Monday, July 9, 2012

Trashed - Parenting Plights & Delights



This is one of my favorite parenting stories. It happened years ago when my sister, Cindy, was eight months pregnant with her second child. Her hormones were raging and she'd cry over any little thing. 

On a hot summer day, she relaxed on her front porch as she watched her two-year-old son (Soldier) help her husband, Jim, with his yard work. Soldier helped his dad roll the huge trashcan across the lawn. It was provided by the city, the kind with a heavy lid that hangs down when it's open. The lid almost scrapes the ground when you roll it at an angle. 

Suddenly, Jim disappeared. Cindy noticed the trashcan had fallen onto its side. She wondered what in the world was going on. Then she noticed Jim's foot sticking out and wiggling. He slowly emerged, crawling backwards on his hands and knees. He had tripped on the lid and fallen face down into the trashcan. 

Cindy busted up, laughing hysterically. As hard as she tried, she couldn't get a grip, and tears poured down her face. Then she noticed a cut on Jim's leg. Her normal response would be to get a bandage for him, but the hormones fueled her laugh attack so it mounted with greater intensity. 

Knowing Jim wouldn't appreciate her laughing at him, she went into the house to calm down. After five minutes of sidesplitting laughter, the thought occurred to her that all that laughing might trigger labor. 

That thought, plus the realization that Jim might get mad at her, sobered her up in an instant. Cindy's hormones did an about-face, she cried uncontrollably, sobs racking her body. 

Soon Jim and Soldier walked into the kitchen and stared as she wailed loudly. One look at their puzzled faces and Cindy's crying fit turned into screams of laughter. 

Jim didn't get mad and Cindy carried the baby full term. She had a boy, who I call Joker, and he ended up with a wonderful sense of humor!

Do you have a parenting or grandparenting memory
or another story you'd like to share? 

If you're not a parent, memories from your own childhood count, too.
(Or another family member's or a friend's story) 


Warning: I might feature your story in a future post. 

(Names can be changed to protect the guilty!)

I'd like to thank all those who have shared their stories. 
These posts wouldn't be the same without your input.

If you don't want to leave a comment but would rather contact me by email, 
here's my address: lynkelwoohoo at yahoo dot com.

A version of this story originally appeared in The Highland Community News in April 1998.








16 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Funny story! And the last thing I'd want to do is fall in a trashcan.

Bish Denham said...

What a hoot! I take the cut wasn't serious.

cleemckenzie said...

First you seem 'em and then you don't! That had to be very funny. Glad it promoted the full-term birth of a healthy, good humored child.

Clare said...

Fantastic story, thanks for sharing.

Old Kitty said...

Awwwwww!! And LOL!! Yay for hormones and healthy babies! :-) Take care
x

LynNerdKelley said...

Alex - No kidding, I wouldn't want to fall into a trashcan either, but better one with grass clippings than garbage!

Bish - No, the cut wasn't serious. Good thing!

Lee - Yes, it had to be a strange moment. She looked away, then poof! He was gone!

Clare - Thank you!

OC - Hahaha! Aw, those playful little hormones! Argh!

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh! What is my excuse? I often laugh at my husband when I should be helping him out of the proverbial trash can. Hahaha! Poor guy!
I was afraid he had broken a leg! Good thing he wasn't stomping down rose bushes. OUCH!
Great story! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Funny story Lynn :) What I would love to know is where the sense of humour started? Was it from Mum, or was he transferring humour from within the womb to her?

Coleen Patrick said...

I love a good belly busting laugh like that--I also would have worried about labor! :) Great story Lynn!

Sheila Seabrook said...

I have no traumatic hormonal stories to share, Lynn, but if I saw my hubby do a nose dive into the trash can, I'd be having fits of laughter too. Great story!

Ruth Schiffmann said...

You're such a good storyteller, Lynn. This one's a hoot!

Jennette Marie Powell said...

My brother was maybe five when he firsf attempted to make up a story: "Todd in the Trash." In it, a storm was coming up, and my brother's friend across the street was trying to collect the trash cans before they blew away. Only a trash can caught Todd, so he went rolling down the street and around the block - in the trash can. Not bad for a 5yo, huh? :)

LynNerdKelley said...

Susie - I think we all laugh sometimes at our spouses, as long as they're not hurt bad! Of course, we can't let them see us! LOL!

Alarna - That's a great question! Joker got the sense of humor from his mum. Pretty much everyone in my family is a practical joker or clowner! I have a really funny parenting story for Halloween about a prank she pulled a few years ago. She needs to send me a photo to go with it, though. I've been bugging her to get a picture for me ever since she pulled the prank!

LynNerdKelley said...

Coleen - I live for those belly laughs! They sure do a body good! Haha!

Sheila - I'm sure I'd bust up if that happened to my hubby, too, as long as he didn't get hurt bad!

Ruth - Aw, thank you!

Jennette - That's a great story that your brother came up with, and it's amazing that he thought of it as a 5-year-old! I think it would make a great picture book! No kidding! LOL!

Pat O'Dea Rosen said...

I remember the emotional roller coaster that is pregnancy. Your sister makes me think of the phrase, "I didn't know whether to laugh or cry." She did both.

I have two of those giant city-issued rolling trash cans--one is bright green and just for recyclables. I'm crazy about them. Is that a sign I need to get out more?

nutschell said...

haha! Funny story! Now that's what you call a mood swing :)
Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com