October 20, 2014
Child Reported Abuse


Years ago, my then 4-year-old fell and scraped his forehead while horsing around with his 6-year-old brother in the basement. It was not deep scrape, but healed into a bright pink scar, which eventually disappeared. 

Six months after it occurred, my sister-in-law asked him how he got that scar on his forehead and to my shock, he paused a moment, then answered, "My mom hit me." I exclaimed I had not, that he fell. I have no idea if my SIL believed me or not, but a few days later I remembered something. We had a workman, a spirited younger brother of a colleague of my hubby, putting an egress window in the basement the day my boy was hurt.  Upon seeing my son, jokingly teased and asked him, "What happened to your head? Did your mom HIT you?"  Six months later, my 4-year-old boy remembered the comment, not what actually occurred. If he had said it to a teacher instead of my SIL, I would have probably been in court. Little kids may not lie, but they don't always remember things as they happened.  Like in post-op, they don't remember the pre-op info, only what they thought about what they heard. Just a cautionary thought. 

Love you. 

Kathryn


Posted by Staff at 10:58 AM