Last night we had something happen that made me feel like a dope in the parenting department. So here is the store, hubby sealed some cracks in the driveway with caulk, but I didn't know that.
Baby was outside playing and I was also outside jumping on our trampoline, (don't judge, it is great exercise) and not really paying close attention to her. I noticed that she was playing with something in the driveway, but she had her back to me. It looked like she was just playing in some mud. I may or may not have yelled to her to stop playing in it, but can't honestly remember.
I continue to jump for a few more minutes and then exhausted climb out and collapse into a chair near the trampoline.
Perry comes walking by and says, "Um mom, I think you need to wash Baby's hands. She was playing in caulk!"
What!?! I shoot up out of my chair and charge over to her. Her little fingers are covered in the stuff. UGH! I call over to my husband and say, "what should I do?"
He shrugs and says, "you can't use what I do, it will burn her skin."
GREAT! Now what?
I am freaking out a little because not only is the caulk itself toxic on these little fingers, but everything I can think off to get it off is as well!
This is what her hands look like...yes I said hands. Both are just covered in the black tar like substance. To top it off she is a finger sucker and I am wrestling with her to keep her fingers out of her mouth. All the white is lint from the towel I tried to wipe it off with first. (And yes I did have Perry take pictures so I could write about it later...shameless, I know!)
LIGHT BULB!
I remember that rubbing alcohol is good at removing sticky stuff and should be pretty safe for her skin.
Grabbing a bottle and paper towel from under the sink I set to work. I gently rub her finger with a towel drenched with the rubbing alcohol. I am breathing a sigh of relief because it is slowly coming off.
Finally after about 5 minutes of wrestling her to keep her fingers out of her mouth and gently rubbing her fingers with the rubbing alcohol almost all of the caulk comes off! Praise the Lord!
I wash her hands with soap and water and set her free.
Hopefully you will never have a reason to know this information, but just in case you do...now you know!
What was your biggest parenting fail?
Hey Meredith, I like your idea about using the rubbing alcohol. Just so you know if that every happens again you can also use this stuff called Goop Hand Cleaner. It is non-toxic, biodegradable and safe to use on children. If you would like to know more about it just let me know.
ReplyDeleteHi Christina! I didn't think to try Goop. I am sure we probably have some around here though...
DeleteLOL! you are too funny :) I don't mean to laugh. Stuff like this is never funny when it's happening to you! I think we've all had our "uh oh I should have been paying more attention" moments when it comes to our kids. Glad you figured it out and I definitely know where to turn when this happens to me, which I'm sure it will! :)
ReplyDeleteGood thinking. Everyone has practically a full bottle of rubbing alcohol in their cabinet. I'll have to try it next time nobody is watching me and I get in trouble. Probably at least by tomorrow. You are a great mom!
ReplyDeleteYikes! Glad it came off! When I was busy cleaning upstairs, my toddler got into a jar full of peanut butter (which we keep on the top shelf in the pantry because I'm allergic to it). I couldn't even touch him- I had to call my husband to come home and give him a bath. Until then he thankfully listened and got into the tub. I just put the water on and he played clothes and all.
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