the boogers

I just read a blog entry by someone I follow, and noted for the first time her general aversion to kids -- maybe not all kids, but certainly children who have colds or misbehave. The misbehaving I can understand -- the husband and I have taken care to raise a child who knows how to act in public. But boogers are apparently an Issue for this writer, and rather than hack on her opinions directly, I'll post a few of my own. I doubt she reads me (she has a serious following, fans of her own to appease, etc.)

Boogers = normal. Snot = normal. Other bodily fluids = natural. Their appearance when childrearing = common.

Not everyone should have kids, and more power to those who don't want them and don't have them (thank God, because who needs more indifferently-raised kids on the streets.) But if you do, then you have to be ready for the puke and the poop and the snot and the fact that all of these substances will wind up on your hands or your clothes at some point. And that is that.

It's a kind of baptism, really, the first time your kid comes to you all teary-eyed, and when you ask him what's wrong he barfs all over you. Because he doesn't understand what he's feeling, he's never done this before, and he doesn't realize what's going to happen next -- he just doesn't get it, poor scared thing, and the fact that he's just done it all over the place only makes it worse. Pre-language kids are still quite easily embarrassed, and when they get to be four or so it only gets worse, you have to feel sorry for them.

Or at least, I have to feel sorry for mine. He tries so hard to keep it together, but some new trial awaits at every turn -- being awakened by your own snoring for example. AAH! Or in the case of little boys, the unruly (ahem) apparatus that starts doing its own thing at odd times -- and learning about Privacy, learning that some things aren't Bad but they are Private and should therefore not be explained to all the world at any given point in time. Or, boogers. Lots of people are squikked out by boogers, so you have to be subtle in your efforts to get rid of them. And wash your hands after. Lordy.

Anyway. I have pretty high tolerance for the bodily gunk, lucky me. And if you don't have kids, but think you might some day, you'd better be prepared.