"Boys, calm down! You're running too fast!"

wait for it...

wait for it....

"BANG!"..... "Sorry" (in sing-songy voice)..... silence.... "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Dad goes around corner to asses the damage...
"Oh my G_ _ !" (we don't normally every take the Lord's name in vein - but this was a stunner)

3 year old has gash on his head above his eye brown.

6 year old feels terrible and starts to cry when he sees that his 'tag' sent his brother into the door frame and the door frame into his brother's head.

Dad puts pressure on wound. I call doctor.
We leave for the ER.
4 + hours we come back home with 3 stitches and two very tired children. (and one very tired Dad).

Now all in all, our ER experience was fine. You can never go to an ER and expect to be in and out. Not in these here parts any how. We were there for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours (the rest was commuting time).

Our children I am happy to report, were actually very well behaved!! We went prepared though with books, Leapster, snacks, action figures and play dough. Yes, play dough!! They have a kids table, and if it makes them happy for a little while, I'm all for it!!

Some other families unfortunately, weren't so well stocked. We must realize however, that in some cases, due to the nature of the ER visit, the families just bolted out of their homes. Some were single moms doing the best they could to bring junior along kicking and screaming and so forth. We were happy to have little ones join us for story time and were glad to lend out a book.
And as stated in an earlier post (support), we need to just support each other as parents, and not be so quick to judge anyone who simply doesn't do things they way we do it.

So with that, I'll keep my musings to myself - except on one point.

One woman who had brought little "Johnny" to the ER on her own, really didn't show much consideration for other patients or even for her own child. She let her child run amok (ok, many kids were running all around. To a certain extent, they are kids and so that's going to happen). Where her story really varies from the rest of the crowd however, is in the fact that she kept allowing Johnny to go up to one gentleman in particular.
This man had on a bracelet, meaning, he was himself there to be seen. He was as the song goes, "A whiter shade of pale". He was lounging on the seat in such a way that showed he had absolutely no energy (which was further confirmed as he took himself into the exam room). And.. he was a stranger.
Yet, with all this, Johnny's mother thought it was not only perfectly acceptable to let him bother the man, she actually was enjoying watching it. At least, that's how I took the dreamy smile on her face as she took it all in.
Johnny was having a great time running 2 rows away from mom and then taking a running leap up onto the seat next to the man. Then jumping up and down while holding onto the mans arm which had been resting on the back of the couch. He then proceeded to kick the man, give him a 'high five' on the back of the man's hand. Yell and laugh loudly right into the man's face and so forth.
Lets just forget for a moment that this man may actually have feelings or that he has a right to sit there without being accosted by little Johnny, because this clearly was of no concern to the mother, however, what about Johnny? Didn't she think for a moment that her young man could catch whatever this gentleman had by touching him and getting right into his face? Who was this man? Was he mentally stable? Let's face it, he could have just snapped and shoved the little cherub out of his face or really hollered at him.
No worries! He wasn't bothering her for that time, so she just sat back and enjoyed the view.

So my point is this: I don't care what your parenting style is: laid back, 'helicopter', somewhere in the middle - whatever. If it works for you and your family, great!! But goodness gracious, show a little bit of judgement and compassion for those around you! No one should have to deal with a strangers child being all over them, especially when they are already clearly feeling terrible!

On a happier note:
My son had male nurse 'McDreamy' in the ER. I'm just sayin'.....