Parenting Blog

Guest Blog by Julia Roberts,
Life Coach and Author of Motherhood to Otherhood

Listen to Julia Roberts live on Dr. Laura Markham's radio show!

Wednesday January 14
MyExpertSolution.com
(9amPT/10amMT/11amCT/NoonET)

Blogging is about yesterday, right?  I was mopey… feeling sort of ineffective, and scolding myself for not moving a mountain.  There’s always a mountain to move.  I watched a lot of tv.  I may have overeaten.  Or at least, didn’t eat the best foods for nutrient value.  So my inner witch was having her way with me, proving that I can’t do anything, or get anything done (despite significant evidence to the contrary in my life.)

So what was the best part of my yesterday?  My poor boy cut his finger on his brand new pocket knife.  The coolest birthday gift ever had betrayed him!  He was hoping against hope he wouldn’t have to tell me about it, because then maybe I’d take away his new pocket knife.  But after awhile, he was forced to come up to my office and seek my help. 

He was trepidatious… would I be mad?  would I be able to fix the still-bleeding finger? Poor kid.  :(.  So of course, I get some toilet paper, apply pressure, and put his thumb higher than his heart.  It took about 3 minutes to get it to stop bleeding.  I felt competent.  He was grateful - which I soaked in gratefully.

I went downstairs to get a Bandaid.  There were three little nests of bloody napkins each larger than the last, each bearing testament to the panic that was mounting in his heart.  It was so sweet. 

I’m glad I could help, and that he learned a lesson about his new knife without more blood, gore and repercussion.  The cut wasn’t deep - but fingers really bleed.  I’m glad his need helped me out of a funk.  I felt competent, loving and kind.  Our kids give us that, and we can take that surge of love for ourselves into any endeavor.