Pharmacopeia

They make kid's medicines taste too good these days. Jonathan hasn't had many courses of antibiotics in his life - I think the last was two years ago - but between those and a couple shots of childrens' Tylenol, he thinks medicine is terrific. It's not uncommon for him to announce "I'm sick. I need some medicine to feel better."

Well, obviously, I'm not pulling down the blue raspberry Advil every time he asks. Most of the time I can distract him with a book or a game, and he forgets all about his illness. There are times, though, that he's miserable with a cough or cold. There really aren't any children's medicines left on the market for those.

So I concoct him some home remedies. For cough, he gets hot water with honey and lemon. Of course, I don't usually have fresh lemons sitting in my fridge - but I almost always have sour mix! He sits at the table and relishes every sip, and always reports that he feels much better. When he has a sort throat, I let him gargle with salty warm water. I have to watch him pretty carefully to make sure he doesn't drink it.

Now he tailors his illnesses to get the remedy he wants. After he's been put to bed, he'll come out to the landing of the stairs and call for me. I'll ask him "What do you need, Jonathan?" He can't keep the sly grin off his face as he says "Mommy, my throat really hurts. Do you know what would make me feel so much better? It comes in a glass and it's warm - it's that salty drink!"

Today he was having a hard time getting ready for school. Miss Becky loaded Alex into the car while I went up the bathroom to check on him. He said his stomach was hurting him and was moving at approximately 0.003 miles an hour. Since he'd scarfed a waffle, juice and yogurt for breakfast, I wasn't too worried. But in desperation I asked him if I needed to make him special medicine for his stomach. He lit up and said "Oooh yes!" He finished washing up while I went out to the herb garden and picked a mint leaf. I handed it to him as he went out to the car. Later that day he told me he chewed some of it up and it made his tummy feel good. If only it was always that easy.