… funny.
Had dinner with in-laws tonight.
I have no idea how the topic came up, but a very smart 6+ year old male informed me: “Children are free.” When I inquired: “How so?” He continued on: “Well, mommies just drop them out.”
(Good thing I wasn’t drinking or it would have been a “beverage through the nose” moment.)
I would have liked to hear more of his wisdom, but Mommy and Daddy piled on.
“What about diapers?” “What about food and fun?”
He was defending gallantly. “You get diapers free at the hospital.” Followed by: “Parents have to eat and do stuff anyway.”
He was overwhelmed. But it was cute and I thought very astute. The first vestiges of real thought. Plus I really wanted to hear more about how they “just drop out”.
BTW, when I did the USAF emergency air medicine course, a tough old Master Sargent and a young shiny butter bar LT / doc, described how, in the unlikely case of an emergency delivery, we were instructed in the emergencies we could handle. Assuming that “there are NO REAL people available”! (We weren’t considered to be very valuable.) A lot of the course was an emphasis on not screwing things up. For example, in the absence of sterile sheets, we’re to use clean newspaper. For example, in the absence on antiseptic, we were to “scrub up” with anything, but check with the pilot and / or the flight master, some one will have flask. For example, in a breech birth, push the baby back and turn it head first. For example, a tangled cord has to be cut and clamped at both ends and use anything sterile to clamp. The pièce de résistance of the whole day was his description of a normal birth. “Listen morons, if you’re lucky, then all you’ll have to do is stand by and catch the baby as it just drops out“.
Funny to hear the words of a crusty old USAF Sargent repeated by a very smart 6+ year old. Guess you had to be in both places to enjoy the serendipity.
I always wished I got a chance to deliver a baby. Came close twice, but no cigar. Should I put that on my bucket list.
# – # – # – # – # 2011-Apr-07 @ 20:55
Posted by reinkefj 
Reinke Faces Life 