How common is it to survive early childhood only by sheer luck?

[Anonymous]

My mother herself told me that when I was 2 years old, I got out (the door was closed but not locked) and walked a couple blocks away from home. Meanwhile my mom and others were desperately looking for me. My mom's sister-in-law's husband found me and took me back home.

Needless to say I was speechless. Ok, two things could've definitely gone wrong there. I would've easily been another toddler that got run over and killed or a toddler beaten and raped by a sick pedophile.

Several incidents where I could've easily been killed or with permanent brain damage:

- At 9-10 months old, I was standing and jumping on my crib so hard that I fell. My father grabbed (literally single-handedly) me in mid-air. My head was going to hit the floor tiles badly.

- At age 2, my mother found me standing near an open window and instinctly grabbed me by the hair to get me down. If she would've been several seconds late, I could've easily fallen to my death.

- Also at age 2, I pulled out of my mom's grasp and running down the streets. A car put on the brakes and stopped right in the nick of time. He harshly reprimanded my mom and she said nothing because it was indeed her fault.

Now as a 39 year-old mother myself, all I can think is wow. I survived infancy and toddler year by luck playing in my side. Are many others that lucky too?

[Bricealan]

I am a LUCKY survivor of early childhood. Sadly, both my parents, were, in my opinion, neglectful parents, and I am lucky that I was not killed accidentally, kidnapped, or otherwise become a victim of child abuse. I was never monitored by either parent when I was very young, and allowed to basically run loose in a neighborhood that I lived in

I don't think you are far off the mark in this question, as I don't believe some parents should be parents.

Only as a TEEN did I have a lot of parental guidance and monitoring. That should not happen with any young child.

[Bricealan]

I wish I could contact you privately via DM on the site, as I think that your and my early upbringing is not all that uncommon, and we BOTH are lucky to have survived to adulthood.

[Asker]

I'm very sorry to hear that. If it helps, it would be ok if you seek counseling. I've been hearing so many news about babies and toddlers that weren't that lucky. Some died due to horrific child abuse and others because of careless parents. A 12 month-old baby boy died after chocking on an acrylic nail while under the care of his manicurist mother and others died from being outside and getting run over by a car or truck. Horrible... just horrible.
Meanwhile I'm very protective of my 11 month-old son that sometimes I might be a bit extremist. I don't want to suffocate my son with being overprotective either (as all extremes in life are bad) but I worry too much about him every time I hear bad news and then get reminded that I've survived infancy by luck.

[Asker]

I've just followed you

[Bricealan]

Thank you for following me here. I have had an understanding of what parenting should be, and never really held a grudge or resentment towards my parents. I believe they did the best they could with the way they came equipped, mentally, physically, socially. When married, my wife said that I would be a "wonderful father" and I felt then that I had overcome my parents bringing me up.