Skinned Knees

Yesterday while we were waiting for Aidan to finish his therapies, Ella and I went outside to enjoy the sunshine. She was happy as a clam, being able to run up and down the sidewalk. If she's running, she's smiling. 

Until she took a bad fall. 

And scraped the skin off both knees pretty badly. 

And cried bloody murder and bled bloody drops. 

All over my skirt.

Here's the crazy part- once I had assessed her injuries, I was relieved. Relieved that her injuries were only skin deep, yes, but also relieved because skinned, bleeding knees are easy to fix. Easy to see what the problem is, and easy to mend. I know exactly what to do for skinned knees. I know exactly how to comfort my little girl when she has an obvious owie. It was a relief to know, for once, what was wrong AND how to fix it.

I was surprised as this feeling of relief flooded me. I realized that so many times I'm searching for clues as to how to help my kids, and it's like I'm feeling around in the dark without a flashlight, trying to figure out what's wrong and how to fix it. Where do you start when you know there's something different about your child that needs to be addressed? Who do you turn to when your kids won't sleep? Who will help you when your little boy cannot comprehend two-step directions? I'm constantly watching the kids- for changes, improvements, declines, reactions to medicines, mood ups and downs, illnesses...it's exhausting sometimes. 

So I was happy when my girl had an easy owie that I could fix. Of course I was sad for her that she was hurting, but I'd take skinned, bloody knees any day over all the other things we struggle with on a daily basis. Things that are so very complicated and unknown and confusing. Things that overlap- is my son irritable and moody because he has ADHD? Or because he has Tourette Syndrome? Or is it because of his mood disorder? Or did he just not get enough sleep? Or are his meds having negative side effects? Or is he having sensory issues because of the change of season? Or because a tag is bothering him? Or is he getting sick? Or is it just because he's got siblings who bug him? Or maybe he's anxious about something that he can't verbalize, and the only way he can get help is to be grumpy and mean.

I'd take obvious, bleeding knees any day. 

Sometimes I'm tired of thinking and investigating and problem solving. Let's just have an obvious owie that Mommy knows how to fix. It's a little crazy when a toddler's skinned knees bring Mommy relief.