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Great-Grandma Doesn’t Call For An Ambulance After 3-Month-Old Ends Up Being Dropped Down The Stairs, Furious Mother Teaches Her A Lesson
If you give each person a dollar for every time they brushed off a bruise or a bump as if it will just go away, you’d have enough to buy yourself a book. And while this is a somewhat okay attitude on a personal level, you shouldn’t expect people to shower you with trust if that’s your motto for everything and everyone.
As u/justdoingmybest93 tells in her ‘Am I The [Jerk]‘ story, this was the exact case with her husband’s grandmother who didn’t scream ‘role model babysitter’ because of her “everything will work out fine” attitude. After receiving an alarming phone call from her about “a bit of a tumble” the author’s baby had while under grandma’s supervision, her motherly senses said to get a professional opinion instead of downplaying it, like the husband’s nana did.
However, despite everything turning out okay in the end, grandma’s blasé right-in-the-face attitude was the last straw for the already tolerant mother. So, in the style of her grandmother-in-law, the author exaggerated a few details in the doctor’s report to teach her a lesson – something that some family members thought was over the line. And what’s a better way to settle this than to bring the case before the all-knowing ‘AITA’ community.
RELATED:
After witnessing how careless her husband’s grandma was with their newborn’s health, this mother decided to teach her a lesson
Image credits: Image-Source (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Pavel Danilyuk (not the actual photo)
Image credits: justdoingmybest93
While it is widely acknowledged that the grandmother’s choice to downplay the newborn’s injury was irresponsible, the truth is that people engage in such behavior on a regular basis. A notable example is observed during the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, where researchers discovered that many individuals willingly minimized their symptoms to justify their participation in activities they cherished.
Similarly, throughout history, people have routinely downplayed the seriousness of their symptoms when interacting with healthcare professionals, often driven by fear of potential changes in medication or unfavorable diagnoses. According to recent data, as many as nearly half of individuals are inclined to provide inaccurate information about their symptoms.
“Health checkups can be very aversive first because they can be uncomfortable, they are typically inconvenient and we can fear the results,” Tim Pychyl, a recently retired psychology professor at Carleton University and the author of ‘Solving the Procrastination Puzzle,’ told Bored Panda in an email. “We cope with this aversiveness with avoidance.” Simply put: running away from the problem.
But it’s not only fear that can motivate downplaying health-related problems – our dear friend procrastination, or “the voluntary delay of an intended action despite expecting to be worse off for the delay,” also plays a big part in this, Pychyl says.
“Our research showed that uncertainty is highly correlated with procrastination. When we’re not sure how to proceed, we’re more likely to procrastinate,” he explained. In the context of health, uncertainty often arises regarding the urgency of addressing our health concerns, the timing of appointments, and even the choice of healthcare provider. All these factors collectively contribute to a tendency to procrastinate. A particular study suggests that a significant proportion, or as many as 1-in-5 adults, can be classified as “chronic procrastinators.”
Also, looking at our scenario from a different angle, there’s a case to be made that the mother, while being absolutely right, might have been overly protective of her child. Commonly, most new moms go through this in the early stages of motherhood, becoming increasingly protective of their little ones. And that’s absolutely fine. Except when it goes way beyond a child’s formative years.
“Over-protectiveness prevents the child from experiencing challenging situations which offer the opportunity to develop new skills,” Daniel S. Lobel, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Katonah, New York, explained to Bored Panda. An overprotective or ‘helicopter’ parent, as some like to call them, can, for example, prevent their kid from going to sleepaway summer camp due to the parent’s need to supervise the child and keep him/her/them safe.
“The child is then deprived of this opportunity to develop social skills with peers in novel situations and will likely cause the child to be fearful and inhibited when these skills are needed later in life, such as when entering new schools or attending birthday parties, etc. This fear and inhibition can extend throughout the lifespan.”
Furthermore, while social pressure from other parents can play a role, Lobel argues that it is crucial to allow children to grapple with challenges “as this helps the child build frustration tolerance, which makes them more able to take on challenges throughout their lifetime.”
Unanimously, people thought that the mother was within her full rights to teach her husband’s grandma a lesson
What do you think ?
rullyman 2 years ago
Okay so OP may have "lied" with her response, but the great grandmother answered the phone with "he's fine, isn't he?" And the answer to that was "NO HE HAS A FRACTURED SKULL". That's a serious condition for anyone of any age!
Bunzilla 2 years ago
"No, he has a fractured skull, and your delaying calling an ambulance could have cost him his life or caused lifelong disability." That's pretty freaking serious.
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Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
"Oh, he's fine, he just fell on his head!" are words I've heard as a medical doctor, to dismiss complaints of pain from infants, children, teens, adults, elderly adults, random strangers. Guess what? A head injury can be lethal. It can cause permanent damage that might not show up for *years*. Great-Grandma needed a reality check. Soft skulls and impact are a bad combo.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
When my uncle was nearing 70yo, he stood up too fast, took two steps, and passed out, falling like a felled tree onto his forehead. He lived for several years after that, but his entire personality was erased. He didn't recognize us, and had his mental capacity reduced from "adult with a PhD" to a 5yo. There is LOADS of grey area between life and death, and a LOT of it is horrible.
