Recipe: Take an overtired under-napped baby, mix in an exhausted mother and supposedly safe child nail clippers.
The result? Instead of trimming her Miracle-Grow nails, I managed to slice off a good chunk of skin, causing bleeding and crying and I can only presume, pain to my daughter.
I had the best of intentions, she was scratching her face despite the fact that her nails had just been cut on Thursday. And yet, the horror and the guilt ruined my entire weekend, produced by the knowledge that I had (caution: drama) damaged - even temporarily - my daughter's perfect little fingers.
As a first time parent and as a human being, I know that I am far from perfect and will make plenty of mistakes in raising Raphaela; but I cannot stand the idea that I caused her suffering.
Eventually I will get over this feeling, and my feline Harry is proof: when he was a kitten and constantly underfoot, I would infrequently step on his tail. He would screech, run away, but eight years later, Harry is still underfoot and it is clear by his behaviour that he has forgiven me.
Meanwhile, I will ask Raphaela's care taker to cut her nails during the day when I am working.
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