I am heading into Toddlerdom: The Sequel so one would think I am fairly imperturbable by now, but not so much. Reading this story from USA Today about the terrifying near-misses toddlers get themselves into alternately made me laugh, screech in horror and knock every piece of wood I could reach, lest I tempt fate by finding any of this the least bit amusing.
We’re talking kids who unlock gates and toddle into the street – at 18 months of age. When they had been sound asleep in bed. Twins who boost each other over the baby gate.
This makes my near misses sound mild (my daughter pulled her toy shelf onto herself and a TV down on the floor, both of which still give me the twitches when I think about how lucky we were things were not much, much worse).
But there are some evolutionary reasons for this heart-stopping behavior, apparently. Gumming everything may expose them to tiny amounts of germs that help strengthen their immune systems, and eating dirt maybe gets them some iron (I don’t know, my daughter was borderline anemic and my funniest memory of her first mobile summer was watching her sit in the garden while I worked and just fling dirt over her head and attempt to eat it).
Of course, then you’d think evolution would breed this dangerous behavior out of them –but children in early hunter gather cultures were carried in slings throughout toddlerhood, giving hem less opportunity to get into stuff.
Honestly, I think it’s better for kids to be a little more free-range once they can stand on their own little feet. Even the most dedicated babywearers I know tend to let them down a little more once they are bigger, and both my kids have to be on the move to be happy.
But there are days when swaddling him in bubble wrap doesn’t seem like the worst idea. What’s your best “mear miss” moment with a toddler?
