It's my observation that while all parents worry about their child's safety, each individual parent will have at least one safety concern that borders on the neurotic. For me, it's pedestrian safety, as I described in today's video segment. What is your particular safety concern? The stove, the knife drawer, the toilet (Owen)? And do you find that your spouse finds your fear to be ridiculous, but her own to be perfectly well founded? Speak your fear.

Nice topic! So true!<br><br>My own personal safety phobia is a broken neck. I worry that she is going to tumble headfirst off the bed and break her neck, or that some rough-housing is going to resulting in a twisted neck, etc.. I get really, really nervous when a family friend or extended family member starts holding her upside down, swinging around, etc... Makes me want to puke.<br><br>And....oh yes....my wife mocks me about this...

This may not be purely safety related, but the thing that freaks me out the most: Breathing Problems.<br><br>I can deal broken bones, scrapes, cuts, contusions, lacerations, sprains, bruises, hyper extensions, puking, snot, coughs, pink eye, stomach aches, etc.<br><br>When the bad bronchitis hits and the strider breathing starts scares the shit out of me. Then you get the nebulizer. That's no fun.

Uh...hate to butt in here...but, hello, germs. Duh.

I crossed the border of Neurotic a LOOOONG time ago, so bring it on! HA! The trick is to use your neurosis for good.<br><br>Pedestrian safety will certainly be a focus for my neurosis in the future, no doubt. I absolutely plan to put a high fear of cars into my son. Pedestrians NEVER win that battle. Ever. Another issue will be helmet safety when the boy is skating (hopefully) or bike riding. And having been the one who actually fed him the half-cheerio that he almost choked on, I can also relate to your wife's obsession DaddyClay. It's not as bad now that he has teeth, but it still makes me nervous when eating the lil' snacks.<br><br>I also fear Owen's friends at Child Protective Services. Indy tends to butt things with his head (including Mommy and Daddy heads - ouch), but it never bothers him, though it's put a bruises on his head a couple of times. I'm just waiting for the questions to start... No officer, really, he did that himself! Even knocked ME down with that head butt. Tell it to the judge son. *click of handcuffs*

Re. CPS....It only gets worse once your kid can sorta talk a little bit...<br><br>My daughter told me that mommy boom in car (not true, apparently...I closely inspected exterior of car).<br><br>When Daddy asked her about a scratch on her face, she said: Mommy not nice. When Mommy asked her about a scratch on her face, she said: Daddy not nice.<br><br>The best we can do is be super nice to the childcare providers and hope that they are confident that we are good parents.

LOL. Playing both sides. I see a Law School bill headed for your inbox.

True story...<br><br>When I was a camp counselor during college, we took a group of kids from the inner city on their first, ever, experience outside the city limits. For three nights. In the primitive camping area of a state park. Before we even got to the first night's dinner, an eight year old had a huge welt growing near her eye. Our coordinator sped off with our only vehicle and the child to a hospital an hour away. (This is before wide availability of cell phones.) The child said that her brother has hit her with a belt. It took four hours at the hospital and the girl's grandmother driving to the hospital after the CPS tracked her down in the local community (The girl's family was another hour away.) that they stopped preparing charges against her brother and realized that he was less than a year old. No one had thought to ask.

Is there any such thing as a good CPS story???<br><br>On the flip side of the coin...<br><br>My wife is a public school teacher, and is required, by law, to report any bruises, marks, etc.. that appear on a child and the child reports as inflicted by a parent. If she does not do this, she can be personally sued.<br><br>So...one day a 5-year old kid shows up at school with a welt on his face, with an imprint that looked like a belt buckle. The kid volunteers, without any prompting, that his mom's boyfriend did it. As required by law, my wife reports the incident to CPS, and a case is prepared against the a-hole. As it turns out, a-hole is a wanted felon with an arrest warrant.<br><br>My wife needs to go to court as a witness. I go along for support. First time we go: CPS lawyer doesn't show up. Rescheduled. Second time we go: Defense asks for a continuance. Rescheduled. Third time we go: Settlement is reached. No trial. A-hole Boyfriend still living with kid and brain-dead mother.<br><br>Bottom line: Good parents like us need to worry. Bad parents and felons, no problem.

I fear the freakishly large child at daycare who has repeatedly abused my child. Seriously..she's like 4 months younger than Tyler, but twice the size & still has the features of a baby. Very freaky looking. Is it wrong to teach a 2 year old boy to smack the big, scary, science experiment, looking girl?<br>Of course, he fights back, but then HE gets in trouble? What the????<br><br>Talk about coming home with bruises everyday! CPS should be knocking down our door any time now!

That's awful. Our kid once came home with bite marks. On. His. Head.<br><br>That scared the crap out of me. What kind of kid bites the top of another kid's head?