Load More Replies...
Lolly Gagger 2 years ago
Ok, I thought I was blasé about injuries. I have always been an “it’ll be right” type of person. I’m and RN and my children practically have to be dying before I take them to the hospital. But EVEN I would have RACED a 3mo with a head injury to hospital without batting an eyelid or stopping for breath. I think this woman has lost her marbles. I don’t think she needed to be “punished” - she needs supervision, not to be left alone with children and possibly some psychometric testing or dementia assessment.
Katie Lutesinger 2 years ago
The kid could have DIED. Being made to feel bad is the least of what this fool deserves. I've heard of so many cases where even grown adults in good health shrugged off a head injury as no big deal, only to collapse a few hours later. One case was a child whose PE teacher had not supplied him with a helmet during an activity in which he absolutely should have been wearing one, and after he got clocked in the head she downplayed the whole incident - all while the kid's brain was steadily bleeding away in there. The kid lived, but with permanent brain damage.
CatLady 2 years ago
Take it from someone who did not get proper treatment for head injuries as a child... SHE IS A MENACE! Shrugging off childhood injuries has lifelong consequences. Granny was so horribly out of line she should never be around children again. Her feelings don't matter for s**t. The child's life and health does. Granny is part of a generation that often did sacrifice a child's health, well-being, etc. as to not cause problems in the family or to save face or placate someone's ego. Kids should NEVER have to pay the price for adults' mistakes, though most of them pay heavy ones. The world needs to stop seeing children's well-being as a necessary sacrifice for adult convenience.
Janet Howe 2 years ago
You are so right. Granny may come from an era when no one recognized the potential danger of head injuries. People were told to get up "shrug it off" and walk away. In my generation, If you were lucky, you might have been given an ice bag to put on the "goose egg." Look what we've just learned in the past 20-25 years about concussions in football players. Players would make light of it just to get back in the game sooner. But that's a conscious decision they make as an adult. And they were fortunate enough to have helmets. A baby must rely on the common sense of their caregiver. Which granny was sadly lacking in this situation. Thank goodness mom recognized it. Just because you can't see that injury, doesn't mean it's not there. A brain knocked back and forth within the scull is dangerous for anyone, let alone a tiny baby. I hope the parents continually monitor that child for cognitive development. Again, thank you for sharing your story.
Load More Replies...
Deborah B 2 years ago
"He has a skull-fracture, and delaying getting him to the hospital could have killed him or left him permanently disabled." Should have been enough to give this crazy person a reality check. If she was still making light of it, then definately go with scaring some sense into her. I would also recommend having great-grandma assessed by a neurologist, because being that unconcerned about dropping an infant down the stairs is very abnormal, and could be a sign that there is something going on with her.
Monday 2 years ago
Could just be a "sign of the times" thing. Old people were raised differently and think differently as a result. Today we rush kids to a hospital when they break a bone, 50/60 years ago you'd have been told to rub some dirt on it and move on. It's an issue of course, people need to adapt to the times they live in, but it doesn't mean the old folks have a neurological issue.
Load More Replies...
Toxic 2 years ago
The great grandmother does have a bit of s point that babies are a lot tougher than we think. But she should have not downplayed it and should have taken him to the hospital. I always worry so much when my 19 month old brother hits his head (even though 99% of the time he's fine) I can't imagine how you wouldn't worry about that unless you don't really care
Ron Baza 2 years ago (edited)
Cats are pretty safe; don’t go in a cage with a hungry lion though. Cars are pretty safe; don’t run towards oncoming traffic that’s going at 10mph. Babies are tougher than we think; if you don’t call an ambulance after dropping them head first you are an imbecile and should not be trusted with children.
Load More Replies...
Captain Kyra 2 years ago
This Great-gma has not kept updated on child care, she doesn't even sound like she heard of shaken baby syndrome. She should absolutely be afraid of the damage done.
Pandapoo 2 years ago
I think she should have just told the GG that he had a fractured skull (not the might not make it part), but I understand why she was upset.
CatLady 2 years ago
That might have worked. Or Granny might have still shrugged that off. She seemed, to me, to be utterly determined to acknowledge that she'd actually harmed the child. Her reaction to finding out it was a lie is the most telling - she's playing victim and still cares more about her ego than an infant's life.
Load More Replies... rullyman 2 years ago
Okay so OP may have "lied" with her response, but the great grandmother answered the phone with "he's fine, isn't he?" And the answer to that was "NO HE HAS A FRACTURED SKULL". That's a serious condition for anyone of any age!
