This is why people shouldn't have children at a young age
My mother is a great gal, but when she was 19 and cranking out 5 kids in 9 years, some of her methods left something to be desired. When I was maybe 5, I talked my younger brothers into sticking their fingers into a light socket that wasn't wired properly. It tingled and hurt, but wasn't quite enough voltage to knock us across the room. How did she punish me? Made me stick my finger in the damn thing! Later I found out it was a fluke we weren't killed-we were standing in such a way that the circuit wasn't grounded through us. (or something like that, I can't remember)

Another time, to help me learn yummy-smelling substances aren't always good for you, she poured out a tablespoon of vanilla extract. She let me smell it and said, "Doesn't that smell good? Would you like to taste it?" and then gave it to me. Gah!

My father was much worse. He had this weird obsession that we were always lying to him. (We weren't, really) No matter what you said, he'd poke you in the chest, just left of center, punctuating each painful blow with "I know you're lying, you think I'm stupid, don't you, admit it, you think I'm stupid!" ad naseum. So we were put in the odd situation of needing not to tell the truth, but to figure out what he thought was the truth and God help you if you got it wrong. Then you'd get poked until you were tearful and mumble, "Yes, I think you're stupid" and WHACK! he'd smack you upside the head. You could not win with that guy.

I have had my moments as well. My daughter fell off her bike and came in clutching her arm, didn't want dinner and went to bed at 6pm. Did I twig something was wrong? no. It wasn't until 11 that night when she needed to pee that hubby noticed the U-bend shaped arm and screamed. Earlier that year, she had developed pneumonia while I kept her home for 2 days, letting her get sicker and sicker. I was a pulmonary nurse at the time. The shame, the shame.

My son has NLD and so had to be watched and or locked in his room every second while awake. (Until he could learn to restrain himself. He's much better now.) I was trying to pack for a camping trip but all my time was going into running after him and pulling him back into the house, rescuing the cat from him, pulling him out of cupboards, etc. I tied him to a chair ala seat belt.
That didn't help. He could rock his upper body and judder the chair across the room. So, I put a belt under his arms and around the back of the chair. He looks like he's in a little electric chair, but he can't go anywhere. Wrong. He rocks so hard he tips the chair over.
Now he's lying on his side, tied in a chair and yelling for help. Do I rush to comfort him? No, I leave him there like a Jack Bauer kidnap victim for 30 minutes and finish loading the car.

All I could think of is, "Jeez, please don't let any of the neighbors peek in the windows."
(TDub Nunc id vides, nunc ne vides on, Sun 19 Aug 2007, 23:54, Reply)