Mom's Out There

By Barbara A. Clark

In today's hectic world, too often we don't take the time to listen to each other. We are busy with our daily lives, our work, our kids, running errands and it seems as if the lists of things to do get longer and longer each day.

Do you have a memory of when you were a child and felt that you weren't being listened to or heard? It is a terrible feeling, even as an adult, but particularly even more frustrating as a child. The effects of not being understood or taken seriously as a child can stay with us for years into our adult years as well.

I found this video on YouTube from a family with a small, young child with a younger baby brother. As a background, the two had been playing together on the bed prior to this video, and his mom kept telling him to be careful with the baby. I'm not exactly sure where the blood came from, but the parents were not concerned when the baby drank water from a cup and had blood around his mouth. The mom took care of her baby, but the baby's older brother was really, really concerned about his younger brother. He honestly believed that his younger brother was hurt. So he tells his daddy about the blood.

Although as parents and adults we may find this video funny, it also has an ironic twist of sadness to it because the child is genuinely concerned and his dad (who is videotaping) can't help from laughing. You can see the anguish on the child's face, the concern for the blood and then you see how the child becomes really frustrated and angry because he is not being heard.

I just thought this was a particularly good video for illustrating the importance of listening to our children, yet also demonstrating our dilemma as parents when we just can't help but laugh at our kids (even when we know it's not the right response). I found myself chuckling at times, but I also felt this child's frustration.

Here's the video: Blood. I'd be interested in knowing what you think.