It was on a sweltering hot day in the summer. I was very hot, and I decided to do my favorite pastime, since I didn't have anything else to do, since I was four years old. I towed the sprinkler under the trampoline, and put the right head on it. I carefully put on my polka-dot pink suit. I ran to go jump on the wet trampoline, with water spurting out of it, when I realized that I hadn't taken out my hearing aids. I felt so smart and responsible when I remembered that! I walked slowly to the tall red table and pulled out my hearing aids, and carefully set them dead center of the table.
Then I continued to play.
A while later, my speech therapist dropped by. My mom came out with her. I guess I have to do another session...they ask me where my hearing aids are. I lead them to the table, proudly telling them that I was smart and good, and remembered to take them out before I got wet. To my horror, they were gone! We looked at the dog, and all three of us realized the drastic circumstance we were in. We searched the entire yard, every square millimeter. We found one hearing aid, slightly nibbled. It still worked. (Whew!) But where was the other? In the dog.
I felt terrible! Here I was, proud that I was smart and responsible. What happened? I had one chewed-up functional hearing aid.
A couple of hours later, I sneak into my parents room. My mom doesn't notice me. She's staring at my chewed-up hearing aid, crying. My little four-year-old mind didn't comprehend that these eyesore things that I squeeze into my ears actually cost money. Lots of money. All I knew was that she was sad, very sad. I've never seen her cry actual tears before. And it was all my fault. I quietly walk up to her, put my head on her knee (like a dog, yes.) and sincerely tell her I'm sorry. She cries even more. My heart sunk. I did something so bad that she couldn't even punish me, she was so sad.
8 comments:
She probably just felt bad that you could not hear until both hearing aids were replaced. You can't get mad at a 4 year old for something like that. They don't understand that kind of a responsibility. You need to overcome this burden and fly, fly away Natalie! Be free!
What make are your hearing aids and do you cover them with your hair? Have you worn any other company's hearing aids other than the ones you wear now?
wow-you know how to make a mom's heart about break with that blog! There are lots of things I wish I hadn't done as a parent and that is one. Thanks for being my daughter anyway. It reminds me of a story someone at my work told. She has a little boy who wears hearing aids and has more loss than you. He was in the tub with his younger brother. He kept teasing him. His mom said quit that teasing 3 times and finally she gave him a little smack to help him remember to quit it. He started crying and asked his mom why she had smacked him. She said "because you didn't stop teasing like I asked you 3 times!" He said but mommy I didn't have my hearing aids in, I didn't hear you. Yes, we often mess up as parents but we most often do our best.
Oh! Cute little Nedgie! You weren't the one who chewed up and ingested a hearing aid-- that was completely the fault of your dog!
Hey Anonymous!
My hearing aids are Qualitone. I got these about four months ago...they're pretty swell. I had to get some new ones, because the old ones weren't as strong as they should be. (I have about 50%+ hearing loss.) I'm lucky enough to have the in-canal model.
However, when I did (and probably will) wear the over-the ear model, they didn't seem so bad.
I don't cover my ears with my hair. It's interesting when people are nosy enough to ask--you can just tell them you're a bodyguard, or they're so you can hear thoughts, or through walls...
I have worn different company hearing aids, though I don't remember them all. I still love the kind before digital came out...but they're obsolete...so they couldn't fix them anymore..hehe. I have adapted to digital, though I still hate it...
Why do you ask?
I asked about your hearing aids because my mom is about to get some and I was hoping to show her somewhere online that a person had got used to their hearing aid/s very quickly and so she (my mom) should be able to do so also. I hope that is a good enough reason for you!
Ah. The only problem with me getting used to it quickly...is that I've had them all my life! I've known no other way of hearing.
However, my sister and grandma recently got hearing aids, and they love 'em!
That is such a sweet post. As a mom I can see our moms point of view, but being a child who could sense my parents money woes as a child it brings back a lot of memories! It's nice to get a glimpse at the younger-mom edge before she was the all-knowing wise woman she is today!
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