Kids Under Pressure

Yesterday I was doing something I often do…enjoying the sunshine of a beautiful day at the playground.  A smaller one than we usually go to and we happened to have the place to ourselves.  That felt like a sweet bonus at the time. 

Rosebud asked to go on the swings so I threw the baby on my hip and we headed down the hill to the swing set.  In the same moment that I looked back to make sure Sprout was following, my foot landed in a hole and I fell.  So did Daisy.  Let me assure you that falling while holding a baby (and consequently dropping her) is the Worst.Feeling.Ever.

Thankfully at 18 months old she’s quite sturdy and the fall to the soft grass did nothing more than startle her.

My ankle on the other hand?  No bueno. 

So here I am: alone with three kids, one of whom is hysterical, with a badly sprained ankle.  Sure, I’ve encountered worse situations, but lets just say this one wasn’t fun.

But, as I hobbled back to the car, something really cool happened.  For the first time, I got to see my kids kick into ‘problem solving mode’ without any guidance from me.  First, I was impressed that they didn’t get upset when I said we had to go despite just having arrived – they probably saw it in my eyes.

Then, Rosebud looked up at me and said sternly, “I need the phone. I call Papa to bring shovel and fix that hole!”  

When we arrived home, Sprout and Rosebud sprung out of the car and seamlessly executed their emergency plan as if they had practiced for “mommy sprains her ankle at the playground” a thousand times.  Sprout took a sippy cup and filled it with milk; that, along with the handful of toys he grabbed, worked instantly to calm the crying Daisy.

Meanwhile, Rosebud was on ice duty and stuffed her arms with as many ice packs from the freezer as she could.  The little sweetness even thought to take a towel so the ice “wouldn’t be too cold on the boo boo.”  After I took up the position she designated on the floor, she buried my foot in ice packs as she would sand at the beach.  She inspected her work and declared, “Okay mommy, jus a little longer and you will feel all better.”

That is about the time A arrived home.  Sprout saw the worry on her face and assured her, “Mama, don’t worry.  Mommy is going to be okay.  We got this.”