Ramona got her cast taken off her broken leg this morning. It couldn’t have been better timing as she has become a total wriggle monster in bed these past two nights. Feet in the face whilst cosleeping is one thing, being biffed in the eye with a whopping cast cladded leg is quite Next Level. So, my bruised brow and I are quite celebratory. Cue the triumphant trumpet chorus and rara skirted can can girls. (That’s how you celebrate, yeah?) And more importantly, cue the bath. She hasn’t been really clean for the whole month she has had that puppy on.
We have learnt a few things, things which I think may help others who find themselves on the treacherous road littered with broken toddler limbs. Sooo..
DON’T
Apply the law of thrift and create makeshift waterproofing out of bread bags for bath time. We had the cast sopping wet three times then gave up bathing.
Use google to (mis)diagnose chicken pox and then cover child in porridge. No good. Especially when boycotting baths.
Leave the house. Unless you want the all the coals of motherly judgement and disdain heaped upon your head in the playground. (When I told my neighbour, usually the kindest soul in town, she exclaimed “Where WERE you?” as if I had left my darling climbing wheelie bins behind the Peckham Plex. I was toughened to this response by then.)
DO
Buy a waterproof cast, they are not cheap but in hindsight, probably worth it. Someone even tweeted me a link. I mean really, why would you not, you old penny pincher, you.
Keep giving them baths.
Avoid porridge rub downs.
See, haven’t we all learnt alot.
But for real, I did feel this was a bit of a lesson in the resilience of kids. I was SO devastated when Ramona broke her leg, really, soap opera devastated. Yet she barely batted an eyelid. After 5 days she was crawling, 1 week climbing and after 2 weeks she was walking with the cocky confidence and limpy swagger of every chap round these ways.
Ramona kicking back in the park today with monks and minus cast
Im glad she’s out of her cast and have noted the above points – my almost 3 year old is a fearless boy and an expert climber and I’m not sure how we have managed to get to this age without any broken limbs. Before babies, I don’t think I’ve ever shouted but now, at least once an hour I can be heard yelling “Blake, for goodness sake, get down from there!” I’m not sure why other people are so judgemental – kids break their limbs – its part of growing up and the strangest thing I find is that it’s women who’s children are grown up who are the most judgmental! – did children of the 60’s not climb trees?
Short memories I think!
I love that it hasn’t dampened her climbing spirit, some kids – *looks at Blake*- are obviously just meant to clamber! Even if it means shredded nerves for us.