Bunzilla 2 years ago
"No, he has a fractured skull, and your delaying calling an ambulance could have cost him his life or caused lifelong disability." That's pretty freaking serious.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 2 years ago
"Oh, he's fine, he just fell on his head!" are words I've heard as a medical doctor, to dismiss complaints of pain from infants, children, teens, adults, elderly adults, random strangers. Guess what? A head injury can be lethal. It can cause permanent damage that might not show up for *years*. Great-Grandma needed a reality check. Soft skulls and impact are a bad combo.
Nikki Sevven 2 years ago
When my uncle was nearing 70yo, he stood up too fast, took two steps, and passed out, falling like a felled tree onto his forehead. He lived for several years after that, but his entire personality was erased. He didn't recognize us, and had his mental capacity reduced from "adult with a PhD" to a 5yo. There is LOADS of grey area between life and death, and a LOT of it is horrible.
Load More Replies... Lolly Gagger 2 years ago
Ok, I thought I was blasé about injuries. I have always been an “it’ll be right” type of person. I’m and RN and my children practically have to be dying before I take them to the hospital. But EVEN I would have RACED a 3mo with a head injury to hospital without batting an eyelid or stopping for breath. I think this woman has lost her marbles. I don’t think she needed to be “punished” - she needs supervision, not to be left alone with children and possibly some psychometric testing or dementia assessment.
Katie Lutesinger 2 years ago
The kid could have DIED. Being made to feel bad is the least of what this fool deserves. I've heard of so many cases where even grown adults in good health shrugged off a head injury as no big deal, only to collapse a few hours later. One case was a child whose PE teacher had not supplied him with a helmet during an activity in which he absolutely should have been wearing one, and after he got clocked in the head she downplayed the whole incident - all while the kid's brain was steadily bleeding away in there. The kid lived, but with permanent brain damage.
CatLady 2 years ago
Take it from someone who did not get proper treatment for head injuries as a child... SHE IS A MENACE! Shrugging off childhood injuries has lifelong consequences. Granny was so horribly out of line she should never be around children again. Her feelings don't matter for s**t. The child's life and health does. Granny is part of a generation that often did sacrifice a child's health, well-being, etc. as to not cause problems in the family or to save face or placate someone's ego. Kids should NEVER have to pay the price for adults' mistakes, though most of them pay heavy ones. The world needs to stop seeing children's well-being as a necessary sacrifice for adult convenience.
Janet Howe 2 years ago
You are so right. Granny may come from an era when no one recognized the potential danger of head injuries. People were told to get up "shrug it off" and walk away. In my generation, If you were lucky, you might have been given an ice bag to put on the "goose egg." Look what we've just learned in the past 20-25 years about concussions in football players. Players would make light of it just to get back in the game sooner. But that's a conscious decision they make as an adult. And they were fortunate enough to have helmets. A baby must rely on the common sense of their caregiver. Which granny was sadly lacking in this situation. Thank goodness mom recognized it. Just because you can't see that injury, doesn't mean it's not there. A brain knocked back and forth within the scull is dangerous for anyone, let alone a tiny baby. I hope the parents continually monitor that child for cognitive development. Again, thank you for sharing your story.
Load More Replies... Deborah B 2 years ago
"He has a skull-fracture, and delaying getting him to the hospital could have killed him or left him permanently disabled." Should have been enough to give this crazy person a reality check. If she was still making light of it, then definately go with scaring some sense into her. I would also recommend having great-grandma assessed by a neurologist, because being that unconcerned about dropping an infant down the stairs is very abnormal, and could be a sign that there is something going on with her.
Monday 2 years ago
Could just be a "sign of the times" thing. Old people were raised differently and think differently as a result. Today we rush kids to a hospital when they break a bone, 50/60 years ago you'd have been told to rub some dirt on it and move on. It's an issue of course, people need to adapt to the times they live in, but it doesn't mean the old folks have a neurological issue.
Load More Replies... Toxic 2 years ago
The great grandmother does have a bit of s point that babies are a lot tougher than we think. But she should have not downplayed it and should have taken him to the hospital. I always worry so much when my 19 month old brother hits his head (even though 99% of the time he's fine) I can't imagine how you wouldn't worry about that unless you don't really care
Ron Baza 2 years ago (edited)
Cats are pretty safe; don’t go in a cage with a hungry lion though. Cars are pretty safe; don’t run towards oncoming traffic that’s going at 10mph. Babies are tougher than we think; if you don’t call an ambulance after dropping them head first you are an imbecile and should not be trusted with children.
Load More Replies... Captain Kyra 2 years ago
This Great-gma has not kept updated on child care, she doesn't even sound like she heard of shaken baby syndrome. She should absolutely be afraid of the damage done.
Pandapoo 2 years ago
I think she should have just told the GG that he had a fractured skull (not the might not make it part), but I understand why she was upset.
CatLady 2 years ago
That might have worked. Or Granny might have still shrugged that off. She seemed, to me, to be utterly determined to acknowledge that she'd actually harmed the child. Her reaction to finding out it was a lie is the most telling - she's playing victim and still cares more about her ego than an infant's life.
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