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From: barb@pyuxa.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Falling
Message-ID: <1171@pyuxa.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Apr-85 16:41:24 EST
Article-I.D.: pyuxa.1171
Posted: Wed Apr  3 16:41:24 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 7-Apr-85 07:17:18 EST
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J.
Lines: 52

I had an awful experience the other day
getting ready to leave for work
that I guess I just wanted to share with
other readers of net.kids.
My little 21-month daugher fell down our
stairs (8 wooden steps, no carpet) whacked
her head and body 
and got a large bump on her forehead.
I proceeded to panick
thinking that she did not survive this fall.

After three calls to my doctor and getting
his answering machine I took my now very calm,
happy daughter to him.  (Since we moved,
the pediatrician is a half hour away.)
After he examined her, stating she is a-ok,
he turned to me and told me that unless I get
used to the fact that toddlers will fall
and have accidents I will not survive!
(Of course I needed an exam by then!)
Since she was ok, and again in a happy mood,
I took her to her sitter, and went to work.

When my husband heard the news, he was angry
with me: 1) for letting it happen,
2) for not staying home with her.
I of course felt guilty on all counts, so
world war 3 started!
I would have stayed home except she was ok,
I took her for an exam, and I do not have
all the much time to take off from work
and felt I should save my time for when
I really needed it.

I'm beginning to ramble now, so I will proceed
with my questions.
1)  Was I wrong to leave her?

2)  I need something to block the stairway,
since my little one always wants to follow up
the stairs.  We had a coffee table blocking the
bottom, no good, she pushes it away.
We then tied the table to the banister; no good-
she unties (or unbuckles when we tried a belt).
The gates don't fit-too short.  Also the banister
is not solid, it has slats, so the wall is the
only support a gate would have.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks for letting me get some things off my mind.
Barb
pyuxa!barb