Since Monday was Panic Day, I took moment to reflect on some of the times in my life when I really did feel panicked.
- There was the time when my middle daughter was about 20 months old and broke her leg. She fell unremarkably off our ottoman,but landed with her leg awkwardly underneath her. It was not an obvious break, but when she cried for 45 solid minutes and not even offers of candy and popsicles could soothe her, I knew something was really wrong.
- Then there was the time that same child got lost at the zoo when she was 3. The whole incident probably lasted less than 2 minutes, but those were the longest 2 minutes of my life.
- There was another time when I panicked over this child. When she was 3-4, she went through a brief period in which she got frequent UTI's and when she got them, she got very sick very quickly. On one such occasion, she was running high fever and became almost unresponsive -not unconscious; it was just like she was staring right through me when I talked to her. I called the pediatrician's emergency number and they sent us to the ER at 8:00pm on a Saturday evening.
- I also remember my oldest daughter falling out of her crib as a toddler. I had put her down for a nap and, when I came downstairs, I told my husband that he needed to lower the crib mattress after she woke up. No sooner had those words left my mouth when we heard a KER-THUD immediately followed by her cries. She was fine, but that was the first time we, as new parents, truly felt panic.
Looking back at these instances, I realized that they all had a common thread (other than most of them being caused by my middle daughter - God bless her!). That theme was motherhood. There is nothing that can produce panic quite like the fierce love a mom has for her children combined with some sort of fear for the well-being of those children. The experiences I listed are, of course, specific to my experience as a mom, but there are some common panic inducing occurrences I think all moms can relate to.
- The first time your baby actually slept through the night when you rolled over, looked at the clock, and, realizing what time it was, thought that surely your child had died in his/her sleep because there was simply no other explanation for the lack of wakefulness.
- Being engrossed in a TV show, a book, and blog post - whatever - and suddenly realizing that the house is eerily quiet and you haven't seen the children in several minutes.
- Opening your child's backpack and finding a letter form the school informing you that there have been several cases of lice in your child's grade.
- Realizing it's your turn to be the snack mom exactly 12 minutes before the game/event/party is scheduled to begin.
- The additional realization that, in order to provide said snack, you have no choice but to take ALL your children into the grocery store with you.
- Seeing the President of the PTA heading in your direction with a sign up sheet, a pen, and an overly friendly smile.
- WebMD. I can't tell you how many times I have diagnosed a simple rash or sore throat as cancer or tuberculosis based on simply entering some symptoms into this "expert" site. Don't do it, moms! Just don't!
- Running out of coffee. Or wine. No explanation needed.
- Calculating the cost of your child(ren)'s college education. That doesn't make you panic? Here, let me help. According to collegedata.com, the average college tuition for one year at an in-state public university is $23,410. Multiply that times 4 years and, in my case, 3 children. Do you know how much money that is?!?!?! It's $280,920. If they choose a private school, double it. Ouch!!!
- I posted this on my Facebook page Monday:
If that does't make you panic for the future of our children and our country, I don't know what will!!!Tell me, what makes you panic??
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March is Women's History Month, so next Tuesday, March 17, we are sharing ten women that have made an impact in your life. Hope you will join us!
