The Nose Knows

January 25, 2013, 10:35 pm
Filed under: Parenting | Tags: boogers, children, education, family, humor, kids, Middle-Age, mom, nose, south, southern, subourbonmom, talking with kids, teenagers humor, teens

For years I’ve been secure in the knowledge that the days of awkward, existential questions from my kids were over. No more sitting at a stoplight in the minivan while a high-pitched voice asks from the backseat, “Mommy, do angels sleep?” Or, “Does Heaven look different then here?”

I was safe in the anticipation that with the onset of the teenage years, our conversations would digress from angels and God to the 4 D’s: Drinking, Driving, Drugs and Dating. I was ready to partake in Teachable Moments, to share my values and offer advice gleaned from decades of experience.

But clearly, my daughter is not.

The following is an actual conversation I had in the car with Daughter #2…

Daughter #2: “Does your nose get used to the smell of your boogers so you don’t smell them?”

Me: “They don’t smell.” Now I’m secretly trying to see if I have any in my nose, and if they do in fact, smell…I never really thought about it before…

Daughter #2: “How do you know? If your nose is used to them, you wouldn’t know if they smelled or not.”

Me: “I know because if they smelled, I would be able to smell yours, or anybody else’s.” Ugh–horrible visual of me noticing a strange scent, wafting over from someone else’s nose…

Daughter #2: “But what if all boogers smelled the same? Then you wouldn’t know if your nose got used to them or not.”

Yep, actual, recent conversation.

I’m pretty sure that eventually, those normal mom/teen conversations will happen, but probably not for a long time.

And I’m ok with that.

But you’re trying to see if you can smell them, aren’t you?