You have a little something on you

Yesterday, we’re at gymnastics…Greyson is jumping on the trampoline. The trampoline is a big deal at gymnastics and there is only one kid allowed at a time. Needless to say, there is a line of mothers and their little bouncers waiting for their turn. So there’s Greyson…jump, jump, jump, freeze, insert finger inside nose. Flashing red light in my mind—we have an issue at hand.

I use my outside-of-the-house mom voice that implies I’m so loving and sweet but DON’T push me, “Get your finger out of your nose now. That’s gross.” My inside-my-head-while-we-are-out-of-the-house mom voice that begs my children to behave and not look like they are hooligans says, “Please do not put your finger in your mouth and eat a booger. Please please pleasssse.”  Success! Greyson drops his hand to his side and starts bouncing. Issue adverted.

Flashing red light in my head returns—new issue. My mind switches to warp speed to process the new situation—there is a booger hanging from the tip of his nose. Option 1) tell him and ask him to wipe it off. No, we will likely return to the original dilemma where I feared he would put it in his mouth. Option 2) Ignore it. That seems kind of mean to let your own kid run about with a booger hanging from his nose. Option 3) Wipe it off. Option three is good. Let’s move quickly. No tissue.

Before thinking I reach up and swipe my finger across his nose. Issue resolved. Red light still blinking—new issue. Now *I* have a slimy boog on *MY* finger. Wipe it on my pants and carry on. After all, the kids have done a hug and wipe on my legs a dozen times this morning. No booger in mouth, no booger hanging from nose, booger on Mom’s pants. Grrrrrreat.