In every household in America with children, there exists a bottle of Children's Benedryl. And there isn't a parent out there who has thought, at one time or another, "how ethically bad would it really be for me to drug this kid to sleep just once?"
Oh, admit it... I've thought of it myself several times in the past week as I've begged, pleaded, negotiated, and finally bribed my daugther to bed (no, to all DCFS officials out there, I haven't actually used Benedryl on her).
Her excuses are probably no different than the average pre-schoolers: I have to go potty, I'm thirsty, I forgot to put my shoes away, I need my headband, my lips are chapped, I don't like my jammies, I forgot to say goodnight to the fish, and, my personal favorite, I need to check on my scooter.
Peach has recently discovered that money is something worth hanging on to. She received ten $1 bills as a gift and when I told her that the princess lip gloss she wants costs $4.00, her eyes got big as she realized she could now buy it herself. She's since run around the house wondering what else she can afford. When I told her money is something people earn, she immediately put a price tag on every daily activity she could think of. Brushing teeth is now worth 50 cents. Cleaning up toys is worth $1.00 (these are her suggested retail prices, not mine).
Taking advantage of the fact that her adorably smart little 4 year old brain hasn't quite figured out the difference in value between a quarter and a penny, I've struck a new deal with her: stay in bed at night and she gets a penny the next morning, which she promptly puts in the orange and pink wallet I let her pick out at the store. If she doesn't stay in bed, no cash in the morning.
So now the new ethical question: I'm not drugging her, but how ethically bad is it that I've discovered that my four year old can be bought? And however bad that is, is it even worse that I don't feel even a little bit bad about it?
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2 comments:
Okay, I admit it... last summer we bought some children's benedryl before departing to Europe (per the advice of many, not to be named here)... wouldn't ya know as I finally convinced myself it was okay to give my 4yo a little, (hour 4 or so after pulling my hair out) I shortly realized it had the opposite effect and made my child bounce off the walls. Of course when he later asked for more that was a quick "no"! (oh, and for the DCFS people - I thought he had an allergy coming on...)
My child has the opposite effect as well. Totally bounces of the walls.
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