[munificent]

As a parent of two small children, I can assure you I obsess over the plausible and common scenarios as well.

If you look at it rationally, having kids is utterly terrifying. We have logically evolved to care very deeply for our offspring. So you have this tiny living organism whose health is critically important for your own happiness. And this organism is physically separate from you, mobile, frail, loud enough to draw attention to itself, unable to protect itself, inquisitive, and completely unaware of danger.

[gbog]

I shared these worries but we parents really need to get over it. It is actually dangerous for kids to have worrying parents. Kids need to build self-confidence, mostly copying yours.

So here are some tips that helped me and my wife to hide or diminish our worries.

kids, even newborns, are actually more resilient and solid than their parents in many respects. If I got half the knocks on the head my boy got this week at school, I'd be in hospital.

Worries and fear are contagious, don't spread it. If your wife is a bit sensitive to the sight of blood, ask her to go in another room when your kid has a little nosebleed. Seeing worries on her face well not help in any way.

Trash immediately all those culpabilizing books on parenting: the best gift you can do to kids is culpability free parents.

[rayiner]

As the father of a three-month old girl, you've captured my feelings on the subject beautifully.

[tokenadult]

Best wishes to her. Fatherhood of a daughter is an awesome responsibility, which I have found often turns into sheer delight. (My daughter was born after we had three sons beforehand. We like them all, but there is definitely something different for the dad about having a girl in the house.) Did you know that the current projection of cohort life expectancy is that a girl born in the developed world since the turn of the century has a better than even chance of living to age 100?

[rayiner]

>Did you know that the current projection of cohort life expectancy is that a girl born in the developed world since the turn of the century has a better than even chance of living to age 100?

If I don't drop her on her head. That's the "awesome responsibility" part!

[lsaferite]

Having a newborn that just came off of 9 days on life-support, I can say without a doubt that having children is the most terrifying thing you'll ever do in your life.

Watching our 3 year old discover his physical limitations is an amazingly ulcer-inducing activity and I find myself constantly expecting the worst.

After witnessing the many falls, bruises, scrapes, and assorted damage that kids endure, I'm constantly amazed they survive into adulthood.