Responsible Parenting

Every once and a while I have to do something that I know is in John Henry's best interest, but will momentarily make him upset. One example is sucking his nose with the obnoxious blue bulb that we received at the hospital.  I realize this isn't a big deal but it upsets him (for a few brief moments) and although I hate to do it, I know it's best for him.  I also realize that these instances of having to do the right thing will only get harder as he gets older. 

The other day I had to something that I knew would make him angry.  I wasn't really sure how angry he would be but knew that I had to be a responsible parent.  I had to cut the tag off of his favorite toy.  Yes, I realize this sounds simple.  Yes, I realize it sounds like it shouldn't be a big deal.  And yes, I realize that I should have done this in the beginning before it ever became an issue.  But I didn't.  I didn't even think that the tag would be noticed.  I was sorely mistaken. 

We received a wonderful jumpy toy from the Calverts and Weeks as a baby shower gift.  John Henry loves the heck out of it.  He jumps, plays the piano, and grabs at all of the toys that hang from the sides.  However, what he really loves to do is play with the tag.  He jumps with it, pulls on it, and does his best to eat it.  When I saw the bite marks around the tag and the place where he was obviously trying to tear with his teeth, I decided it was time for the tag to go.  Now that he's getting a mouth full of teeth it wouldn't be long until he finally got a chunk of the laminated tag in his mouth and potentially down this throat.  

This is a before shot.  He was happily jumping and holding onto the tag, pictured on the left.

Trying to jump and chew on the tag.

The last shot I got before all heck broke loose.  Can you see the concerned look on his face?  I was holding the scissors at this point and not that he knows what scissors do, but he knew that something was about to happen.

Needless to say, it didn't go well.  I cut the tag and he wanted nothing to do with the jumpy after that.  Thankfully, he has a short term memory so he was back in the jumpy having a great time later that day.  Lesson learned from this experience: cut the tags off new toys the second we get them. That, and start practicing the line "Trust me, this is for your own good."