As parents, our primary job is to take care of our children…to love them, nurture them, and care for them. Under “care for them” fall several less-than-glamorous jobs, including the handling of all manner of bodily functions, secretions, and other output.
To date I’ve been really impressed with myself. I have handled the poopiest of poop (even when it was smeared in places it shouldn’t have been). I have taken care of pretty big puddles of pee. I have even muddled through middle-of-the-night vomit without tossing my own cookies. And of course I’ve wiped a lot of noses.
All of this is just part of it, right? I do these things not with glee, exactly, but at least with a certain degree of satisfaction in knowing that I am taking care of my baby girls, no matter what the situation.
What gets a little sticky, though, is when my children try to use Mommy’s “care for them” obligation to their advantage. Their latest trick?
WIPE…MY…NOOOOOOOOOOOOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And let me tell you, this is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Much of the time, I am engaged with my girls. But there are times that I’m not…times when Mommy needs to fix lunch, or make a phone call, or wipe her own nose.
And most of the time, the girls do great playing together, or by themselves.
But there are times when they want Mommy…and they want her NOW. And their way to signal Mommy? “Mommy, wipe my nose!”
Feeling like any self-respecting Mommy should surely wipe her child’s nose, I usually comply with the first request. But then, it continues.
And if I suggest that their nose doesn’t need wiping; I just wiped it? This is often the cue for actual crying…which leads to the production of actual snot.
Rinse (er, wipe), and repeat.
Snot. It’s a powerful thing thing. And my girls know it.
Ticker
9 comments:
Our girls are kinda the opposite and don't want their noses wiped too often...especially when they're a little raw from over wipeage. Just yesterday, after failing to wipe a nose on a face shaking volently back and forth, I gave up and just handed her the kleenex. I asked her if she could blow her nose - thus making it a game as I know you like to also do.
She turned it over, looked at it, then blew her own nose. I had to finish the job with a quick wipe, but she let me this time with a smile.
Maybe you can turn it into a game too!
I laughed when I read the title. Our girls are sick, and I've wiped WAY too much snot this week! And you're right, when they cry it only makes it worse--vicious cycle.
Snot is a very powerful thing. And...I think it's something the glue companies should look into as an all-natural adhesive, because seriously, it's got some staying power.
Ew. Okay---that's enough talk about snot for one day. :)
I kid you not, one of the best moments in my life was when all 3 the kids have learned how to blow their noses themselves! Wonderful moment.
Oh my. This is funny...kids are soooo very smart! ;)
I never thought of snot as powerful but it sure is...isn;t it?!?!
Wiping their own noses and getting sick in the toilet (versus all over themselves) are two milestones I'm glad we have achieved! Granted wiping their own noses resulted in a lot of wasted tissues at first, but so worth it.
lol. it's a powerful thing in this house, too. they love to "blow nose"...although no one is really blows! maybe one of these days!
Over the last month, I've wiped my share of snot, and you're right. It's a powerful (and gross) thing.
I can't wait until the babies can blow and wipe their own noses.
On second thought, they'll probably just be old enough to pick up something equally annoying!
Eww... snot! Pretty sure it is my least favorite bodily fluid to have to clean up. :)
And, I know I already raved about your new layout when you first unveiled it, but can I just say that I LOVE the sunglasses on the head. ;)
Snot sucks...we were knee deep in it last Spring and I taught the Crazies to do "the pinch." It worked for a while, but apparently they forgot it over the Summer...silly Crazies.
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