I’ve always wondered about kids’ obsession with Band-Aids. At my house, we go through about two boxes of Band-Aids a week, using them for every little mark my daughters get on their bodies. They try to mend everything with a Band-Aid – including holes in their socks – even though I’ve explained to my 5-year-old year old, Sofia, that colorful Band-Aids don’t fix everything. Or do they?
A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting on the floor, playing with my 1-year-old daughter, Olivia. I twisted my body to grab a toy, heard a loud snap in my left knee and felt sharp pain that sparked every nerve in my body.
I couldn’t move. I couldn’t lift my leg. I couldn’t bear the pain. Sofia rushed to get me a colorful cartoon Band-Aid. I wished that a simple Band-Aid could fix my knee, but doctors confirmed my worst fear: I had torn the meniscus tissue in my knee and needed surgery immediately. I was ordered to move around on crutches for eight weeks.
Surgery? Crutches? There’s no way I have time for it! Like many moms, I live my life in the fast lane, running around with the kids, managing family schedules, immersed in my work at NBC4, planning meals while fostering my relationships – whew! I felt frustrated that this had happened and anxious about the amount of time I’d need to slow down and recover.
Slowing down is not most moms’ method of operation, but it can be a real eye opener to embrace the idea that we don’t need to be productive every minute of every day. So, as I recovered, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I learned about myself in the slow lane. While away from work and recovering in bed, I watched TV, read a magazine, spoke with friends and extended family, cleaned out my email inbox, finished Sofia’s baby-photo book and even watched “The Sound of Music” uninterrupted with my daughters. We also played doctor and patient – you guessed it – using endless colorful Band-Aids. Overfilling my schedule and speeding through life didn’t seem that necessary as I let others take care of me, doing things like carrying a glass of water for me while I hopped around on crutches.
As parents, we give so much of ourselves to everyone else that sometimes we forget to leave something for us. At first, eight weeks on crutches sounded incredibly inconvenient, but it made me appreciate certain moments in my life and a slower lifestyle. I’ve also embraced colorful Band-Aids of all shapes and sizes as my daughters helped change my bandages. Those moments remind me to slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy feeling like I’m living and not just surviving.
Disclaimer: NBC4 does not endorse any brand of adhesive bandages.
Daniella Guzman is the anchor on NBC4 Southern California’s “Today in LA” weekday morning newscast, 4:30-7 a.m. A mother of two, Daniella’s column, “On the Record,” brings her views on parenting, fun family activities and her take on work-life balance. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daniellanbcla.
