The kids will be all right

Science News:

As I was getting Baby V into the car recently, she pointed to her arm and said, “Owie! Bit!” Sure enough, she had the angry red imprint of a snack-sized mouth on her arm. It turns out she had tangled with a little boy who used his teeth to make his point.

I know that biting is a totally normal way for a frustrated kid to communicate. And I know that Baby V has probably gotten her fair share of licks in. In the grand scheme of things, this bite is really no big deal. But moments like these remind me of one of the most terrifying parts of being a parent: As much as I want to, I can’t always protect my kid from bad things.

That fundamental truth shifts my focus away from trying to insulate my daughter from all of the cruel parts of the world to figuring out how to help her handle them and move forward. How do I help my kid bounce back from inevitable pain, both small and large?

Read the whole story: Science News