezers out of me!

[misdee]

dd1 fell off the top bunk when she was 2yrs old. i caught her by the back of her t-shirt, inches from the ground.

[gemmiegoatlegs]

i am so relieved as must be far enough along in the parenting quagmire to find some of these stories hilarious! Saying that, dd did fall down the stairs today but i have amazing catching skills!

I think ds learned the biggest lesson about why we must keep the gates CLOSED!

[misdee]

i lost my 2yr old yesterday and didnt notice.

[Lact8]

How scary for you! Glad it turned out ok though

It reminds me of DS2 getting a huge rock and hitting DD over the head with it when she was days old. I was exactly the same as you and shouted at him never to do that again.

I think it's just a bit more guilt to add to the pot. guilt as I wasn't watching them, guilt as i shouted

DD fine btw

Can you give him specific jobs to do, nappy fetching, changing mat etc and make a big deal of how good he is at doing these jobs to help him feeling included?

Just realised you said you've got 3 so you know all the tricks anyway!

[tribpot]

My nephew (aged 2) was found carrying his newborn baby sister down the stairs once - she must literally have been days old. Other than nearly giving mummy and granny a heart attack, all was fine! If only kids came with proximity detectors, a definite design flaw!

[JodyW]

Let's see...my blots and counting: forgot Tooth Fairy, let DS1 burn hand on Rayburn (big blister, tho never touched something hot again!), let DS2 burn hand on Rayburn (no blister), let DS1 roll off bed, let DS1 crack head on chair - huge egg rose, let DS1 go to school with unironed and stained shirt, hoping that jumper will cover it, (I've done this more than once , fed DSs same dinner 3 nites in a row cause can't think of anything else, repeatedly sent DS1 out w/o coat or jumper because I didn't feel cold so he shouldn't either.

The list keeps going on and on and on....You'd think I'd learn. I guess when they handed out the "How To Be A Perfect Parent At All Times" manual in the maternity ward, I must have been on the loo.

Remember, kids are pretty tough. And they have a pretty short memory, so usually a kiss and a hug (maybe a biscuit, too) is all that's needed.

[shonaspurtle]

Ds rolled off the bed this morning - he got a fright but was fine. I felt dreadful.

Even worse, I knew he could roll...but he just got much better at it very suddenly

[Doodledootoo]

Message withdrawn

[JodyW]

Zog, I'll keep that in mind. But like me, DS1 can hold a grudge for decades and I'd hate to think what he'd demand w/ the next tooth!

[dejags]

Thank you all - I feel a lot better now.

Poor old DS2 - I shouted at him to never ever pick up his sister again. He was trying to help and is already feeling a bit pushed out by her arrival.

I think I almost feel worse about my reaction.

[fireflyfairy2]

My dad dropped me out his van window when I was small.

Still have the feckin scar to prove it!


Apparently he didn't tell my mum about it for weeks... can't imagine how he would explain away a gash that must have been bleeding profusely!

[ProfYaffle]

Happened here too, I walked into the living room to find dd1 (3) clutching dd2 (about 6 weeks) warmly by the neck, dragging her across the room. 'That's a realistic doll' I thought ... Dd2 was fine, dd1 merely frightened by my hysterical response, I spent 10 mins on my hands and knees trying to persuade a sobbing dd1 to come out from under the chair

[ellieandhattie]

dd1 tipped d2 out of her moses basket when she was 2 weeks old (Jan this year) trying to help as she was crying and wanted to give her the dummy but leant on basket it flipped and dd2 was face down on wooden floor quick trip to a & e and Drs were lovely to me!!

[Zog]

JodyW I have forgotten more than once and always say that the Tooth Fairy must have been rushed off her feet that night!

[JodyW]

My DS1 sat on DS2's arm and dislocated it. That was 6 months after I dislocated it trying to rearrange him while breastfeeding. All is well with both boys, but I do have to remind DS1 to be very careful w/ DS2.

Oh, and as far a blots on parenthood go, I forgot about the Tooth Fairy and DH had to sneak into DS1's room early in the morning to deposit the Tooth Fairy's offerings. Whew!

[Zog]

And how many people on here discovered their baby could roll when they fell off the bed?

Agree with everyone else, everyone has one of these stories (or if you're like me, quite a few

[foxybrown]

Kerrymum! That wasn't me ... I dropped mine onto the kitchen floor

He's 4 now. Bit potty, but seems alright.

[thedogsbollox]

I carried my babysister down a whole flight of stairs apparently, and yes, my mum still talks about it some 30+ years later

No harm done - just another blip in the grand scheme of things.

Maybe a glass of wine or two after the LOs are in bed will help calm your nerves