Overreaction at its Best

Have you noticed our tendency to overreact in this country?

I have been especially mindful of this tendency in the last few days:

1) Yesterday when I woke up with red, scratchy eyes I immediately called the clinic to schedule an appointment since pink eye has already gone through Bekah and Mike. By the time I'd sat in the room for 40 minutes (with an 18 month old...) and the doctor came in I realized that I had overreacted. My eyes weren't really red anymore and were only mildly itchy. But, then the doctor also proved this point: He barely looked in my eyes (as in, didn't touch or examine them at all), said "it's maybe viral, but since everyone else in the family had it I'll just prescribe you some drops. Where do you want the prescription sent?" Seriously?!? That was it?!? All that time, all that for... maybe you could use these drops... Needless to say, I didn't fill the prescription and am fine today. Next time I need to wait a little longer before overreacting and calling the clinic on something so trivial (NOT going to calm my desire to overreact when my daughter's sick though - not willing to give up that one!)

2) Lately you might have been hearing many of dangers and risks of using baby slings. I sure have! I found it quite interesting that after all the hype, I read in the June 2010 Parents Magazine (page 44) that the USCPSC is investigating 14 sling-related deaths over the past 20 years. Okay. Um. Doesn't it seem a little extreme that we've all heard the HORRORS OF SLINGS and how we must exert extra caution when using them... I'm sorry about the 14 deaths. But, I'm a mom who actually pays attention to my child whether in or our of a sling. And is 14 deaths over 20 years really something to be so worried about? Don't more people die of food poisoning or bee stings or falls or other things that are seemingly "harmless"