There is nothing worse in the world than when your child hurts themselves. My heart hurts so much every time I look at my sweet Luke. He was running down the sidewalk this weekend and crashed face first. He now has a huge scrape across his nose and forehead – basically he looks like Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

I’ve been amazed at the absolute pure guilt that both Daddy Russ and I have been experiencing. We both blame ourselves. Daddy Russ has probably told Luke he’s sorry about a million times. I have to try and not cry every time I look at him. He didn’t even really cry when it happened but it took everything in me to not bawl. I know this is the first of many scrapes and bruises but it doesn’t make it any easier.

Have you ever experienced something similar? How do you stop feeling so guilty?!

This is my sTORI being written as you read. – Love, Mommy Tori

36 Responses

  1. Meagan Foster

    Awe poor baby! But look at that handsome smile!

    Reply
  2. Andrea

    Poor baby! You never stop feeling guilty!!! No matter how old they get. Give him a big hug and kiss for me.

    Reply
  3. JeannieRichard

    Luke will grow up strong and good – just look at him!?
    Laughing it off and raring to go ~ he’s too much to take, XO!

    Reply
  4. amanda

    Ohmygoodness! Sweet boy! Can’t we learn such a huge lesson from little’s resilience?

    Reply
    • torijohnson5

      He amazes me. I can’t believe he didn’t scream for hours. Totally didn’t bother him. He just keeps on running!

      Reply
  5. Morena

    Ouch! They are so much more resilient than we realize. Don’t beat yourself up about it. We were at the ER so often once when my oldest two were little that I was afraid we’d be investigated!

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth

    ouchie!! I’m so sorry!
    Something similar happened to my son (now 5) when he was 16months old. Stumbled down 5 concrete steps at our neighbors house. SAME EXACT time of year – all of his pumpkin patch photos had this horrible scrape square btwn his eyes!
    It took forever to heal. Even several months later it was still light pink. Whenever he ran and got hot, that area btwn his eyes would redden in the exact shape of the scrape – for a good year afterwards!
    Hoping he heals quickly!

    Reply
    • torijohnson5

      Oh no! I was so hoping it would heal quickly. Do you recommend putting antibiotic ointment on it? Looks like we will push pumpkin patch picture to the VERY END of October.

      Reply
  7. Ashley Aguilar

    Ugh, I know what you mean! Josiah hasn’t had anything that extreme but I did find some scrapes on his knee the other day and I swore I was a Dr. treating a broken leg or something lol. I don’t think it the guilt ever goes away!

    Reply
  8. Kimberly Munoz (@KMunoz28)

    Awww, but his smile! My boys were the same. I called them the kings of crash. And I came about this close to buying my oldest a helmet! The guilt never goes away though. And the sidewalk is always out to get them. I tried racing home with my 7yr old the other day and he fell. Felt horrible. When I apologized for racing he said even though he scraped his leg, seeing me running, made it worth it! Boys, no, all kids, fall down and get hurt. But we just have to help them get up and kiss it all better.

    Reply
    • torijohnson5

      Thank you, Kimberly! “Kings of Crash” that’s pretty cute! Might have to borrow that one! I’ve definitely been giving Luke lots and lots of kisses!

      Reply
  9. gmaj

    Sweetie, you have to let go of the guilt; it was not your fault! You did not inflict harm to your child and you and Russ are excellent, protective parents! You cannot wrap him in bubble wrap or anything else to protect him from accidents that active children will have. He is so full of energy and he obviously handles his boo boos very well. Yes, we all want to cry (and do) when our children are hurt, be it something minor or major, but God takes care of them. Rusty, like Morena said, has had Braydon at the ER so much he thought they were going to call the protective service. Trisha has been through the same thing with Abbie! Rusty was my “accident waiting to happen”.
    That smile on our little sweet Luke says “I am fine mommy!”

    Reply
      • gmaj

        That is what grandmas are for 🙂 A shoulder to cry on and support when you need it! I am always here for you, yeah, in the “tough love mode” too, but this incidnet is not “tough love”, it is compassion and love!

  10. alicecarman

    I totally feel for you…ouch. It’s hard not to blame yourself, but on the brighter side he’s okay. Big hugs.

    Reply
  11. Nina

    So far we have yet to have any major injuries in our home, but boy have my friends and family been through a ton (won’t mention here as I fear I might induce some vomiting lol). But it was those serious, let’s-run-to-the-ER situations. For me, the initial reaction would be guilt, fear, disgust (no one wants to look at blood) and a fierce desire to protect and erase any hurt from our kids. I think that’s all normal.

    One thing I tell my kid about his boo boos though is that he feels pain, but it will heal. And I try not to make a big deal out of it because I don’t want to freak him out over everything, and so far he has been very good about when he gets injured.

    I suppose I squash my guilt by saying that it was an accident, that I’m doing my best, that he is resilient, and that there is no way on earth I will be able to protect him from everything.

    Reply
    • torijohnson5

      Well said, Nina. I’ve just been praying for him to heal fully and quickly. It’s pretty much impossible to get this kid to not run. He doesn’t know how to walk!

      Reply
  12. citychickcountrylife

    Oh that’s such a sin 🙁 these things happen though, my little one fell on the hardwood floors last week and had a nose bleed, it was so scary but I took it worse than she did! Hope he’s all healed up soon 🙂

    Reply
    • torijohnson5

      He seems to be doing better this morning. Sorry to hear about your little one as well. I know nose bleeds usually look worse than they are.

      Reply

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