A mother’s day began with the simple joys of breakfast and escalator rides but took a turn for the unimaginable when her toddler’s curiosity led to a medical emergency.
In the world of parenting, each day brings its own set of challenges, surprises, and sometimes, outright disasters. Amber Henry, a mother of a spirited two-and-a-half-year-old, experienced a day that veered dramatically from bliss to chaos, encapsulating the unpredictable nature of raising toddlers.
Her story, shared on TikTok in December 2023, serves as a cautionary tale for parents everywhere, illustrating just how quickly a perfect day can descend into pandemonium.
The day began promisingly enough, with Amber taking her daughter to Waffle House for a leisurely breakfast, followed by a trip to the mall. There, they enjoyed shopping and several fun rides on the escalator, a simple joy for any toddler.
The ordeal left Amber and her daughter exhausted, yet unharmed.
However, upon returning home, the tranquility of their day was shattered in an instant. Amber recounted the moment with palpable disbelief, “I turned my back for two-and-a-half seconds to heat up my coffee, and do you want to know what she did? She unscrewed a super glue in my purse and super glued her eyes shut!”
The panic that ensued was immediate and intense. Amber’s maternal instincts kicked in as she grappled with the shock and urgency of the situation. “I scream because I’m like the [expletive] do you do when somebody glues their eyes? Your eye dude?! Of all things?!” she recalled, her voice laced with the raw emotion of the moment. The severity of the incident was unlike anything most parents could imagine facing. “I panicked,” Amber admitted. “I grab her … and scream for my mum, ’cause I’m like ‘dude, it’s Grandma’s time to tap in.'”
Their rush to find medical help was met with further distress as the first urgent care center they visited was closed, forcing them to drive to another. Amber’s entrance into the facility, cradling her daughter and crying, was a scene of sheer desperation. The attending doctor’s reaction only added to the surreal nature of the incident. “I’ve been a doctor for 42 years and I’ve never seen this,” he told her, a statement that did little to ease Amber’s anxiety. Ultimately, the remedy for such an alarming situation was surprisingly simple, yet no less stressful for having been so.
“Turns out if you superglue your eyes shut, there’s not much you can do outside of a warm cloth,” Amber shared, offering a tip she never imagined needing. “So here’s a tip. If you ever accidentally glue your eyes shut, it’s a warm compress and wipe.”
The ordeal left Amber and her daughter exhausted, yet unharmed. Still, the experience was a profound one, punctuated by moments of unintended humor. “She also peed on me, so potty training is going great,” Amber said sarcastically. Upon leaving the urgent care, her daughter, blissfully unaware of the gravity of the situation, cheerfully remarked on the lollipops and stickers she received, “This is so much fun.” Upon leaving the urgent care, her daughter, blissfully unaware of the gravity of the situation, cheerfully remarked on the lollipops and stickers she received, “This is so much fun.”Another added, “I would like to add a contribution. I saw a rock in the bottom of the washer last week. I smiled thinking about my youngest collecting rocks in her pocket. So cute. Grab the ‘rock.’ It’s poop. Poop in my washer. Don’t have kids.”
Among the tales of woe, helpful tips for dealing with superglue mishaps also emerged, ranging from the use of mayonnaise to baby oil, offering practical advice amidst the chaos. “Mayonnaise,” shared another. My dad glued his fingers like 3 times. The answer is Mayo 😂.”
“Little bit of baby oil or hair oil and it will flake it off [sic],” suggested another user. “Just put baby or coconut oil if it happens again [sic]!” advised another commenter.
Amber’s experience with her daughter’s superglue mishap is just one of many stories that encapsulate the bittersweet complexities of motherhood. Her account, while initially seeming like a cautionary tale about the dangers of toddler curiosity, unfolds into a deeper reflection on the nature of parenting itself.
During a walk, her daughter, Ivy Jai, expressed a desire to get out of the stroller. Amber’s initial refusal, prioritizing a schedule over spontaneous joy, led to a self-reckoning. “It sounds so stupid. I was going to stop her from having fun because we needed to hurry up to get to the fun?” Amber mused in her post.
The revelation struck at the heart of what it means to be present as a parent. Amber’s introspection opened up a space for her to consider the pace of life and the often-unnoticed moments that, upon reflection, reveal themselves to be the most significant.
“So much of being a mom is literally getting through the day, that sometimes on the days I get to just slow down and be present it’s hard to shut off the ‘we gotta go’ mode,” she shared, voicing a sentiment familiar to many parents.
Through the tears, tantrums, and laughter, Amber has come to see the extraordinary in the ordinary. “This past month has made me cry more for babies & mothers that I’ve never met but have impacted the way I’ll parent forever,” she wrote.
The simple acts of a child – asking for five more minutes at bedtime, shedding tears over a minor frustration, or acquiring bumps and scrapes from play – all take on new meaning. These are not interruptions to be managed but aspects of a life to be cherished.
Amber’s reflection is a reminder of the joys and trials of motherhood, of the responsibility to nurture not just a child’s body but their spirit and joy. It’s a call to recognize the small, yet significant, moments that shape the lives of both parent and child.
“I pray we leave the world kinder for our kids. For now though, I’ll try to remember to let her run, because she can and that IS the biggest blessing,” Amber concludes, her words resonating with deep-seated hope and love.
Amber’s social media acts as a vibrant tapestry, capturing the tender connection between her and her daughter Ivy. Each post, a snapshot of their shared journey, highlights the joy and love entwined in their everyday lives. Amber’s social media acts as a vibrant tapestry, capturing the tender connection between her and her daughter Ivy. Each post, a snapshot of their shared journey, highlights the joy and love entwined in their everyday lives.Amber’s social media acts as a vibrant tapestry, capturing the tender connection between her and her daughter Ivy. Each post, a snapshot of their shared journey, highlights the joy and love entwined in their everyday lives.