Is it normal to worry this much?

At 17 months old, my laid-back-about-milestones little man finally decided to start walking.

While I’m excited and proud, this usually-laid-back Mama keeps focusing on one thing: he can get into trouble so much faster now.

I find myself always worried about something bad happening to him. The world is overflowing with bad things that can happen to a person – car wrecks, swimming pool accidents, fires, choking, childhood diseases, broken bones from freak accidents, food allergies, kidnapping, bullying, electrocution, eating those little packets that say “do not eat”…my mind runs through all the possibilities, and I can’t handle it. All I can do is my best job at keeping an eye on him. Will that be enough?

And then the recent tragedies in Boston and West, TX remind us that something catastrophic and completely out of our control can change our lives in a moment. What’s it like for those Moms of folks affected by these events? I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. All I can do is pray for them and hug my loved ones a little tighter.

I don’t think I fully realized that having a baby would mean my heart would be permanently walking outside of my body from here on out. It can be overwhelming.

Is it normal to constantly worry that something bad is going to happen to your little one? What is a normal amount of worrying?

Megan Brooks is a Sr. Public Relations Specialist for Texas Health Resources, Stepmom, Mom, and worrywart.