Sophie’s Choice Moment?
Saturday me and the kids were outside the house of my neighbor around the corner. She had taken my 5 year-old to the zoo and I stopped by to pick him up on my way back from running errands.
She has five wide steps leading up to her front door. Her daughter sat on the top step closest to the door (she’s 12). My neighbor and my 5 year-old sat on the middle step, and I was standing on the sidewalk holding the baby (he’s 13 months). OK…
All of a sudden we see this dog…looked like a cross between a pit bull and bull dog walking alone on the other side of the street but towards us. He then stepped in the middle of the street and began walking faster up the middle of the street. All of a sudden he started trotting towards the side of the street we were on. Once he hit the sidewalk at a trot towards us, I ran to my SUV and jumped in the passenger side front. My neighbor’s daughter was about to run in her house and my neighbor grabbed my son and started for the door. The dog ran past us as the owner called from 2 blocks away.
My neighbor was laughing and saying that I took the baby and left J to his own defenses. I did not. I explained that he was sitting next to her and they were closer to the front door of the house. I would have had to run holding the baby up 3 wide steps, run back down, and try to get us all in the car…we would’ve been mauled by then.
Later I thought about it. Was that wrong? Did that send a message to J that I would save myself and Y and leave him behind? He didn’t pay it any mind…apparently, but I’m the type that will now have to have a “heart 2 heart” with him this week over ice-cream to remind him how much I love him and would never leave him to the dingos…
I think when we panic it’s hard to say how we will react. Taking the time to sit down and talk about it is still good though.
Comment by princessdominique — July 17, 2007 @ 4:52p
Aww, you never know what you might do in a panic situation, but having a heart to heart with your kids is ALWAYS good, no matter the circumstance.
Comment by Bella Noire — July 17, 2007 @ 5:38p
Lawd you said “dingo”….didn’t mean to laugh…but I know why you said it…
You weren’t wrong…and as a mother she should have known better to say that!
Comment by DJ Diva — July 18, 2007 @ 6:07p
Please don’t over-analyze this situation. You are only human and that means there is only so much you can do. Your thought processes were on point and your reactions were as they should have been based on the situation you described.
I would caution you about too much discussion of this event with baby boy because he probably hasn’t thought twice about it. Bring it up only if he does would be my advice as you certainly don’t want to risk unintentionally planting the idea that Mommy is more concerned for the safety of a sibling than she is for his safety. For the most part, children roll with the punches and don’t typically spend a great deal of time mulling over things so if it is bygone in his mind, let it be GONE!
Comment by Sharon — July 19, 2007 @ 3:22p
You didn’t do anything wrong. Both kids were near adults with outs. The children were in good hands. Best thing…the dog was only interested in going home and all the humans got home safely too.
Comment by Quel — July 23, 2007 @ 1:45p