504 Main by Holly Lefevre: No Poopy Pancakes for Me!
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Thursday, November 12, 2009

No Poopy Pancakes for Me!

I did it last week...I am ready to try it again. So this week, my pick for Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop…#1 – “Describe the best/most creative punishment you have ever given your children or received yourself.” It will have to be something I have done to deeply damage my own children for life, as I was a perfect angel. No, really, my dad was a cop and I HATE getting in trouble.

No Poopy Pancakes for Me!

My son is persistent, insistent, and stubborn. Good thing he is cute as a button, bright, and likes to snuggle. He is the kind of kid, however that needs examples. I couldn’t just tell him not to pinch (he knows this…now); he needed evidence that it was bad…why it was wrong. So, yes, I did pinch hit to prove my point (no need to call CPS!). This leads me to the tale of the Poopy Pancakes…

My daughter had just been born and my (then) six year old couldn’t get enough of her. Her dad (aka my hubby) was a freak about everything (still is) – for the record, I am not. There was hand-sanitizing and hand-washing being enforced 24/7 in this house. Hubby was constantly asking: Did you wash your hands? Are you sure you are feeling OK? Did you use hot water when you washed that bottle? As if, I was going to go through labor to give my kid a funky disease by not washing properly.

Being the boy he is, Joe didn’t like to wash his hands – at one time he did, but I am not sure what happened. One bright and cheery day he finishes with his business in the bathroom and I can hear him…he does not wash his hands and comes jumping into the room chanting, “I want to hold my sister! I want to hold my sister!” I ask’ “Did you wash your hands?” Silence. “Go back and wash, then you can hold her.” Protests and screaming ensue (just a little trouble adjusting to not being the one-and-only). Then as if timed perfectly, Jules poops - a teeny, tiny, smelly, new baby poop.


I change her diaper and by this time Joe has changed directions…he wants a pancake…“I am hungry…NOW!!!” This lovely sound continues while I change Jules...and then I had my “A-Ha! Moment.”

I finish my business, put Jules down in the crib and tell Joe to come with me. We go into the kitchen and I began pulling out the items we need for pancakes. He looks at me, “Aren’t you going to wash you hands?” I am dumbfounded – this might actually work - a brilliant mom  moment to never be forgotten! “No” I say. “If poopy hands are fine for your sister, then poopy pancakes should be fine for you.”

Like a flash he was gone…to the bathroom, water a runnin’. He always washes his hands now.

36 comments:

  1. PURE BRILLIANCE!!!!! I may have to try this out, for Eve likes to "pretend" she washes her hands or just use the hand sanatizer.
    The joys of being a mom, especially of strong-willed children, is finding creative ways to get through to them!

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  2. Brilliant is right!!!! Good one!

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  3. AMAZING! I ALWAYS have to be on top of the hand washing with my son. I may just have to try and make him some poopy pancakes!!!

    BTW, I always appreciate your comments and your visits to my blog. I just wanted you to know how much I am enjoying yours. :)

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  4. That is totally brilliant!! Love it!!

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  5. Quick thinking Mom! I think I will try this on my 15 yr.old!

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  6. That's hilarious! I am totally the person with late comebacks - love it!

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  7. EXCELLENT! pure genius!!
    Do you have a trick to get a 14 year old boy with braces to actually BRUSH his teeth every day?!?! WITHOUT a war ensuing first??

    Tami G

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  8. lol, I love it! Kids are so funny :)

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  9. I bet this would work with my husband!

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  10. What a great story! I am a huge fan of creative punishments like that--so much more effective than the oh-so-mundane time outs and early bedtimes. LOL

    I wish I'd been aware of this challenge--I could have shared the story about the time I made my ten-seven year old daughter eat bowls of candy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

    I LOVE that green bathroom tile, btw!!!

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  11. Holly, as you know, that's one of my all-time favorite stories! I will forever fondly think of you and the kids every time I make pancakes (which is a heck of a lot better than thinking fondly of you every time I make a trip to the bathroom).

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  12. You are wise beyond your mommy years.

    Now, with all that hand washing, your hubby better not be getting sick.

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  13. EWW! He totally set himself up for that one, didn't he?

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  14. That was awesome! You were right, not a moment to miss and it worked! I'll have to say my husband is the same as far as messes and clean up and my daughter has to be reminded to wash her hands. I may have to re-create your scene and see what happens!

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  15. Nice :)

    what a perfect lesson. i gotta keep this one in the back of my mind to use later. lol

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  16. Anonymous12:37 PM

    TOO funny! Love the story and LOVE that it worked!

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  17. BTW, I've tagged you as a THETA mom, stop by and pick up your tag :)

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  18. Holly,

    I need you to come to my house and serve up some poopy pancakes. This post seriously takes the (pan)cake. Wonderful job!

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  19. That is AWESOME!! I LOVE IT!! :D

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  20. Anonymous5:07 PM

    Perfect! It's great when teaching moments just happen like that!

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  21. ha! That's perfect, and good thing he didn't settle for the poopy pancakes! Good going!

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  22. Anonymous8:06 PM

    ha, ha, ha - what a great story. Poppy pancakes. who wants 'em?

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  23. You are THE MOM! That was pure Awesome Sauce.

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  24. That was awesome!!! The whole thing had me rolling. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  25. LOL!!! And your husband sounds like mine!! ha ha

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  26. Anonymous2:40 PM

    BRILLIANT!!!!!!! But with you my dear friend I would expect no less :)

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  27. I LOVE it! mom award for creative genius.

    Cheers to Poopy Pancakes!

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  28. I can't believe that worked!! I love it...tomorrow we're TOTALLY having poopy pancakes. :)

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  29. I think this is quite possibly the funniest thing I have ever read! You are so witty! I only pray I get to use "poopy pancakes" with my kids one day! It's priceless~ Bravo, Momma!
    Kelli @ SustainingCreativity

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  30. Great!! Anything that promates handwashing is good in my book, good work, mom! :)

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  31. What a great read, I love the pics you added to your post as well.

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