Perils (Ticks and other Dangers)
If you follow my updates or tweets you may have heard that my daughter is prone to picking up ticks when outdoors. I usually find them behind an ear or on the back of her neck, which can make them tricky to remove. Several times she has wound up requiring a local anaesthetic and small cut to remove them. It’s all a little traumatic for a young mum child. Recently she managed to get two ticks within a week of each other, from entirely different locations. She was SO upset when I found the second tick, only seven days after the last encounter with one. So was I.
She just cried and cried while I held her. “Mummy, I think I’ll stay inside forever. I’ll never go to the bush or the rainforest ever again!“ I felt her pain. She loves the rainforest almost as much as I do, but the thought of dealing with ticks every time was too much for her to bear. So at the tender age of four, we had a very serious conversation about how life is full of perils, but they are sometimes worth the risk.
If you go to the rainforest, you might get a tick – but it’s worth the risk. We talked about all the things she loves about the rainforest: seeing amazing plants, hearing beautiful birds, breathing fresh air, discovering hidden waterfalls and enjoying a long walk. We decided a little tick shouldn’t make her miss out on all of those wonderful things.
I think this is a concept we’ll come back to many times as she grows. If you have a go at something new, you might fail, but it’s worth the risk. If you make a friend, they might let you down, but it’s worth the risk. If you fall in love, you might end up with a broken heart, but it’s worth the risk.
What else in life is worth the risk?
Having kids in general. It can be the most heartbreaking, the single hardest thing you’ll ever do but it’s worth it.
.-= Bec @ Bad Mummy´s last blog ..Post starters =-.
Putting yourself out there and being honest with yourself and others!
.-= PlanningQueen´s last blog ..Listening To My Favourite Authors =-.
Love is worth the risk.
Trying a new recipe.
Being friendly instead of shy …
Thanks for this post today. I was planning a post on ticks too as I had one only the other week. Our yard is hardly rural but we have had too many in a short time span. Research has taught us that it’s probably because there is a native bandicoot in our yard – holes everywhere.
I’ve been checking my son daily and just the “checking” routine makes him freak out a little, even though he’s never had one. He’s 2. My son hasn’t made the association with outdoors and ticks. Sadly, it has kept me indoors more.
.-= Brooke´s last blog ..I Might Just Need 5 Saturday Mornings =-.
We get loads of ticks in the bush around our school – mainly the small grass ticks. I did a post a while back that you might find useful on ways to prevent ticks and deal with tick bites:
http://www.progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/02/things-that-bite-and-sting.html
.-= jenny´s last blog ..where oh where has my blogging mojo gone =-.
Starting your our own business, I think. Very scary, but if you believe in yourself, it can be amazing.
.-= Lara from Silk Playground´s last blog ..A superhero cape! =-.
Standing up for what you believe in is worth the risk.
Oh ticks are horrible. I’ve had many run-ins with them over the years, but unfortunately they are part and parcel of the great outdoors (and backyards) at certain times of the year. I love bush walking so ticks are definitely a danger, so are snakes, spiders, and leeches. But this country is so beautiful, it is worth the risk.
And definitely having kids … it’s one big rollercoaster, sometimes it makes you sick but most of the time it’s a fun ride.
.-= MaidInAustralia´s last blog ..Random Act Of Kindness =-.