Since the girls were babies, we've tried not to be
too casual about giving them Ibuprofen or Tylenol, saving it for high
fevers and obviously intense teething pain that wasn't soothable with
ice or baby chew toys. Nevertheless, the girls have come to believe
that "mecinin," as they call it, is some kind of panacea* that can
cure whatever ails them -- a stubbed toe, a sibling dispute, their
displeasure at having to go to bed. "I need mecinin!" they'll wail.
Shout. Scream. Like little junkies.
And what can we do? It's not like we're going to
give them drugs that they don't need. I try to explain that medicine is
only for when they're very sick, or have a fever. (Isn't that what
you're supposed to do? Explain things to your toddler very calmly and
rationally? Because, you know, they're so open to calm and rational
reasoing?) But they're smart enough now to start claiming symptoms they
may or may not actually have. Their mouth hurts. They have a
boo-boo. They're "a little warm." (My favorite.) It's even trickier
when one twin actually does need medicine for something.
Because the other one, naturally, wants some, too. Why, when they get
equal treatment in pretty much everything, should this be suddenly
different? Hell, I'd be confused, too.
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