It was an ordinary Friday evening. After a long day at work, I arrived home to find my husband, Eric, a dedicated stay-at-home dad, looking utterly drained from entertaining our lively 2-year-old. As I offloaded groceries from the car, he promptly declared he was off to take a much-needed nap.
In my infinite wisdom as a supermom, I had foreseen this moment and secured a rotisserie chicken from the local grocery store, despite Eric’s constant reminders that they aren’t organic. Oh well, tonight we were indulging in some antibiotic-laden poultry!
Dressed in my superhero-themed pajamas, I served the hastily prepared dinner while our son, Max, devoured his Costco chicken, a buttery croissant, and an organic Fuji apple. Meanwhile, I glanced at the clutter accumulating on the kitchen table. Oh, the picture frames I ordered for Max’s school photos had arrived! I could multitask and frame those while he ate. Clearly, my ability to juggle responsibilities made up for the questionable chicken choice.
While Eric snoozed away, I was busy putting photos into the moderately priced frames I bought online. Just as I was feeling accomplished, a sudden urge to use the bathroom struck. I swiftly moved Max’s food out of his reach and instructed him to finish chewing what was in his mouth. I thought I was being a responsible parent. Turning on the TV to his favorite show, I dashed to the bathroom, confident I would be back in no time.
In under two minutes—just enough for a quick bathroom break—I returned to find Max, my little troublemaker, surrounded by the remnants of packaging from the picture frames. I was baffled by how he managed to get into them.
He held something out to me, and I assumed it was a piece of cardboard. As I reached down, he cheerfully proclaimed, “I ate it.” That’s when I noticed the telltale silica gel packet, marked with “DO NOT EAT.” Panic washed over me as I yanked it from his grip, checking for any signs of moisture. Thankfully, it felt dry and intact.
However, my heart sank when I spotted the empty packet—one corner missing, damp with saliva, and a few of the tiny beads scattered across the table. My body went into full crisis mode as adrenaline surged through me. I screamed for Eric, scoured Max’s mouth for any remaining beads, and began unbuckling him from his booster seat.
Eric, blissfully unaware in his earplugs, finally woke when I burst into the room, flipped on the lights, and demanded he rise. I tossed Max onto the bed while frantically explaining the situation. Time was of the essence, and I couldn’t find my phone to call for help. Thankfully, Eric had Poison Control in his contacts.
Unlike other emergency hotlines, Poison Control answered promptly. A calm voice greeted me, “Poison Control.” I blurted out the news about Max and the silica gel. As I mentally prepared myself to change out of my pajamas, the operator reassured me, “This is one of our most common calls. He’s fine, I promise.” I learned that the warning on the packet was due to choking hazards rather than toxicity. As long as he was breathing and not in distress, there was no cause for alarm. After collecting some basic information, she ended the call.
Eric entered the room just as my panic subsided. I relayed the reassuring news to him, but as I placed his phone back on the counter, I broke down in tears—sobbing uncontrollably. I felt unworthy of my superhero pajamas.
To add to the chaos, Max had snuck behind Eric and started picking up the beads from the floor, attempting to eat them. We quickly removed him from the area, cleaned up the mess, and I cried some more. “He could have died. If it were poison, he could have died.”
Eric pulled me aside, offering comfort. “He was never in any danger. He’s fine. I’m going to handle the laundry. Just try not to lose your mind while I’m gone.”
In retrospect, it was just another Friday night. I had survived many similar evenings, and so had Max. Maybe I really was worthy of my Wonder Woman pajamas after all. But seriously, that silica gel can take a hike!
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In summation, while parenting often brings unexpected moments of chaos, it also provides opportunities for growth and resilience. Just remember, always keep a watchful eye on those tiny hazards around our little ones!
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