The plural child quandry

Sunday morning I had my first experience of something that never happened when I had only one child. No matter what choice I made, a child was left upset. Granted, Sophie is still only a year old and wouldn't be traumatized, but it was an eye-opening glimpse of things to come.

On Sundays, I take Emma to Sunday School and drop her off, then come back home to finish getting myself and Sophie ready for church. Even though this Sunday was Mother's Day, it was no exception. Next Sunday is Youth Sunday and the youth group are doing the entire service, so they needed the practice time.

As I was getting ready to leave for church (and we were going to be early, even!) I heard a "thunk" then Sophie wailing, and my husband rushing to get her. I come down the hallway, and learn she had tripped and fallen and hit her face. Her forehead was instantly turning purple right above her eyebrow. I got an ice pack and sat on the couch holding her, trying to keep the ice pack on the bruise, hoping to prevent a black eye. I sent Emma a text message to let her know we'd be late because Sophie had fallen and hurt herself.

Poor baby!

After several minute, she had calmed down, and was done being cuddled. We put her shoe back on (she had taken it off, perhaps why she fell?) and dried her tears, and she and I went to church. We walked in a few minutes late but found a seat. I couldn't find Emma, but a pewmate told me she was in the choir loft with the rest of the youth group. They were singing for Mother's Day!

After church, I told Emma they did a great job. She asked me if I was there for the first song - I had missed it. She barely spoke to me all the way home We later made up and she made me a lovely card explaining her feelings, as I had told her mine in the car. The rest of the day was fabulous.

But I know something like this will come up again. Hopefully not the same situation, although with Sophie's emerging daredevil it likely could happen. But no matter what I did, I was going to be the "bad Mom." If I had left a wailing Sophie at home with Daddy I would have been at church in plenty of time, but when Sophie is hurt or sick she wants MAMA. She loves Daddy, but is the classic "Mama's baby" in these cases. By waiting to care for her, I was late and missed Emma's surprise of singing in church (not solo, but still) and had a very disappointed, upset daughter anyway.

Ok, moms with more than one child - how do you do it? Is there a way to avoid hurting one child to be there for the other? I am an only child, as is my mother. No experience here to draw from ;) Help!