Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Funnily enough, this embarrasses me far more than poo.

You know my daughter? The amazing, funny, independent 2 year old that is the colour and light of my life? The talented, precocious, stubborn, creative, loving little person that she is? Well, this is the blog where I reveal some of the not so nice habits she has picked up.

Ava is going through a little bit of a 'stage'. At least I hope it is a stage, because I will actually go mental if it doesn't abate....hmmmm....soonish. A slapping, kicking, name calling, pinching, shoving, hands on hips kinda stage.

Coming back from a trip up north the other day, after doing about 600 kilometres, and with about 200 to go:
'I don't like driving! I like.....not driving!" (Awww, cute! you say....just wait...) "I. DON'T. LIKE. YOU!'

Crack. Splinter. Shatter. Crumble, crumble, crumble. That is the sound my heart made.

Today, going to bed:

Ava: (crying) "I want my milkies!"
Me: You're a big girl now. You don't need it.
Ava: I want my milkies!

(10 minutes later)

Ava: I (gulp) want (gulp) mmm..mmmy (gulp, shudder) milkies!
Me: Fine! Here! Have it! Go to bed!
Ava: (takes a sip) I don't want milkies! (I take it) Iwantmilkies!

All this has elicted some very interesting comments, the best of which was from my sister.

" Ummmm, she's really two now isn't she." Yes, 'two' is an adjective. Look it up.

But, this is not the thing I cannot get out of my mind tonight.

Here goes: Ava picks her nose. She eats her boogies. All the time. Shameful, shameful day; I am practically wailing, writing this.

It all began about 3 weeks ago, she discovered that she had nose holes, and little fingers that fitted up there. Before this, boogies were gotten out with a tissue and by Mummies and Daddies. But then Ava discovered that she too, could access this tiny orifice. She announced it one day as I was picking her up from daycare.
"Mummy! I am picking my nose!"

I tell you, I nearly ran off the road in shame. My perfect child with that sweet smile lighting her face and with her finger buried to her knuckle bone, digging around in a nostril.

Since then it has grown worse and worse, and each time I growl, announce that it is yucky, ask her if she needs a tissue, she very definately and defiantly sticks her finger in her mouth.

Today I worked up the courage to raise it with her care givers at daycare. I picked the nicer one (not the mean one! She scares me) to broach this topic. This is kinda an editted version of how the conversation went:
Me: Ahhh, ummmm I have something that is kinda concerning me. A little. About Ava.
Nice Caregiver: Yes?
Me: Well, not something, big, something kinda....yucky. Ava (look around, nobody within earshot) Ahhh, Ava picks her nose. And eats it. (blank look from Nice Caregiver) All the time.
Nice Caregiver: Yes?
Me: Well, if you could kinda keep on top of it......(awkward silence) I mean she hasn't really picked it up from me, has she?
Nice Caregiver: (begins to potter about) No, but about 90% of the children do it in here. It's the age.
Me: (trying to be assertive) But, um, but, I don't like it.
Nice Caregiver: (potter, potter) think about me! When I get home, I lift up the collar of my shirt and find so many boogies under there, and they could be anyones!
Me: (trying not to vomit in my mouth) Mmmmmm.
Nice Caregiver: Besides, at that age, it's really any orifice they can find.

Oh my god, is it? I decided to cut my losses and just deal with it myself.

So, for dinner, we went to Sizzlers. Of course, finger went in. I have had it with this eating boogies business. Picking, I can handle. But eating? Has to stop. So, out shot my hand, and  grabbed her little wrist before finger made it to mouth, and began to fish for a napkin. She screamed, ear piercing screams that echoed around the restaurant.

"Noooooo! My boogie!!!"

She fought with all her strength to throw me off, and direct finger to mouth, like she was a man dying of thirst and the boogie, the last drop of water. I swiped at her finger with the napkin, and let go, and she put pu the damned finger in her gob anyway and sucked on it for good measure.

What do I do? It is really freaking me out! Do I threaten her, smack her, try to reason with her knowing full well that none of this will work? Or do I just ride this one out?

I hope she grows out of it.

2 comments:

  1. LOL! My boy used to do it - DD not more than a few times now since I got wise with "the method". It is the age and fretting/making a big deal about it will usually make them do it more. Theory is that it's about control. It can also be a "self soother" thing.
    A friend got me onto it and I did it at home 3-4 times before DS gave it up. Chili worked for DS and DD too.

    A) Pick a food they HATE! Not just dislike or avoid but the food they will go to bed without dinner 3 nights in a row to avoid kind of hate. (Or hotsauce)
    B) Tell them that every time the pick their nose you'll put X on their tongue and finger.
    C) Be prepared to be IMMEDIATELY tested and very loudly protested against.
    D)Say very clearly "YUCK - heres a tissue". And help them wipe the boogies and stuff off - when they want it!
    E) Remind yourself your not horrible - your teaching your darling child that it's not ok - its YUCK! Give them a cuddle &/or a kiss to remind them you love them.
    F) Move on with something else - distract them from the "bigness" of the moment.

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  2. Self soothing with boogies? Urgh, the thought of that makes me dry reach...

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