Sunday, July 13, 2014

Blood on the trampoline

Taking TLM to my mum's place this Sunday is going to be slightly awkward, because of something that happened last Sunday.

For some reason, my niece's best friend has accompanied her to mum's place most Sunday's for the last few months. She's not Chinese and perhaps finds it a novelty to spend time at an elderly Chinese lady's house and eat her food. 

The rest of us don't mind, though it's changed the dynamics between TLM and her cousin - and not just because TLM is more likely to get left out nowadays.

When the three of them go on the trampoline at the same time, it's damned likely that someone will get hurt.

I should have been on the alert a few weeks ago when they all got on there in the dark (post-dinner) and someone landed on her face. But TLM was - amazingly - not badly hurt.

Last Sunday, someone decided to do a handstand while they were on the trampoline. And TLM's face got in the way.

There was so much blood coming out of her nose and mouth. Once we'd got her cleaned up and calmed down enough for a good look, we found a split lip and a gash across her upper gum (right where she was growing two adult teeth).

I was quite angry and worried, but not comfortable with telling off someone is not my child - especially as I didn't see it happen so I couldn't be sure who was at fault. (The lesson here, I think, is that you don't stand behind someone unless they know you're there and you're both participating in some team-building exercise.)

About a week later, I am ready to stop being angry. But it would help a lot if  just this once, a certain person didn't accompany my brother's family to Sunday night dinner.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh gosh!! Poor you! That is really awkward, and I'm sorry to hear about TLM. We always have a rule that no more than two people are allowed on the trampoline at the same time. THe accident will certainly be a good excuse to enforce this new rule. Perhaps that might be a temporary way around it, while you try very hard not to think unpleasant thoughts of a certain person...

Violet said...

yes we used to have a 2 person limit but somehow it got lost - we'll certainly bring it back!

Also, TLM does have an accident-proneness which may well have contributed to what happened - so it's hard to blame the other girl entirely.

Pollyanna_H said...

Still, it's hard not to be angry in the circumstances, no matter how much you would like not to be. And tough for you to have someone who's not part of your family being a regular part of the gatherings .... tricky.

Hope TLM heals quickly and well!

Violet said...

thanks Pollyanna H - she's already over it !