After reading an article about the "miracles of ice", I had to give this bonehead idea a shot. The premise was that any injury that wasn't going to have to be set, sewn, or operated upon could be "cured" almost instantly by ice.
Stick this in your frontal lobe: we determined where to put Mike's office in our new house using baby's lungs in an empty room. We literally closed the door* between what would become the TV/family room and the back hallway, then shut ANOTHER door to the proposed office. Then we let little one scream; I swear, the hounds of Hell were barking like mad. We both looked at each other and wondered, "Genetically, who contributed the LOUD gene?"** And we instantly determined that the back room of the house would NOT be the best place for Mike to office.
But, I digress. The point of this story is ice. I tell you about the noise factor to help you understand that we have two other boys who both can be just as loud as the babe. And when they are injured***, it sounds like both death and destruction have been loosed. Which brings us back to the ice.
So, I started responding to every injury in the same way (assuming I didn't see blood, gaping wounds, or internal organs) "I'm sorry that happened to you. Would you like some ice?"
Friends, pack up the station wagon and head out, 'cause this scientific experiment is OVER and I'M the bonehead! This tactic WORKS! Every time I've offered ice to an injured son, he has accepted. And shouting/crying/wailing has ceased.
Here's another juicy tidbit (and totally scientific, to boot):
The ice only gets used as much as the ego is bruised****.
One recent night, for example, one of my sweet guys walked out of the bathroom and straight into the door molding*****. Hard. I was expecting blood. So was he. I immediately got the ice and he was back to normal in about .53 seconds.
Who knew "EUREKA!" would be followed by "Ice!"?
*Not just any door, a fire-rated door, thus extra thick....
**Jill: "Him." Mike: "Her."
***And, Heaven forbid, it is simultaneously, as in "He hit me with a stick when I tried to whack him with the pool noodle"
****Resident poet, MommaJ, at the mic tonight....
*****Now, I KNOW who contributed the CLUMSY gene. But, I'm not telling you.....
Healing for wounds not of the first class (i.e., involving blood, gaping wounds, or internal organs) on girls also begins with ice*, but is quickly followed by hugs and cuddling. Sometimes a band-aid will be requested. And then the other, uninjured sister will come in and tearfully submit the proposition that what was good for the injured one is good for her as well.
ReplyDeletePick your poison, I guess. :-)
*We have a pig head that we keep in the freezer for such occasions.
BUMP! "Ow!"
"Do you want piggie?"
And, this, dear friends, is why I don't have girls--God seemed to know I'd lose the piggie and all heck would break loose!!!
ReplyDeleteIncidentally, we got through our share of band-aids, too. That is the other magical pancea, along with hugs and kisses. But the ice always seems to be the first line of defense these days.....