Magical Mommy Medicine

I'm the kind of mom who will only dish out bandaids for blood, and whose most repeated phrase regarding the common complaints of childhood is "You'll live." I have counselled my four-year-old son to proudly proclaim "Look what I survived!" as he shows off his latest battle scar. I have given fake medicine for illnesses which seem to onset suddenly at bedtime. I rarely panic, and even more rarely coddle. Despite this, I find myself dishing out daily doses of a medicine more miraculous than any drug.

I must confess, I'm in love with the fact that this most unusual medicine is absolutley free. A simple smooch is better than bandaids by far. Although all kids love the beauty of a bandaid, they are inevitably pulled off or won't stick in the first place. Hardly a worthy investment. In our house, if you simply blow on a kiss after you've planted it, it becomes semi-permanent and can only be removed by soap and water. This has its unfortunate side, if the person who has kissed you has cooties. On the other hand, it is a true miracle if instead the kiss contains the marvelous magic of mommy medicine.

The other incredible fact about Mommy kisses is that they are 100% effective. I've kissed swelling heads that are somehow healed despite the remaining goosegg. I've decorated the damage from car doors, hockey sticks, and errant siblings and recieved for my trouble a smiling child who runs away from me content to pursue their former play. I've even held a crying child in my arms, soothed her with my kisses, and known that even though the hurt remained, the tiny heart was somehow healed despite the pain.

How many skinned knees, sore elbows, and smashed noggins must a mother doctor in her lifetime? I think that if I added up the number of times I've repeated each mothering task...from nursing to diapering to reading stories...the simple service of smooching away a sore would outweigh each and every other one. From the most impractical places--face it, bandaids never stick on knuckles--to the downright disgusting ("mommy, my tush hurts...") a mother's love is an ever-effective elixer whose label instructions indicate the appropriate treatment is simply "Apply liberally. Reapply as needed."