Cough, Cough

“Spicy Girl.  Remember cover your mouth when you cough.”

“OK, mommy.”

Aaah…. Choo!

“Spicy Girl.  You need to cover your mouth when you sneeze.  Just like when you cough.”

“OK, mommy.”

We are practicing.  In light of flu season (Have you heard?  There is a flu going around and we are all going to be oinking before springtime!), I am trying to instill good habits that will last a lifetime.  Cover your cough, is more than with your hands.  If you haven’t heard, you need to cough/sneeze into the area where your forearm connects to your elbow.  Even Elmo and Gordon are doing PSAs on PBS about it.

This past Saturday, while Spicy Girl was in getting a haircut, she sneezed.  But didn’t cover. “Spicy Girl, remember, you need to cover your mouth.  Apologize to Louie, please.”

“Sorry Youyee.”

“It’s OK, I have 30 year olds sneeze in my face every day.”  Louie is a barber with a barber’s view of life.

Less than 45 minutes later, we’re waiting for an elevator on our way to a hockey game.  Spicy Girl was rapt with excitement for the game, mostly for the “big pretzel”, which has become a game-time tradition. As we waited, Spicy Girl sneezed – into her elbow.  Twice. The packed waiting area was thoroughly impressed by this little trick and I glowed with “mother of the year” level pride.

Then, with four and a half minutes left in the first period, Spicy Girl sneezed again.  Her biggest of the day.  But, this time, no cover—which is unfortunate because, as it happens, she had a puss full of soft pretzel.  Shocked by the distance and width at which the bits of pretzel soared (two rows forward and six seats wide), I, once again, reminded Spicy Girl to PLEASE cover her mouth. Then I carefully reached forward to wipe off what I could from the unsuspecting fellow-fans in front of me.

Just when you think you are making a dent in the spread of a pandemic, you find yourself with soft pretzel on your face.