Mama Bear Mode & the Boy Scout Motto

My daughter got hit by a car today. Scary, right? Oh, yeah. We were walking across the street with a very non- pedestrian friendly cross walk. The traffic to our right got their green light when we were half way across. A cabbie must have missed seeing us about the same time my daughter decided to run to try and get out of the way so the cars could go. I was right behind her. She was almost out of his lane and I was almost in it. He slammed on his brakes and ran in to her. She wasn't knocked over but it was enough to scrape her leg and shake her up pretty bad.

He had the nerve, the gall, the audacity to yell about his light being green.

It was one of those moments, you know the ones. When your mind snaps. You are beyond the capacity for rational thinking. I may have said a few things at the top of my lungs that were less than civilized. I didn't call the police. I didn't get the cabbie's contact or automobile information. I didn't do anything helpful. Except make sure that my kid was okay and hurriedly reassure the onlooking gapers that things were okay and thank you very much. (Thank you so much to the kind DC nurse who checked on us and to the stranger we provided the cabbies license plate number "just in case.")

From: champagneandfrenchfries.blogspot.com

Later, and now. I am thinking about similar moments. When so many things are flooding your mind that you can't make a good decision. (She could have died. Is she bleeding? Is she hurt? She must be totally freaking out! Who the hell does this guy think he is? If he steps out of that car, he is going to be SORRY! What should I do now? Is this one of those true emergencies if she can walk? Who are all these people talking to me? I should have thought a little further ahead than the moment.

This was also one of those times when it is not clear just how emotional is TOO emotional. It reminds me of times when for a few moments I was unsure of where one of my children is. Maybe she wandered to the next store aisle. Or she took the late bus home rather than the regular bus. And in your mind, you know there is a logical explanation. And in your heart you are ready to rip some one's throat out. Am I alone in this one? When our children are threatened, our fight reflexes get ready and we swing into Mama Bear Mode. It is very difficult to think rationally and make good decisions when you are in Mama Bear (or Papa Bear) mode. Sadly, if I would have witness the exact same incident occur involving a different family, I would have been much more useful and much less of a wack-a-doo.

From: sodahead.com

I am a big believer and proud advocate of the notion that you rarely have to act "RIGHT NOW." Most decisions are not life- threatening, not critical, not all that dang important. And during those times it is important to give yourself time to think and consider the options. Another thing that can definitely be helpful is to have a blanket emergency plan ready for when something crazy happens. Who are you going to call? What constitutes an emergency (a vehicle striking a body should be on this list)? Do you have an emergency contact number in your phone?

The family challenge for this blog, if you choose to accept it, is to think of at least one emergency situation and then a plan, get it ready, and review it with your family. Here are some ideas (fire in the house, kids are locked out after school, parents don't come home as expected, a stranger offers them a ride home, someone is hit by a car in front of them).

From: peace.maripo.com