5 Things You Need to do When Your Child has an Accident

Being a parent is like riding a bike with no hands, while your eyes are closed, and the bike is on fire. It is a never ending saga of trials and tribulations.

Raising children is the perfect storm for accidents to happen. You never know when it's going to happen or where it will happen. These things just come out of no where to test your parenting skills. Kids are total wild cards. It's impossible to anticipate when your little one will test their luck. Kids just don't know any better.

And while accidents become second nature for parenting veterans, us newbies sweat the small stuff, which is why I've created this list of what to do when accidents happen.

1. Remain Calm

Please God if all else fails REMAIN CALM. I know it's easier said then done, but it is of utmost importance. Kids pick up on our reactions to things. They feel our energy and change their energy accordingly. If you panic when something bad happens, your child will sense that and become even more inconsolable in return. Olivia tipped over in her highchair today... The whole chair fell forward with her still strapped into it. It was a total accident, and as much as I wanted to FREAK THE F**K OUT, I fought every instinct to panic and remained as calm as I possibly could. Sometimes staying calm can be painful when every parenting instinct is blowing up inside of you, but I promise, keeping your cool will help contain and minimize the situation as fast as possible. Mutual panic is never the answer!

2. Access the Situation

After finding your inner calmness, you'll want to access the situation. Is there bleeding? Any broken bones? I always check the head and face first for any injuries. While checking the damage, it always helps if you try to minimize what has just happened to your kiddo. I stick with the typical, "You're fine, it's okay", with my little one. I hug her and console her, but not so much so that she gets the idea that something terrible has just happened to her. With most accidents, the damage is minimal, but there is always a doozie every now and again.

3. Cheer Up Your Kiddo

This the best part...Loving and cuddling with your little one until they feel better. Ugh, I love holding my little nugget close and rubbing her back and telling her everything is going to be okay. It is so reassuring as a parent to be able to fix things for your child. If you're really good at it, they might even forget the accident happened all together.

4. Monitor for Potential Complications

Depending on the severity of the accident, it is always a good idea to continue to check for any injuries. If you're concerned about head injuries, check for any differences in your child. Are they acting disoriented or out of the norm? If you notice any changes in behavior, it is always best to call a medical professional. Honestly, if you have any concerns at all, seek medical attention. If your Mommy senses are tingling, listen to your gut. Better safe than sorry, right?

5. Don't Beat Yourself Up

This is by far the hardest part of dealing with accidents. We are so conditioned by society to judge our parenting skills. Accidents happen. They happen everyday. They happen all the time. That does not mean we are bad parents! Kids fall down, kids scrape knees, kids bump heads, IT HAPPENS! That is all part of growing up! Once we all realize and accept that, we can actually focus on being better parents by learning how to deal when these accidents do happen! I know it's hard. I doubt myself and critique myself everyday. But, I'm trying to break that habit, and you should to! After all, we are in this together, right?

How do you deal with accidents?