Wasting Away

 
OK, I know your kid is clean. However, when my kiddo puts her head against another kid's head, all I can think about is "what if there's a hitch hiker"? No offense. Cooties don't discriminate. So, I have been putting styling product on the kiddo's hair and spraying it with Lice Shield, as I mentioned in this post, "Not Taking My Chances" , to discourage critters, just in case.

The Lice Shield has a very pungent fragrance, so I use it sparingly, even when I use it as an all-around insect repellent (it works great for that, too!). The kiddo, however, doesn't use anything sparingly. Tonight, after her shower, she felt the need to spray it all over the bathroom counter. I asked her point blank why that was necessary, and she replied that she didn't want bugs in the bathroom. Okaaay, I don't, either, but we've never had a problem with that before, so I'm not sure where this came from. Now, the kiddo didn't empty the bottle, but she did waste a lot of it, and worse than that, the smell was overpowering. Yes, it's all-natural and botanically based, but essential oils can be just as noxious as chemicals. My throat and my head were starting to hurt, and, yes, there was yelling.

This wasting is causing no end of frustration for me. I know that the kiddo is curious and wants to experiment to see how things work. I'm not sure that she's pondering the physics of the force of the spray bottle, or analyzing the chemical properties of the product, but she's definitely investigating. That's great, except we're back to the wasting. And in this case, my aggravated sore throat and pounding headache. And the sticky mess on the counter.

My solution? Yeah, I don't have one. Last night, I had the kiddo wipe down the counter, and I charged her $.50 for the product she wasted, since it will have to be replaced. That is only a small fraction of the cost, but it's a significant amount for her. Of course, the bottle has also been put away, but this is all more reactive than proactive. I'm at a loss, and my throat and head still hurt, but hey, there are no bugs in my bathroom.