Owies

I'm well aware that I'm a bit more over-protective as a parent because I'm always worried that Scarlett would hurt herself. Not that I've managed to prevent her from all bumps, slips, trips, and falls, but both my husband and I tend to watch her all the time to try and prevent any major injuries. I know that sounds like what a parent is supposed to do but my observation has been that it ranges across an entire spectrum. Just having a good sized mommy group, I've seen various methods of parenting. Not that one is right over the other but it's interesting to see that while we are constantly shielding/preventing Scarlett from getting hurt, other parents are more lax and just let their kids do what they do. It's not that I think we should wrap Scarlett in a bubble or inflatable cushion but I think prevention is the key to avoiding trips to the emergency room. As an example, we don't allow Scarlett to stand on her chair (unless it's one that is really close to the floor) or jump from the couch. Well, at playdates, I've noticed that other parents allow their kids to stand on chairs and climb over furniture. I remember when Scarlett was a bit younger, I was at a playdate and was surprised to see a mommy allow her son to sit on a "bar stool" by himself. The stool is about 3-4 feet high with no back support. It's meant for adults to sit on. I wouldn't let Scarlett sit on it by herself should she fall over backwards and crack her head open. But that's just me.
Well, even with all my protectiveness, I can't prevent Scarlett from getting owies. (And I know that I can't.) In fact, she gets them all the time. That's part of being a toddler. She's got an average of 5-10 bruises on her legs on any given day. That's not as bothersome for me. But tonight, she was playing with our TV stand and ended up hitting her head on the edge of a glass cabinet door. It cause a small but deep gash right in the middle of her forehead. I was sitting five feet away from her and watching her when it happened. There was nothing I could do to prevent it besides prohibiting her from playing with the TV stand. Believe it or not, I don't prohibit her from doing everything. Anyway, I'm just hoping that it doesn't scar. Who wants their daughter to have scars on their faces? Injuries on faces scar the easiest. And she's not even that rambunctious in comparison. Oh well, I guess she's preparing me for her baby brother, who will probably try and jump from couches, chairs, tables, and countertops when he's her age.