Today Micah burned his middle finger on the sandwich-maker.
The sandwich-maker was my mum-in-law's Mothers' Day gift from her other son like 8 years ago. We hardly use it, kept in it's original box still in the store room, but today it was brought out after a bawling Max demanded for waffles. No waffles maker, so the next "magic" Grandma could do was to bring out the sandwich-maker.
Of course, for our over-curious 4 year old, even after you have warned him 10 times over that the thing is hot, he still has to check it out for himself.
So Micah burned his finger but did not dare cry as he had been warned.
Grandma made a big fuss and reported from the kitchen aloud. I was about 15 feet away, nursing a sleepy and sobbing Max. So then Micah came and showed me a red spot on his finger, and asked, "Do I need a plaster?"
"No, use a cream, or better, aloe vera."
Grandma brought in an inch of cut aloe vera, spread a little of its goo on Micah's finger, and within minutes Micah declared, "No more pain!" He did not like the smell though.
While grandma was putting on the aloe vera, Micah got a quick lecture on treating injuries:
You don't put plaster for everything, Micah.
Plaster is only for cuts, to stop bleeding and to keep germs off the wound.
If you have a bruise, rub it gently now and then.
When you have a burn, use aloe vera.
"Can you put plaster for a stomach ache?" I asked the obvious just to make a point.
Max: "No. You put hot hot oil*."
Micah and I gave a resounding affirmation. :)
Max forgot about sleep after that, and soon Micah took his nap.
* Hot hot oil, to my boys is the yu-yi oil, a reddish oil that gives a burning sensation, useful for expelling wing in infants.
5 comments:
Way to go Micah! he is learning how to take care of himself...and little brother along with it one day!
Curiousity always gets the better of us...even as adults! ;)
A is fixated with Band Aids too- and is very adept at putting them on herself.
If only they fixed all of life's problems..
Caitlin too thinks plasters are the fix-all to all ailments.
The first time she used them was when she had to have an innoculation, after which the puncture was covered over with one. As if not traumatised enough from the shot, peeling the plaster afterwards, although not physically painful in itself, was somewhat reminding her of puncture and sent her bawling, again.
After that I have to make a special trip to the nearest pharmacist to buy Disney plasters, just so she got used to them.
These days she is okay with them, and don't mind them anymore. Plasters, I mean!
I gotta say they are rather cute though overpriced....
Mother inlaw also uses the yuyi oil on the kids; something I am never used to...
ann,
I think I was about three when I realised what we need to do for different pains, including taking herbal medication, although I was not too crazy about that. But I loved the plaster too! :P
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hissychick,
I too wish band-aid could fix all life's problems. That sure would be great, aye?
Micah still can't put one on himself, or rather I think he feels some comfort when we do it for him, giving him the attention, etc. So far he has not played with them.
jlow,
I agree about overpricing those cute plasters. Maybe because my kids are boys, so they don't really care. maybe because my mom-in-law puts one on quite frequently (minor kitchen accidents) so the boys know it's ok when you need one.
My family grew up with other herbal oils but it was my MIL who introduced the yuyi oil when Micah was born. Quite good, I feel. Recommended to a friend whose baby was colicky too.
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