Simply Mother

When the 2-year-old misses her nap, this is the kind of dialogue we find ourselves in around here:

(I’m using my hands to move hardened, refrigerated cookie dough into a freezer-safe container.)

Mom, did you wash your hands?

Mmm-hmm.

Mom, did you wash your hands?

Yes, Jade.

Mom, did you wash your hands?

Yes, I did Sweetie.

(Getting visibly anxious:) Mom, did you wash your hands?

(Still very kind voiced and smiling, but still kind of distracted with the cookie dough:) Yes Jade, I washed my hands.

Mom. Did. You. Wash. Your. Haaaaaaaaannnnds? (Completely distressed. Flailing on floor.)

At this point, I finally gave the situation my full attention, and, upon doing so, failed at suppressing my laughter. To which she got up off the floor and in a completely normal voice asked, “Mom, what’s funny?”

I never want to laugh at my kids, but come on! What IS the respectful response to such a scenario?

I guess I could recognize that this is not about her desperately needing to know if my hands were clean before I started handling food, but, to any conscientious parent (which I supposedly sometimes try to be), an obvious plea for attention, or, in this situation, sleep.

And I did–I picked her up and nuzzled her and told her I was laughing because she brings me so much joy, and we went back into my bedroom to cuddle on the bed. (Which is about all I’ve been doing lately anyway.) [Whiny post about having the flu to come.]

Filed in: child development • family • parenting | January 28, 2009