Just Call CPS

Wow, did we have a child endangerment accident here yesterday.

C fell off the treadmill while it was on an incline and going a speed of 10 miles per hour. He is okay, he has a lots of "rug burn" type marks on his chest, legs, hands, and feet, but nothing deep and only one small bruise on his ankle. It was really scary and for a few moments I had no idea if he had broken bones or not. The story ...

It is all my fault. There really is no sugar coating it. Every time we have little friends over I tell all the kids to stay off the exercise equipment and I take the special safety key off the treadmill so it won't work. This time however, I didn't even give the speech. I totally forgot.

I let A and C play in the computer room. The had turned on Nick Jr radio online, which they both love. They shut the french doors and dance until they can't move anymore. Normally it is the cutest thing you've ever seen. So while they were dancing I grabbed little A (A's brother) who is one and the dog and we went to the den and turned on the TV. About 10 minutes later I heard this odd yelping noise. I bolted up the steps (there is only five of them) But I swear I don't even think my feet touched them. Flew open the door and heard the worst screaming I've really ever heard. I didn't even see the kids. But I saw the treadmill going and just swiped the safety latch off as fast as I could. A popped her head up from in between the wall and the back of the tread and then I saw C under her. C was wailing "I'm so sorry, It was too fast!" He was hysterical. I scooped them both up and got them standing and noticed A was fine and C was not. Lots of Neosporan, Band-aids, and hugs later I got the scoop.

A wanted to go on the treadmill, C said we can't. A said "yes I can". C said "no, it goes to fast for you, see I'll show you..."

He started off with the right answers. Both kids were pretty scared. They both thought they would be in big trouble and C looked really beat up, worse than it actaully was. They weren't in trouble. I think the scrapes and the overall scare were enough to scar them both for life.

C really is okay. He has a few scrapes that are pretty raw, especially on one of his hands. He has been wearing a glove over it since yesterday night - even slept with it on. He has also been wearing one of those swim shirts. The material slides right over those raw spots, cotton sort of sticks to them. His chest got the worst of it, but it all looks way better today. Plus he did go to "kids night" at our local community center last night and he was fine. In fact when we went to pick him up he was running the length of the gym playing football. Still - bad mommy.

I cannot believe I forgot the speech. Both kids listen very well and are not the sneaking type. If I had reminded them to stay off I really think they would have. I suppose I cannot dwell on it, after all the damage is done. So from now on I won't leave the key on the equipment. It has already been taken off. And for the time being I unplugged it. I think I am going to leave it that way when I am not using it too - just to be a little safer. Poor kid.