[Jule'sMomInOR]

Do you try to protect your LO from minor injuries, like falls? Or do you pretty much let them do what they want and hope they learn something from their bumps and bruises (within reason)?


I think I am guilty of hovering too much. Our previous nanny did the same. Now that my mom is here, it seems like Juliana is constantly covered in bruises from falls. At first I was a little miffed, but I think my mom's approach is actually better.

I do still really worry about Juliana on stairs. We have wooden stairs, which are especially slippery while wearing socks. We still don't let her go up and down them alone, but we do try to let her go up the stairs without help and just stand about 2 steps down from her to catch her in case she falls. She did fall once, but luckily she was only one step from the bottom so it didn't do much.

I typically try to let Isaac just do his thing and I don't hover too much. Yes, he gets minor bumps and bruises but that's no big deal. If he is doing something that will obviously really hurt him beyond just a little bump or bruise, then I stop him.

[navywifey2003]

We are more let them do what they want within reason. David just recently learned how to ride a 2 wheeler bike and he ate it the other day we were right there to pick him up, to tell him everyone falls off their bike. The next day he was right back on that bike. We do the same with Katelynn.

[KMH]

I try to let her be independent and learn from her mistakes, but I'm definitely guilty of hovering too much. It is something I have to work on. DH is probably too far the other way...he just lets her do whatever and says that she'll learn faster that way. It is probably good that we have each other so she has some balance

[Cruiser]

I'm in the "let them figure it out" camp, within reason. I think they need to try things and fail sometimes to learn how to do some things. Plus I really feel it helps to build their confidence to do things themselves.

[Buggymom]

I've been trying to let her figure things out; but, she is 5. I will say I have hovered over her up until this point, lol.

When she gets any kind of booboo it's a big fiasco for her. She can't look at it even with the band aid for weeks (even if nothing is there....invisibooboo). She has been playing outside with one sock on due to her band aid on her foot. She will refuse to wear shorts and wear pants (I just stopped having clean pants for her to choose from). Also she has to have the band aid just fall off. Last night she didn't wear pants to bed (too hot)...I very gently tore the half off band aid completely off.

She was so excited this morning. Now her booboo is officially gone. She is so funny she will use our cane (I use for arthritis on winter mornings) and walk around like Tiny Tim. Drama Queen, haha!

Up until last year she would cover all booboos with a washcloth in the bathtub like a mummy and you absolutely could not get them wet. Oops....I always did.

[KMH]

Do you ladies with more than one child find that it is easier not to hover with each subsequent kid? I'm hoping I can learn to be more relaxed the 2nd time around

[Jule'sMomInOR]

Originally Posted by KMH

Do you ladies with more than one child find that it is easier not to hover with each subsequent kid? I'm hoping I can learn to be more relaxed the 2nd time around

Me, too! (If there is a second time). I'm thinking probably, once we see our first one survive to be past 2 without any major incidents, we'll relax more.

I hope that I dont hover too much but I dont know.

[KiwiMommy]

As long as it's not something she can really get injured doing, I let her figure things out on her own. I can't tell you how often she runs into doors or headbutts the coffee table.. Unfortunately, my kid has near no coordination when it comes to playing and hurts herself often.
Usually I just say "Are you bleeding?"
and she says "No"
"Are you dying?"
"No"
"Ok. You're fine. Let me kiss it"
and I kiss it and she's off running around seconds later.
Even with blood we just grab a tissue, hold it there (usually she bites her lip..very rarely does she make anywhere else bleed) and then when it stops all is well.
But I have sisters who are 7 and 9 so I'm used to the whole klutz thing.. my 7yr old sister STILL runs into doors and tables on a near daily basis.

[HappyHippy]

I let them do their thing. They climb, jump, all of that good stuff.

[ashj_1218]

Liam is constantly bruised. But I never know how he got them. So I guess I am not a hoverer

Within reason, of course.

And "funnily" enough, his worst injury (a concussion from hitting his head) came when he was playing with my dad and my dad was literally within arms distance, sitting right on the floor next to him, who was standing with his feet on the floor. So I know that it can happen even when being super-careful. (Liam was spinning with my dad and was not un-dizzy when he stood back up and just fell clean over backwards onto a wood floor).

[alwayssmile]

I let him do his thing. We have a joke that Aiden's head has a 3 bruise minimum. I've been told that I don't react enough to him falling by my mom and grandmother, but honestly after many years of working childcare I've seen so much worse than anything Aiden has done that I just shrug it off and just do what he wants me to do. Usually a hug and he's off.

[Fluga]

I let them do their things up to a point. I started this with my older girl. She is such a monkey though that if I had intended to hoover I could have parked myself next to her during every waking moment. She would do crazy stuff like stand on her rocker and rock, never fell from it and I believe it gave her excellent balance.

My criteria is usually will she get a bump/bruise from falling or more. If it is more I intervene, if it is minor I let it be. Older girl is also really good at climbing and rarely falls. It seems that the little one is following into those steps as she wont even venture down the stairs without having a good grip on me with both hands (stubborn girl thinks she should go down upright like everyone else). I have been letting her freestyle the stairs but in that case I hoover as falling will be more than a small bump.