A mother learnt an unforgettable lesson after her 7-month-old baby was scalded after her new helper accidentally spilled hot water on the infant.
The helper had been with the family for just a week when the incident occurred on Thursday, 8 Dec.
The helper had been trying to amuse the child and shook a thermos filled with hot water when some of the water spilled on the child’s arm. The baby immediately let out a cry as its skin quickly blistered. She had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
The child’s mother, Facebook user Jinghan Naan, was furious and prepared to let the helper go – until, she had a simple conversation with her husband that transformed her perspective. Jinghan recounted online:
When all was over, Masha collapsed onto Aizat’s shoulder in exhaustion. Her eyes were still swollen and red from crying. Aizat looked to me and said, “Later when we go back-”
“Ya, we’re going to send her back. She’s fired.”
“Later when we go back, ask if she’s ok.”
I was dumbfounded, “For what???”
“The water probably spilled on her as well. We didn’t even bother to ask if she was ok.”
“But this is her fault!”
“Ya but she’s human too.”
I caressed Masha on her head and didn’t respond. She was sleeping so peacefully.
Aizat touched me on my arm, “Ask her if her hand is fine, ok? This is what prophet would do.”
Posted by Jinghan Naan on Friday, 8 December 2017
In case you cannot read the text above:
Yesterday, Masha got scalded with boiling water on her right arm.
Our new helper had just filled up the thermos when she saw Masha looking at her. In an attempt to amuse Masha, she shook the bottle in her hands, without realising that the thermos wasn’t closed properly. Water spilled out and hit Masha on her arm. Masha let out a sharp cry almost immediately.
Aizat was slumped on the toilet floor with Masha in his hands as we ran cool water over her. Both of them was soaking wet. Blisters were already starting to form on her pink skin.
I saw the helper’s hands tremble as she reached gingerly in attempt to console Masha, but she never dared to make direct contact. She probably apologised to every single person in the house before we left for the hospital.
This helper has been with us for merely a week.
I never said a word to her but I was furious. Hateful and spiteful thoughts filled my mind. Somehow, it irked me that Aizat and his siblings were being so cheery and smiley in order to distract Masha’s attention away from the burns.
In the car, I remained silent.
“It was an accident boop,” Aizat said.
I didn’t respond.
At the hospital, it broke my heart to hear Masha’s cries as they dressed her wound. My rage grew; my baby was suffering unnecessarily because of the helper’s carelessness.
When all was over, Masha collapsed onto Aizat’s shoulder in exhaustion. Her eyes were still swollen and red from crying. Aizat looked to me and said, “Later when we go back-“
“Ya, we’re going to send her back. She’s fired.”
“Later when we go back, ask if she’s ok.”
I was dumbfounded, “For what???”
“The water probably spilled on her as well. We didn’t even bother to ask if she was ok.”
“But this is her fault!”
“Ya but she’s human too.”
I caressed Masha on her head and didn’t respond. She was sleeping so peacefully.
Aizat touched me on my arm, “Ask her if her hand is fine, ok? This is what prophet would do.”
—-
I’ve always thought I was the more patient and compassionate one because Aizat snaps so easily while on the road, cursing and spewing whatever comes to his mind at that very instant. I would chide him and remind him to mind his language now that Masha is in the picture.
But in times when we’re truly tested, he becomes an entirely different person. It’s as if the worst of times would always bring out the best in him.
I thought that given that I have been behaving most of the time, I had every right to flare up and behave badly since this was ‘serious’. So since I behaved when times were easy, I had the leeway to misbehave when times get tough, right? I felt entitled to that rage and poor behaviour because “wouldn’t everyone react the same way?”
But for Aizat, when times get tough, he switches from Aizat who reacts with his mouth, to Aizat who reacts with his iman. In these truly trying times, he makes the conscious decision to react as a good Muslim would, as our Prophet would.
I fooled myself into thinking that how I acted when times were easy was a testament to my faith and character. I couldn’t be more wrong.
This has served as a huge lesson for me. I hope that by sharing this, we can all practice more magnanimity, patience and compassion in the most trying of times.