Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Brushing

Today I thought I would write about brushing. Brushing teeth and hair to be to the point. Why does it have to be so hard to get these basic things done? I tell Finley, my three year old, to brush his teeth and he does his best. I tell Jasmine to brush her teeth and it is as if I have asked her to run a marathon, up hill, in the snow, with no shoes on. I.just.don't.get.it. Is it a sensory thing? A defiance thing? It is not because she doesn't have the skills. She can do it. With a treat promised she will do it....fast. When it is just to have fresh breath and take care of her teeth....forget it. And Ryan. Well, we hold him down. I mean we HOLD him down. I sit on the floor with him in my arms, legs pinned under my legs, arms smashed behind me and the other one firmly held in my clutched fist. And then I pin his head with my chin start brushing. All to get his teeth clean. CRAZY!

And hair brushing. Jasmine will do it sometimes and other times lie to my face, matted hair and all. Like I can't tell that she didn't do it. I didn't just land on this Earth yesterday. I lied to my mom when I was younger. Might even do it now (sorry mom). Do all kids have this same lack of caring? And Ryan. Well, I hold him down. I mean, HOLD him down. I get a wet paper towel and swipe at his head while he tries to swat at me. Then, silly me, I try WITH A BRUSH to brush his hair while he does every move possible to get away from me. Sometimes my non-brushing Jasmine helps me hold him down. And then she goes into the bathroom and pretends to brush her hair thinking that I won't hold her down too. I won't...but still.

So, in a house with sensory issues this mom has an issue with brushing. I might not always be fully dressed at the bus stop in the morning but my hair is always brushed!