The Licked Thumb

When I was a little girl, (I asked my mother...just kidding no songs of Kai sera) I swore that one thing I would never do to my children was lick my thumb and then wash their faces. Nope, not me. I mean the habit is completely disgusting and you aren't really washing it, simply removing dirt and adding germs.

I still feel the same way, but... Yep, you guessed it. I have washed my kid's faces by licking my thumb and then wiping it all over their face. I grumble about having to do it and my kids get upset about me wiping them clean with my spit, which in turn creates more grumbling from me about having to do it.

It is a horrible cycle and one I try to avoid but occasionally, like once every month or so, we are out somewhere and I look over and see a dirty face right before we walk in. Can't have that, out comes the thumb, the tongue swipes over it and like an eagle bearing down on a rabbit, I grasp my squirming kid's, ignore the pleas to not wipe my spit across their face and continue to clean them up. I wince inwardly the whole time but I do what needs to be done.

Today, as my wet thumb was descending toward my oldest son's face, him squirming for his life, he suddenly started dry heaving. He is so disgusted by it, and the fact that I am spreading germs to his face that it makes him gag.

I tried not to laugh, really I did but I couldn't help it. Here I was, holding him steady with one hand while my other wiped spit across his pale face. He was shaking his head back and forth, eyes squinted in disgust and then he started going "harumph, harumph." I thought that he was going to throw up on me for sure.

So after that, we have come to an agreement. He is going to try his hardest to wash his face and I am going to try my hardest not to use the licked thumb routine.

I would leave you with a song for Kai Sera but I think I will be nice.

Have a great weekend by the way.

Sirena