Wear a Helmet!

As I focus on reducing our carbon footprint, today tiptoed by, a simple day in the home: no errands, no car rides.  Morning time Kaio and I spent building a Erector set motorized race car, my mom picked it up from Costco.  Nothing 'green' about this, it's made in China and is probably coated in Lead.  But at least he gets to use his brain and spacial thinking.  I've always wanted a lego robotics set, so I'm loving 'helping' with this new toy.

Only 2yrs old and Nene told me "I don't love mommy. I don't like her."   I felt like crying.  I don't know how I am going take it when she's 14.  It was fashion related.  Her outfit exposed too much skin.  The bugs love her, so I wanted her to wear jeans and avoid getting bug bites.  I held up a kitty shirt that said "I love Mommy" and was like, "Look!  It's you kitty cat shirt.  Look it says 'I love Mommy'"  

She mumbled with a sour pout face, "No. I don't love my mommy. I don't like her."

Parents can't win.  Parents just don't understand.

And in another fashion related stand off, Kaio wanted to ride his bike around in nothing but  pair of boxers.  Not like we're chock full of rules around here, but one of the few rules we've recently established is you need to wear a helmet, you need to wear clothes toed shoes, and you need to wear jeans on the bicycle.  He is too much of a dare devil to survive life otherwise.  I used to let him ride around the back deck without a helmet.  But I guess that wasn't exciting enough and he had to try riding the bike down the stairs that exit from the deck.  He toppled over his bike and banged his head up on the tile walkway.  So now the rule is helmet required at all times.  

This morning he hopped on the bike in nothing but a thin piece of fabric over his junk, I had to interject.  I even brought him a pair of pants and shoes.  But he preferred to not get dressed.  I stood ground and insisted, he moved on to the skateboard, riding on hands and knees.  He somehow managed to skin his nose doing a face plant on the pavement.  boys!  

Our lesson for the day became clothing safety for road toys.  

We drew pictures of the proper attire for outdoor play.  The kids got really into it.  Kaio drew his own helmet and shoes.  He drew a blue bicycle that's pretty close for a first try.

An unusually cool and perfectly crisp evening, after nap we went outside to play with the neighbors.  No fight about clothing this time.  Nala put on a pair of pants under her dress.  Kaio, who had been in just a pair of boxers all day long, got fully dressed in shirt, jeans, socks, sneakers, and even a helmet!  

And we lived another day without anymore bumps bruises or bug bites.