The art room at Lucas's preschool contains easels and paints as well as a sand table. In yet another example of why I could never run a daycare or be a preschool teacher, I just can not imagine having a sand table inside. But, they do and he loves it. Obviously I'm thrilled that he loves it but I am not thrilled that he loves it so much that he often comes home with sand in his hair. Have I mentioned that Lucas has incredibly thick hair? He does.
Two weeks ago, we got a note that someone in the class had head lice. AHHHHHHHHH! I kind of freaked and felt certain that if one kid had it that certainly meant that every kid--or at the very least, my kid--would soon get it. Also, I immediately started itching.
The night after the note came home, Lucas asked me to scratch his head. I scratched and little hard white things got under my fingernails. Lice. Damn. I knew it. Abel was on his way home and I met him at the door to tell him to get right back in the car and drive to the store and buy that special shampoo. Not fully buying into my hysterics, Abel came up to take a look for himself. We re-read the paper with the explanation of just what lice and their nits do and look like.
After approximately 10 minutes of inspection, Abel declared that Lucas's head was full of sand.
SAND?!
We asked, "Lucas, did you play with the sand table today?"
"Yes! A. and I were going like this!" (gestures handfuls of sand up to his head)
THANK GOD.
Two nights ago, Lucas's head was again completely full of sand. I gave him a bath and it took two shampoos and many, many rinses to get all the sand out. We--again--talked about not putting sand in your hair.
Abel came home toward the end of the bath and I told him how hard it was to get all the sand out. I also indicated that while I didn't intentionally make the washing and rinsing experience uncomfortable, I wasn't necessarily as careful as I always am about not getting water in Lucas's face and eyes.
Abel: So you basically water-boarded our son?
Smiling Mama: Hey, if that's what it takes to get him to stop putting sand in his hair, then yes.
Original post by Smiling Mama. Thanks for reading!
ROFL. I sure hope Lucas doesn't end up with lice. We had it last year and it took MONTHS to get rid of. Those shampoos don't really work (lice are, surprise, building immunity to them) and the combs included with the shampoos are shit. Finally bought some expensive metal combs, used them daily for weeks, and got rid of the bugs manually.
ReplyDeleteOur preschool had a rice table instead of a sand table. I don't know if it's any less messy, but at least rice doesn't stick to your scalp!
Wow, what a funny story! I'm so glad that Lucas doesn't have lice. Hopefully he can avoid it. My stomach always used to be full of butterflies during the head-check days at school. Ugh, I will never forget that feeling of waiting in line watching the school nurse (clad in plastic gloves, of course), used a tongue depressor to move around your friend's hair. And then waiting for the verdict was always the worst!
ReplyDeleteSo glad it was only sand! Even the thought of lice makes my head itch! My first year teaching, there was one girl who had lice 7 times since they never got rid of the nits. It was so icky! There has just been a case declared in one of the kindergarten classes at my daughter's school and so my head has gotten instantly itchy even though she's been home sick for 2 days!
ReplyDeleteI second Dr. Blondie. I can still remember that sinking feeling in my stomach when we had to pull out two of our own pencils (rather than the tongue depressors). And I still fear those metal combs...that was the worst.
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