Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Candy

The boys had gotten some candy so they were all having a piece and then brushing their teeth for bed.

Jesse was chewing so I asked him, "Is that your candy?" He looked at me, pointed to his mouth as he chewed and nodded.

A couple of minutes later he was still chewing. I asked, "Are you still chewing your candy?" He nodded so as not to open his mouth. And then I said, "Is it gum? Do you have gum?" He just smiled. I said, "You're too little for gum, you're only two. You can't have gum until you're three."

Noah asked, "Is that the rule, or is that your rule?"

"That's my rule. Jesse, go spit it out in the trash."

He doesn't. I know how he is and he'll swallow it quick as anything unless I can get him to spit it out on his own or snatch it out of his mouth, but he has sharp teeth so I'd rather he just do it.

I say again, "Jesse, Mommy said spit the gum out. Now."

He still doesn't. So I grab his cheeks with one hand, and stick my finger in, way at the back where he doesn't have teeth yet. That way when he chomps down it's just gums and I can handle that. (I've done this a couple of times before you see.)

He's clenching for all he's worth and won't spit it out, but he hasn't swallowed it yet either. So far, I'm ahead. (I mean, if it were a competition to see who would be a victor. It's not of course, but if it was, I'd be winning.)

Then I say, "Jesse you need to spit it out in my hand, right now." He's fighting me and trying to get away, but I've got him secure with my other hand. Eventually, he caves and spits the gum into my hand. It looks very strange so I pull it closer to look at it.

It's not gum. It's a smarties wrapper. He was chewing on a smarties wrapper. Who does that?

"Jesse! Don't put things in your mouth that aren't food!" Oh, if I had a dollar for every time I said that. The child is like a billy goat, he eats anything and everything. Disaster averted this time though.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Noah asking "the rule or your rule" shows your lessons do get learned. Glad you were attentive to Jesse chewing, and he will learn
much from your grip and your words.
Keep on "mothering" so well!

Deanna said...

If you could get him to switch to grass, Tim wouldn't have to mow so much! :) Way to go, Mom!