Among the rites of passage that I did not foresee upon becoming a mother: walking purposely down an aisle of the drugstore and being disgusted by the paltry selection of band-aids. “You call 80 band-aids a ‘family pack’? I’d scoff. “Get serious, Proctor & Gamble. 80 is barely a week’s supply. Who has time for your games?”
And then I’d have a faint flashback to my pre-children self, when an 80 pack of bandages would have lasted me until 2092. And it would give me pause. For about 10 seconds, until the next time one of my boys would bash himself and need a band-aid.
I don’t know about your kids, but mine are heavy users of band-aids. Something is always bleeding. And cause and effect rules are optional when it comes to these gashes. The other day, my middle son opened the back screen door and screamed in pain. I spun and looked. He had stiffened one leg, and as I watched, blood started gushing over the top of his foot. I made inquiries. Did the screen door scrape over his foot? No. Did he get scratched on a nail? No. What happened then? “I don’t know!” he wailed. And we never did figure it out.
That’s how it is over here. My boys’ bodies just seem to spontaneously sprout these mini-blood geysers, the origins of which are often shrouded in mystery. I guess they come by it naturally; sometimes my husband will come home with some festering wound and glance at it with curiosity when I point it out. It’s not a bad thing, I guess. I’m glad they don’t suffer from pain more than they do. But… it’s weird.
I remember a mother of three adult boys, upon seeing my mystification at the boy blood everywhere, telling me that usually when people think of blood-stained sheets, they tend to think of girls (because of menstruation). “But,” she said, “there’s blood on boys’ sheets all the time.” How does it happen? “It just does,” she replied.
And I’m just here to confirm that sage voice of experience. I’m easing into this reality, trying to keep pace mopping up the gore and buying as many value-packs of band-aids as I can. What else is there to do?
As a father of two boys I can relate to what you say in this post.
Russ
How do they do it?
Our boys, so used to needing bandaids, still want the panacea of one even for bumps and bruises and other pains. No amount of logic will convince them that a bandaid will not help. Maybe if we didn’t get the Star Wars branded ones, they’d be less interested: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nexcare-Star-Wars-Tattoo-Assorted-Bandages-20ct/14234712
I didn’t even get into that, but yes, bandaids are used around here also for headaches, hurt feelings, and a cure for an idle moment. And we use generics.
I remember reading a passage in a mothering memoir by Anne Lamott about how when she was growing up bandaids were scarce and she constantly hankered after them. So she kept a stock of them for her son because they are cheap and cheap therapy for all injuries, bloody or psychological. Here, dear, have a band aid.
At first, I’d ration them, but then I thought, what am I doing? They give positive feelings, and are like 7 cents each. Provided, of course, that you buy the value pack.
I have 5 kids and each one has gone/is going through what I call the ‘band-aid phase’. As a parent I totally dropped the ball not investing in stock lol.
You know, this conversation is giving me a heightened appreciation for the humble band-aid…
Hopefully NOT a metaphor for life.
Still giggling about the pre- and post-children perspective on the 80-pak. So true.
Thanks, Fay. How things change…!
My boys went through a HUGE band-aid phase – so much so, that I was buying them in bulk from Costco. Now that I am fully stocked for a lifetime, they have decided that band-aids hurt and refuse to wear them even when it is so very necessary. Sigh. Just can’t win!
Might as well keep them just in case there’s a band-aid interest sequel…