Children will get hurt and be in pain. This is part of their growing and learning experiences, just as it is a part of our learning experiences as parents to grow through our children’s pain. Keep a positive outlook. And the next time David bumps his leg on the fireplace bricks after being told not to run in the house, do not say “That’s what you get for not listening to me,” but get out the ice pack and sit with him on the couch and explain what happened to his body. Pain should not be seen as a punishment but as a message to heed. And pain from bumping into the fireplace bricks may actually teach David that running in the house is not a good idea faster than any words or lectures you could say.