Cry Baby
One of the many acquired skills of motherhood is how you can discern the needs of a situation by the mere sound of a child’s cry. Part superpower, part June Cleaver, part neurosis. How many distinct variations on bawling can there be, you may ponder?
The answer: a lot.
There’s the really hurt cry, complete with tears and silent screams, which of course requires immediate attention. Beyond that, the speed at which most sobs are dealt with fall into a set your own pace category. Do you really wish to waste energy on an I’m only faking it cry or a jealous cry or the ever popular she took my toy cry or even a he’s hitting me in the head with a plastic spoon cry? How about the how dare she close the bathroom door cry? Or the I want a cookie cry? Or an I want to be picked up right this very second I said NOW cry? Choose your battles, people. The little stamina you have left will be put to greater use later on, believe me.
Like when you’re attempting to refrain your daredevil son from obtaining the really hurt cry, which is a full-time day-long job in itself.
It’s possible I may have also let out a Mommy’s frustrated cry. Maybe. On occasion.
I'm Crystal. A 30-something mom to 3 young kids living in the Midwest USA. When I'm not chasing my children, I'm a freelance writer and web designer. I like to tell stories from our days and share what we enjoy...
2 Responses
on July 10 2009
So this Mommy thing gets more difficult? I’m noticing a downward spiral of a trend here. See, at 2-8 weeks I could tell if Zoey was hungry, had gas, was bored and was lonely by her cries alone. After 8 weeks it all went out the window and most of her cries are starting to sound the same/run together. I usually can tell for sure if she is bored or hungry but half the time I am shoving things into her mouth one by one until I get the right one.
.-= Candace´s latest blog post… A beautiful smile =-.
on July 10th, 2009
@Candace, In my experience, babies are actually harder to tell the difference. As they get older, the tone and volume is much easier to tell apart. If it gets really really loud, with many of those silent screams in between, you know you have to get on the situation immediately. Other than that, it’s pretty much a case by case scenario.