It was a typical Friday evening. After a long week at work, I arrived home to find my husband, a dedicated stay-at-home dad, looking thoroughly worn out from entertaining our rambunctious 2-year-old. As I unloaded groceries from the car, he promptly declared that he was ready to recharge with a much-needed nap.
Being the supermom I strive to be, I had already anticipated this moment and snagged a rotisserie chicken from Costco, despite my husband’s regular complaints about its lack of organic credentials. Oh well, tonight we feast on some antibiotic-laden chicken!
Dressed in my comfy superhero-themed pajama pants, I served our meticulously prepared dinner while my son devoured his Costco chicken, buttery croissant, and an organic Fuji apple. I couldn’t help but notice the growing mess on the kitchen table. Oh look, the picture frames I ordered for his school photos had finally arrived! I thought I’d take the opportunity to frame the pictures while he ate. Truly, I was mastering the art of multitasking—this certainly made up for serving him chemically-treated chicken.
With my husband snoozing down the hall, my son was happily stuffing his face while I put together the pictures in affordable frames from Amazon. Suddenly, I felt the urgent need to use the bathroom. I quickly moved his food out of reach and reminded him to finish chewing. That was my mom superpower at work—ensuring he wouldn’t choke while I took a moment for myself. Yep, I do call it “potty” around here.
I was gone for less than two minutes—just enough time to relieve myself and wash my hands. No distractions, no scrolling through social media, just a swift trip! When I returned to the table, I was met with an alarming sight. My little guy was surrounded by the remnants of the picture frame packaging. I still haven’t figured out how he managed to reach them.
He was attempting to hand me something, which I first assumed was a piece of cardboard. As I bent down to take it, he confidently said, “I ate it.” That’s when I noticed it—a silica gel desiccant packet that clearly said “DO NOT EAT” plastered all over it.
I quickly snatched it from his tiny fingers and checked for any signs of moisture, praying it was untouched. It was dry, thank goodness. But then I saw it: an empty packet with a corner missing, dampened by his saliva, and a few beads rolling around on the table. My body went into crisis mode. Adrenaline surged through me as I screamed for my husband, frantically searched my son’s mouth for any remaining beads, and began unbuckling him from his booster seat.
When my husband finally woke up, it was to the sound of me flipping on the lights and demanding he get up immediately. I tossed my little mischief-maker onto our bed and explained the situation. Meanwhile, I dashed for my phone, couldn’t find it, and had to resort to using my husband’s. Thankfully, he always keeps Poison Control in his contacts.
Unlike 911, the Poison Control hotline answered immediately. A calm and professional voice greeted me. “Poison Control,” she said. I blurted out, “My toddler just ate a silica gel packet.” Mentally, I was already plotting the fastest route to the nearest children’s hospital. To my surprise, she reassured me, “This is actually a common call. He’s fine, I promise.”
She explained that the warning on the packet is due to choking hazards, not toxicity. As long as he was breathing and not in distress, he would be okay. After a brief exchange of information, we hung up. My husband, now in the room, could tell everything was alright from my demeanor. I relayed the good news but then completely lost it, bursting into tears—a far cry from the supermom persona I had been trying to uphold.
To add another layer of chaos, I noticed my son had wandered back into the room, eagerly picking up the silica beads off the floor and trying to eat them. We quickly took him out while we cleaned up the mess, and I continued to sob. He could have seriously hurt himself.
My husband attempted to comfort me, “He was never in danger. He’s fine. I’m going to put the laundry in the dryer. Try not to kill him while I’m gone.”
In the end, it was just another Friday night. Reflecting on the chaos, I realized I had navigated through many similar situations, and perhaps I really did deserve those Wonder Woman pajamas after all. But honestly, that silica gel? Never again.
For more insights into home parenting, check out this article on our blog. If you’re interested in family planning and related resources, resolve.org is an excellent place to start. For those exploring spiritual aspects, this site offers great insights.