Multi-tasking. You've done it. I've done it. But it seems the one trick every parent has employed to actually get things done is responsible for the latest "baby in washing machine" horror story.
The 5-month-old's dad was trying to do laundry and change his son's diaper at the same time, and somehow the little guy ended up IN the family's washer. The worst part? It was just beginning to fill with hot water -- 150-degree water no less -- and his tiny body was covered in vicious burns.
How does something so awful happen?
Easy. Dad turned his back. For a second the authorities say -- they're treating the baby's fall into the washing machine as an accident, and they say there are no signs of abuse.
I've done it. You've done it. Most of us just got lucky.
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I wasn't in that New Hampshire home. But I can picture how it all went down. Here this guy was, trying to get things done around the house, and his little guy made a stinker. He doesn't want to leave him to sit in his own poop, but the washer is filling. So what does he do? He grabs the kid and starts changing his diaper, right next to the open washing machine. He turns to grab something and ... oh. My. God.
I'm not going to pick on this poor father. He's already kicking himself, I'm sure.
But as this little guy gets treatment in a Boston hospital, his story can help the rest of us. We can't stop multi-tasking as parents. If we did, my house would look like an actual warzone (not that "street the day after a parade" is much better, but we're working on it!), and no one would actually eat a meal in this place.
What we can do is slow the heck down. Don't get so caught up in what has to be done that we stop thinking about "how" to do it. True emergencies in life are -- thankfully -- few and far between. Really. It may feel like it all has to be done this very second, but those towels will not get up and walk off in a huff if you don't scoop them from the bathroom floor in the next five seconds. That phone call can wait -- if they don't leave a message on the machine, they obviously didn't want to talk to you THAT badly.
Just think -- if you don't chill out, that could be YOUR little one inside the washing machine next.
What's gone wrong in just a few seconds in your house?
Image via Andrew Kelsall, Graphic Designer/Flickr
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Comments 56
Honestly, baby could have waited for the washing machine to be filled and closed. Rashes and sores aren't likely to happen after only a few minutes, which is how long it takes to fill a washing machine.
But, mistakes happen. My youngest once had to get stitches because I wanted to finish the two or three dishes I had left to wash before getting him dressed after a bath. He stepped on a stoll with wet feet that he usually used to help me with the dishes and before I knew it, WHAM. Little guy slipped and split his chin open.
Mistakes happen and I'm sorry that this little one's scars will be so much deeper than just a few under the chin stitches.
Stool*
Omg that's so awful. I feel so sorry for that father and his family. He must feel so guilty right now.
As for what's gone wrong in our house, when my 1yr old was about 10 months she pulled the baby gate down ontop of herself. I was making lunch and I put her down on the floor outside the kitchen. She started to pull up on the gate so I pulled her off of it and set her back down a few feet away from it.
I turned my back for three seconds to get the peanut butter out of the cabninet and when I turn back around, she has climbed all the way up it, both feet off the floor, and is shaking it. Before I can even move, she's knocked it loose and goes tumbling backwards onto the floor with it on top of her.
She started screaming and I freaked out. She was totally fine, just scared with a few bumps, but I felt so awful. You'd think it would have scared her into not climbing the gate again but she was back at it the next day, but by then we had put in one that screws to the wall. I made sure that thing isn't going anywhere now.
The other day I was reading an email and the next thing I knew my daughter was screaming on the floor and had blood on her forehead. My dog somehow scratched my 13 month old's forehead with his nail while they were both 3 feet in front of me. So I called my sister in law and she took us to the hospital. Luckily my daughter didn't need a stitch, and is fine now, just has a little gash on her forehead which is scabbed. My thoughts go out to this family and I hope the little boy will be ok.
We worry to much to get the house "done", when in reality, it will never be done. As long as things are put away, kitchen and bathroom clean, take it easy on the other stuff. Slow doen when tending to baby, I had my share of spooks before I realized it was not worth it trying to get everything sparkling every day. Kids fell off the bed, couch, coffee table, climbed the drapes, got fingers caught with doors, etc. you name it, nothing to run to the emergency room, but still, a good scare every time.
We are not supposed to be perfect as parents, just be best we can be.
i made the mistake of leaving my 18 month old son with my hubby to go do grocery shopping because he aid he'd give me a break and take our two toddlers for awhile. he said i'd be done faster without dragging the kids. ok fine. i come home to find out he'd fallen asleep while b bysitting and the baby had stuck something in the electrical sockes after prying out the safety plug! what woke him was the scream the baby let out when he was shocked. i never did trust him to watch the kids after that., even if i was washing dishes in the next room i'd find him asleep and them getting into trouble.
This is crazy, who the fuck changes their babies diaper on the washing machine?
"I've done it. You've done it."? Um, no, I've never done that. If your baby needs attention, pull the knobby thing on the washer to stop the water and change your kid in a safe location. Dummy.