There comes a point at which your children stop listening to you. Whether it’s because they think they’ve got it all figured out and are tuning you out, or because they’re simply unable to focus because they’re so heavily invested in thinking about something else – the end game is that what you’re saying to them is going in one ear and right out the other, with nary a bus stop in between.
Case in point: the other day Emma was worried about germs. It’s normal- she’s 8, and it IS flu season. So the school is calling out the big guns and telling the kids to wash their hands, or use hand sanitizer at every single turn to prevent an outbreak of bubonic plague. But with detail oriented kids like Emma, she takes these directions very much to heart. And thus has begun our daily discussion of germs.
Yes, we’ve talked about good germs and bad germs. That some are necessary in the body. That your body wants to fight off the germs, and washing your hands helps out—but if a few get in, it’s okay: you’ve got a system that helps fight it off.
We have this conversation every day, and it doesn’t seem to be taking.
Enter extreme parenting. We were at the kitchen island after dinner, and she had become concerned that some bad germs may have gotten on the recently cleaned kitchen island. I told her no—this was our house, it’s (relatively) clean, and that her food falling off her plate onto the island for a few seconds didn’t make it unsuitable to eat. But she still worried.
I’m getting frustrated because no matter how much I have explained stuff, I’m just not getting through. Seriously- this kid grew up eating dirt and the 5 second rule is LAW in my house… how many times do I need to tell her this? Telling her wasn’t working. I needed to SHOW her that it was okay.
So I leaned over, stuck my tongue out, and proceeded to lick the counter. For about 2 feet.
That kid stopped everything she was doing, mouth open and just stared at me. Then she started to laugh. And said, “MOMMY!” all aghast. And then said, “I guess it is okay if you would do THAT.”
I can only imagine the other things I’m going to have to do in the future to make my point.
