Confession time, my late mother-God rest her soul-told us this a few years ago when I had my son, that none of all five of us ever had a bath until we were at least three years old. Imagine!! None of us! I can just imagine the amount of dirt I had on me, and the dirt on grind that ended up in that ‘karai’ at the end of that first time.
The purpose of that story when she told it was to stop me from insisting that I should wash my son everyday when he was a few days old. The plan was, and she even bought coconut oil for that purpose, to wipe him with oil; whichever kind could be found. Ammon was a very quiet lad when he was small, so he would quietly lie still and enjoy the massage mom proceeded to give him. Soon it became a daily ritual right before the little sap went to sleep for the last time of the day.
As is the case with lazy people like myself, I got used to that particular way of doing things. The ‘tush’ would get wet wipes with every diaper change, and the rest of him would be lathered up in cooking coconut oil or olive oil by mom at the end of the day. If we have kept a record of all the times Ammon has had in his life thus far therefore, they would probably not get past 100.
I had decided to do things a little differently, when he started school. I had planned to wash him every morning before he got into his uniform, but if you ever saw the two of us together, you would know who makes the rules: Ammon. I only managed to wash him the first week, which by the way was from Wednesday. It is true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks especially when the dog makes all the rules.
Now the new plan is to wash the little man only on Sunday’s, before we go out if we do, or right before he sleeps if we don’t.
But all in all, Ammon is a clean little boy! He’s graduated from coconut and olive oil to my lotion and a hot bath cloth for his face and his tiny ‘tush’.
This morning while I waved him goodbye after dropping him off at school, I couldn’t help but feel proud of the man he will be when he is all grown up. He will shower everyday coz by then he will know how. He will brush his own shoes, a task which I do myself every morning before I wake him up. He will brush his tiny teeth all by himself. He will tie his own shoe laces.
I can’t begin to describe how the thought of that makes me feel. My little man all grown up, doing his own thing in the morning before he goes to school.
Yes I know I didn’t let him grow into an adult just yet but limited him to when he still goes to school. Which parent in their right mind wants to get to that step that fast? I am not going to be the first!
While my little man grows everyday, learning new things as he will inevitably do, I hope all of you grow somewhat from my words.
Till next week my good people.
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Wacu Mureithi is a part time law student, full-time mother and all-time dreamer. Her work can be found on seriouslypoetic.blogspot.com.