Mommy Mistakes. They Happen.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
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Can you imagine going on vacation and forgetting your child at the airport? For one couple, that nightmare became reality. A couple leaving on vacation to Paris forgot their 3 year old daughter at the airport. They were in mid-flight when they realized their mistake. A pleasant surprise to me was how calm the girl was. According to MSNBC, She merely found a police officer and said, "Where are my parents and brothers?" WOW. If it were my children, they would have gone spastic and wouldn't be able to utter a "help" much less tell anyone their name.
What didn't surprise me was that after the Grandmother was interviewed she said this:
"We're in shock. They're very responsible and organized, top-notch people. Apparently one relied on the other, and this is what happened."
I'm sure many parents out their are probably thinking, How stupid could these people be? I'm not feeling that way. I could see how easy a mistake like this could happen to "top notch, responsible people."
This morning I was listening to my local Christian radio station when one of the DJ's brought up this story. She, humbly, recounted her memory of a Mommy Mistake. She said she was a new mother of a 2 month old. While she was driving she saw a cute boutique and thought she'd run in and check it out. It was only 10 minutes later that she remembered the baby in the car. It was a Summer day and we all know how fast cars can heat up inside. Her child ended up being fine, but she said all she could do was lay her head on the steering wheel and cry.
Mommy Mistakes. They Happen. I know.
It must have been so hard for this radio DJ to tell her story on air, in front of thousands. It's hard to admit to myself the mistakes I've made with my children.
Fall was slowly arriving and you could feel the crispness in the air. It was a perfect day to open all the windows and let the air blow in. I was home with my two children, Zach who was 2 at the time and Abby who was about to turn 1. We lived in Port Arthur, TX in a two story townhouse. While I cleaned my bedroom upstairs they played in their room, which was ALSO upstairs. Before I knew it, I heard Zach running towards me yelling, "Broke It! Broke it!" Hmm? What could he be talking about?
The window screen.
The screen on the second story window.
He had pushed it out the window and the opening layed there waiting for my Abby Girl to fall out of. These windows were very low to where she could have just leaned her sweet little head out and fallen to her death on the concrete, two stories down.
I slammed that window shut, along with all the others and cried my little eyes out. How could I be SOOO stupid?!
This is only one mistake I've made as a Mother. My husband could tell you quite a few more, but we'll stop there for now.
It's so comforting to me when I see God protect our children when we don't. When our heads are somewhere else, He's there. When we've had more than we can handle in a day, He's there. When we make a Mommy Mistake, it's amazing that it's God's way of teaching us how to be stronger and smarter parents. It's because of Him that Mothering is possible.
What a miracle that this 3 year old was re-united with her parents in Paris not long after.
Mommy Mistakes. They Happen. And we're better for 'em.
Thanks for being human! We all make mistakes and sometimes we can way to easily jump to judgement instead of compassion!
Amen! My husband I have each had our heart stopping moments. Its so easy to point fingers when you are and onlooker - its harder to to be compassionate!
those mistakes do happen! tough though when they do...maybe it helps us cherish them kiddos a lil more! yeah, i remember shopping in Walmart with my family of four and i went down several aisles, only to realize that my 2 week old was in a stoller somewhere in the store...wow did panic set in or what...but i've learnt my lesson...
Yesterday I had one. Plumped up the pillows on the bed to protect the baby from rolling off while I brushed my teeth. But guess how well that worked with a new crawler? You get the picture. All is fine. But now she goes in the pack-n-play while I brush.
Thanks for sharing. And be sure to stay tuned to my blog http://momtrends.blogspot.com/ for Back to school tips and contests this month.
Oh they happen. I am convinced it is to remind me that I am not enough but God is -- they are His children anyways -- but what a privilege to raise them for Him -- mistakes and all!
I love your section about God prtecting our children, but what about the mommydaddy/grandparent mistakes that end in great tragedy?
How fortunate for this couple that nothing happened to their little girl.
It's hard for us to comprehend a mistake of that magnitude but I think we should pray for them instead of judge them - we do not know the circumstances surrounding this mistake.
i just mean, it seems that we only acknowledge God and His work when a child is spared and we leave Him out of it when a child is harmed. as God protects through one mommy mistake, how do we speak to the Christian mother/father/grandmother whose child was not spared death or injury?
To Anonymous:
Before I respond I need you to know that I DO NOT debate on MY Blog, but I will be HAPPY to speak with you directly if you are struggling in this area.
I don't know you or what you think/feel, but when a child is harmed I STILL acknowledge God and His Almight plan for us as His Children.
I'm sorry if you feel, otherwise, but if you've experienced that tragedy or know someone who has it WOULD be hard to minister to them. I just believe that God is closer to us in our time of pain than any other and although we might not understand it we know He does.
We know He has created the stituation for a bigger purpose.. a purpose we'll never fathom while we're here on this Earth.
PLEASE, feel free to email me if you don't feel comfortable posting a comment.. I'd like to know who I'm talking to.
When I read about this, my first thought was how horrible distraught they must have been. I would have been freaking out! Mistakes and accidents happen to everyone. Praise God for watching out for us and our children during those moments.
Mistakes always happen, but that doesn't make them any easier to stomach. We have to be thankful to God above for protecting them during our times of absentmindness!