Poison Control

The toddler came in from the garage, holding a spray bottle of weed killer. The three adults in the room jumped into emergency mode.
One grabbed the bottle and ran to the phone. One scooped up the kid and examined his mouth. One reached for the emergency first aid sheet taped to the inside of the bathroom cabinet.
The child threw up, and poison control asked exactly what ingredients were listed on the label. They looked through their database and determined that nothing was toxic, then counseled the parents that everything would be just fine. The child probably vomited in response to the nasty taste.
In thirty minutes the crisis had passed. Even the parents’ heart rates were slowing to normal.
I think of the poisons that enter our minds and hearts through various forms in our society and shake my head. No, I’m not advocating a dose of ipecac every time our children see an unsavory commercial. But maybe we should be more vigilant in putting that poison out of reach. Maybe we should grab the child and pour in the antidote, Scripture and the role model of loving parents.
Do you think your parents over-react? Maybe they don’t. Maybe they under-react. What are you doing to keep the poisons out of your system? Maybe at your age, it isn’t so much the responsibility of the adults anymore. After all, you aren’t a toddler and don’t want to be treated like one.

It was my grandson who held the bottle of weed poison.