So, we start here. My minivan had an unfortunate collision with a Jeep Monday night. Thank God, my children were not in the car at the time. A woman drove into the back of me on the evening commute, before I had a chance to pick up the kids. Went to the ER. “Minor Head Injury” was the official diagnosis. It had an accompanying drawing that totally cracked me up: a sketch of a head slamming into something. Lovely. Yeah, that’s about right. Brain/Mind feels like mush today.
My ex picked up our children from day care after I called him in a panic, while waiting for the cops to show up. (They arrived really quickly, by the way!) Later, when talking to the kids on the phone, they asked if I was okay. I told them about my face hitting the steering wheel and my fat lip.
“Can I see?” they asked.
“The car?” I asked.
“No, your face,” they answered.
Nice. Gotta love the morbid curiosity of children. It actually didn’t look too bad. A tad like Angelina Jolie lips- but only on my left side.
Of course, after being involved in an accident myself and reading the tragic story of the mother who ran over her child, I dreamed about my toddler running out into traffic. Terrifying. I hate those dreams.
In other mom news, did you all see the story about the mom arrested for allegedly taking her five-year old daughter tanning? A good friend of mine’s sister takes her daughter tanning too. It seems all too “Toddlers and Tiaras” for me. Having made my Judgey McJudgerson comment there, what do you guys think? Is it okay to take your kid tanning? At what age do you reach the tanning threshold? My kids and I are all pale. Tanning would be a bad, bad idea.
Mom Land 
May 02, 2012 @ 13:26:13
In my opinion if you want to tan do it the all natural way and go outside and be active!!! Love yourself the way God made you and wanted you to be!!!
May 03, 2012 @ 20:40:46
Gina, and don’t we all need a good dose of Vitamin D? Get outside!!!
May 02, 2012 @ 14:26:06
I agree with Gina, natural sun in doses is the way to go. I love it when summer break hits and my kids faces get sun kissed in the first week with pink cheeks. The woman who was arrested for taking her kids tanning is not a good role model. Did you see the picture of her? She either dipped her wet face in bronzer prior to the interview or she tanned 20 times in one week after her arrest picture. If you are ok with your kids tanning, then let them know that this also needs to be done in moderation.
May 03, 2012 @ 20:41:45
Gretchen, “moderation” is a huge concept I think a lot of us struggle with. I struggled with moderation when it came to ice cream for a long time… But anyway, yes, that lady looked nasty in that interview. Just gross.
May 02, 2012 @ 15:50:13
It would seem a little unfair to arrest her for tanning with her daughter definety a bad choice since we know of so many negative side effects… But we don’t arrest other parents for smoking around their kids… We don’t arrest other parents for over feeding their kids. Seems to me it falls in that category of you are a parent making bad choices please do better… Actual neglect or abuse seems extreme..
May 03, 2012 @ 20:42:59
Melissa, you bring up an interesting point. So, do you think moms/dads who overfeed or who smoke around their kids should be punished? My kindergartener yells at people who smoke. He doesn’t hold back. His grandma died of lung disease. He lets them have it!
May 03, 2012 @ 21:32:52
I think just like we have a law about how far away you have to stand from an entrance To a building to smoke, the same idea could be applied to all children under the age of 18… At least 25 feet away. These people depend on us and especially their caregivers… At least adults can walk away. As for parents with children who are overweight education is key… It’s not just about food so it becomes very complicated… In some fields and even in the classroom adults and children alike are forced to sit all day… Food is a bit more complicated.
May 05, 2012 @ 11:55:59
Melissa, it upsets me so much to see people smoking around their kids. So unfair.
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May 02, 2012 @ 16:11:22
Tanning beds are BAD at any age!! Like Gina says above be yourself! Love you for you…I do…. my big booty,pale short self and al!! 🙂
May 03, 2012 @ 20:43:54
Erin, I used to joke that I could use white-out as foundation. I am as pale as pale can be. Tanning is super bad for your skin, but tell that to the 16 year old me. I used to do it all the time. Before I smartened up!
May 02, 2012 @ 16:12:11
BTW glad you are ok from the accident, those can be scary
May 03, 2012 @ 20:44:30
Erin, thank you. My brain is still mushy. I stayed home from work today with a killer headache, but this too shall pass. Thanks!
May 02, 2012 @ 22:59:55
For me, I agree that no toddler should be anywhere near a tanning bed. But I also refuse to allow my kiddo anywhere near McDonalds, ice cream, and television. I guess it’s up to each parent to draw the line.
May 03, 2012 @ 20:45:43
Taryn, wow! You must have the resolve of a Marine! Good for you. It’s really hard not to cave in to the easy things. We’ve been limiting McDonalds consumption a lot. And TV. My son has become obsessed with the show “Ben 10.” You and your kids aren’t missing anything…
May 03, 2012 @ 02:58:15
Where we live our sons really don’t need to “fake n bake.” We need lots & lots of sunscreen! Even if we didn’t live here, hubby & I wouldn’t let them…they are way to young to be allowed/given permission to do so.
Glad to hear you are doing ok. Miss ya!
May 03, 2012 @ 20:46:42
Tara, move back to Alaska: you won’t have that sunscreen issue. Okay, I lie. Some of my worst burns have been here…
May 03, 2012 @ 04:09:06
too much toddler’s and tiara’s. slather some SPF100 on them and then send them outside.
May 03, 2012 @ 20:47:11
Scott, I love the SPF 100. It goes on like paste. It literally looks like I’ve slathered myself in glue.