Nothing's Worse Than Hearing Your Child Cry, Knowing Something Terrible Happened

In other words: god damnit, my daughter broke her arm.

Photo by Tom Claes on Unsplash

If you’re a parent, you know the difference between crying and crying. The former is something you might roll your eyes at, expressing comfort but mouthing to your partner “they’re being dramatic.” The latter is when your heart sinks and your stomach twists in knots, because you know that this time, something is wrong.

Last week, as the corner of my eye caught my five-year-old falling off a small inflatable slide, I waited to hear what happened next. It’s like anticipating a thunder clap after lightning. Often, my youngest will shout “I’m okay!” when a fall happens; she seems to instinctively recognize that other people are about to ask if she’s alright.

That’s when the streaming started—and when I knew she was not alright.