Monday, May 4, 2009

Forty Digits

My kids often have long nails. I don't know if it's due to the California sunshine, or that they are eating machines that don't quit. Unfortunately, they have neither the capacity nor the will to trim their own nails. And, they don't want anyone else to give them a manicure, either. My wife is afraid she'll snip a finger off (or used say that when they were infants). Now, despite all my protests, I still have the job as the Chief Technician of The Salon.

I called it The Salon as a joke, but the name has stuck. I have discovered that they each are more responsive when attended to separately. Divide and conquer. My daughter is more pliable, and that's her nature. She's also less responsive to touch----so it's easier to get in, snip snip and be done without much fuss. My son, however, is a bit high strung----unlike, ahem, anyone, uh, I know. ANYWAY, it used to take a half hour (yes) sometimes. Now, the added time is merely the pre-amble to the action of the ten fingers and then, ten toes. The toes are the worst, but at times the most important, because if the toes scrape the shoes, well, that's pain that will last all day. Selling this point to him is darn near impossible. But usually (not always), usually I can get compliance.

It's like a piece of him is getting chopped off forever. He's very attached to himself. He hates change. And the whole touch thing, sometimes, is just too intense for him. Happily, he's come a long way. With tangible (if non-material) rewards, he will let me get to his nails. Just having some sort of acknowledgment like a star or a check mark will, almost always, carry the day. The only real pain comes about ten days later when I realize I never bothered with my own nails, which at that moment, are probably bending back on me.

1 comment:

  1. The fingernails on these kids are completely out of control

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