Silly Uncle Shawn… learns a valuable lesson
I love my brother.
He’s funny and generous and K adores him.
His name was actually the first of my family that she learned {outside of mommy and daddy} and he even got his own hand movement to accompany it – a double fist pump straight into the air.
Toddlers are goofy little humans. They find humor in all sorts of places and as parents it’s our job to accommodate to their funny little brains and do just about anything to make them smile. Part of that includes providing endless magical kisses to heal boo boos. Anytime K bumps or bangs a part of her body, she needs a magical mommy kiss to make it feel better. I’m basically freakin’ Tinkerbell people. Magical. But every now and then if I’m not readily available she may have a boo boo serious enough to seek a kiss from daddy, a grandparent, or whatever family member is closest. On this day, it was Uncle Shawn.
K was hanging out in her play-nook and must have stepped on something pointy, resulting in a boo boo on her foot. I was in a different room while Uncle Shawn was right next to her so it was his magical healing kisses she needed. I heard the following conversation take place from the kitchen:
K: Shown… Shown… {through fake-fussing}, boo boo.
Shawn: Oh no! Where is your boo boo?
K: Foot. Kish, kish.
Shawn: Oh your foot? I’m so sorry. You know what we’re going to have to do? We need to go find mommy and tell her we have to cut your foot off.
K: {Silence}
At this point I look up from my book to see her reaction and she’s slowly walking toward me with a very concerned expression on her face. She is no longer fussing, and not rushing to me, but cautiously approaching me. Now I realize it might seem like an “out there” thing for my brother to have said to her but I honestly wasn’t that shocked when I heard him say it. More amused. I’ve used the “Oh, it’s hurt? I guess it’ll have to go” gag on her before, usually by telling her I have to bite off her fingers or toes when they get boo boos. My threat is usually followed by fake-biting on her digits while making munching noises. It always gets her giggling. So for her to be this concerned by her uncle’s suggestion was new.
In order to put her at ease I got in on the gag as playfully as possible.
Me: Let me see that boo boo. Oh yes, it’ll have to go {picking her up into my lap and tickling her foot}
At this point I can feel her relax and even managed to get a smile.
Shawn: Tell mommy it’s time to cut that foot off {reaches for her foot}
As soon as he leaned toward her K completely FLIPED OUT. Tears started flowing, she began kicking away from him, frantically reaching for me, and saying “no no no”. It took us completely by surprise since she’d seemed to have caught on to the game. My brother immediately backed away, crouched down to get on her level, and put his hands up to show her he wasn’t going to touch her while I rubbed her foot and told her repeatedly that Uncle Shawn was just being silly.
It took us a good 2-3 minutes to calm her down and reassure her that we weren’t ACTUALLY going to cut her foot off. She finally warmed back up to him and even started saying “silly Shown” as she shook her head.
So on this day, the first time Uncle Shawn terrified his sweet niece, a lesson was learned.
Mommy is allowed to bite off the bean’s fingers and toes, but anything more than that, and by anyone else… well that’s just unacceptable. Like I said… toddlers are just goofy little humans.
Have your kids ever given you a totally unexpected reaction like this?
Until next time…
Filed under: This and That