Ok, so Tyler bites as well, but never caused major damage. Just enough to get himself a timeout or 10.<br>However, this DEMON child bit him twice so hard that he is still showing bruises from Halloween day. AND, she scratched down the side of his face so bad it was bleeding for over an hour afterwards. And, that mark is still there as well.<br>I haven't checked the top of his head yet. Hmmm....I wonder?<br>I realize kids this age are terrible with biting & hitting, but isn't it about time to perform an exorcism on the evil child?

Ooops.....forgot to mention this other major phobia that I have: My wife and daughter getting into a car accident while I am at home sitting around in my underwear.<br><br>Naturally, I always must drive the car on all family outings (standard procedure for most guys, is it not?). So that's no problem at all. Instead, I worry about those outings where I should have been driving and safely chaperoning my wife and child, but instead was at home, derelicting my driving duty, for no good reason.

Remember, just because you are in the drivers seat doesn't mean it won't happen though. But I suppose you won't be in just your underwear. Just thought I'd stir your neurosis pot a bit. <br><br>I'm working hard to change Driver Nik into a much more pleasant, more attentive, and even better driver. (And yes, I really AM a better driver than 99% of the people out there. I can legitimately claim that with two words: Turning Signals. Thank you very much.)

As I like to remind my wife (constantly)....<br><br>I drove in both the NASCAR Tom Petty race car driving experience AND I learned how to race Shelby Cobras around a road track for two days in some God-forsaken place in Canada. Thus....I can legitimately claim to be a trained race car driver. I have plunged toward the edge of driving calamity multiple times, and always returned safely.<br><br>Additionally....in the very unlikely case that my arrogance gets the best of me, we both drive Volvos.<br><br>(No need to be a wise-ass and point out that you got broad-sided through no fault of your own a few months ago).

....except for that one time when I hit a deer in the mountains....

I think we're on the same good natured ribbing page, but just in case - I wasn't sayin' you were arrogant, just sayin' as careful as we can be, and some fknut can still destroy your day... As if you (me too) weren't paranoid enough already... Just pokin'. No harm meant.

Dude, don't get all touchy-feely on me. I know you meant it good-naturedly.<br><br>And even if you were mocking, I'm an arrogant bastard and I know it....actually, I revel in it.

But I AM sensitive! DAMMIT! That's it. I'm goin' home. <br><br>Besides, bein' a wise-ass is better than bein' a dumb-ass, right, wise-ass? <br><br>Ok, I'm done. *tee hee*

I also have to agree that I am scared about my wife and daughter being off on a drive and them getting into an accident. I'm not even worried because I'm not driving. My wife is probably a better driver than me. It is just because I wouldn't be there if it happened.<br><br>However possibly more than that I am worried about the potential boyfriend my daughter may bring home. I mean if you think about it that could be a major safety concern. I already picture myself in my wife beater in black socks holding a rifle asking him what his intentions are. Probably won't get to that point. Probably won't

One of my biggest fear is my kids getting ran over while someone backs out of their driveway. We are always riding up and down the sidewalk and I just vision someone backing out and running over them.<br><br>This is one of those fears that wouldn't have even been on our radar but a friend of ours younger brother died this way.<br><br>Also I am freaked out about the kids being outside when I am mowing the lawn. A childhood friend lost his leg when he slipped while running to his dad while mowing.<br><br>Does anyone's wife do this? Whenever I am outside working with some sort of machine (lawn mower, weed wacker or post digger) my wife seems to think I am also able to watch our three kids? She always send them outside whenever I am outside. I can barely keep them from getting hurt when I am completely focused on them.

This is a great topic. Nice to hear other people have various things they are literally phobic about! <br><br>Personal Safety phobia- Bath time/water/burning. I will not let anyone literally take their eyes off my son. The switching of the eyes have to happen if I want to feel comfortable. I freak out when I hear my husband open the bathroom door and call out to me. I'm all eyes!!!.. he could turn on the water and kill himself instantly with scalding water!

After watching this episode my Wife insisted I come here and confess my paranoia.<br><br>Since the moment she got pregnant to today I am afraid of everything. Every single thing. The way I held my son when he was a newborn, to him getting bumps and bruises. I am a worry wort.<br><br>Probably my biggest thing is environmental toxins, especially lead exposure. Even though we have a house with no lead paint and try to buy only decent quality toys, I still worry anytime he puts anything in his mouth.

Oh crap, I see a stressful life ahead of you man!

<br> I'm pretty sure the majority of us 1st time parents are there with ya! I have definately eased up a LOT now that Tyler's almost 2, however I still am pretty paranoid about 90% of the world surrounding my 'baby'.<br><br> He had a temperature of 103 the other day & I actually stayed calm and didn't even call the nurse/doctor this time. I gave him the 1-2 punch of Tylenol and Motrin that we have all come to know so well. His fever broke and all is well again. If this had happened 6 months ago, I would have called everyone shy of the National Guard to determine what was wrong.<br><br> I guess it's one of those things that all 'seasoned' parents tell me all the time, you will always worry about something bad happeneing to your kids, but you just get more accustomed to it over time and almost always they will be ok as long as we keep an eye on them best we can.<br><br> ? Reply to This<br>