Distraction from pain

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We came home today and I was in a rush to run inside and turn the oven on. As I was going back outside, I heard LB screaming. She had her finger caught in the headrest for the seat. I retrieved her finger which looked pinched and took her inside. She was in pain and saying she wanted something on it (we have a choice of things to put on owies). The oil didn’t work and she was unwilling to try the warm water that Thomas suggested.

She cried and cried and cried. Finally I sat down and she nursed for a bit, let go and continued to cry some more. She said it was still hurting – she wanted it to stop. I sat her down on the potty as per her request.

During this time PM kept asking if she was better and if it stopped hurting. On the potty she was still crying though somewhat less. PM got down on her level and talked with her. He was talking about the ‘copper’ and rocks we had collected on our walk earlier on and about the things they could do with them. He convinced her to put on shorts with pockets and go outside with him to use the rocks and copper and trucks. He gave her a selection of rocks to put in her pockets.

She was calm and put the proper shorts on after he went and got them for her and I was just so impressed. The way he was speaking to her, bringing her back in, offering her empathy, and getting her interested in something outside of the pain. They played happily outside for a while and nothing more was mentioned of her hurting finger. I was very grateful for PM’s distraction and way of dealing with her (and I did thank him for it later on). Sometimes it works.

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