Finger puppets....

A few weeks ago, Lincoln was playing with a door at daycare, and he smashed his finger.  It turned black and blue, and I knew instantly that he would eventually loose his fingernail. 

I noticed last weekend that it was getting loose, so I trimmed the nail down as much as I could.  However, I don't want to cut too much off and leave his tender flesh exposed.  I'm also concerned he is going to catch the loose nail on something and tear it off. 

The logical answer to this dilemma is a band aid.  However, Lincoln for some reason despises band aids.  When he fell and got a cut on his forehead on vacation, we only convinced him to put one on at night so his pillow didn't get bloody, but he refused to wear one during the day. 

So, last weekend, I tried to reason with him.  I found the smallest band aid we had, and sat down with Lincoln.  I showed him how tiny it was, and how I was going to wrap it around the very tip of his finger.  Unlike the bright colored ones we put on his head, this one was brown, so it would blend in and NO one would know he had a boo-boo.  I was trying to explain to him that it was really important that he wear the band aid to keep him from getting a bigger boo-boo, when he interrupted me.

"Oh - it will be like a finger puppet mommy!"

My mind was wondering where he came up with this one.  Then I remembered that he had seen a cartoon where the kids had made finger puppets, and they put on a puppet show for their friends! 

So, I ran with it.  "Sure buddy, it will be like a finger puppet.  Mommy will even draw a little face on it if you like."

That was all it took.  He patiently waits for me to put the bandaid on each day, and holds steady while I get out the black Sharpie marker and draw a smiley face on his band aid, miraculously turning it into a finger puppet.

I thought this was our little secret, but yesterday morning I felt compelled to talk to daycare to let them know that he had a band aid on his finger, and to please watch it so that if it comes off, he doesn't tear his nail.  The nice woman laughed hysterically when I brought it up and said, "Oh, we know all about his band aid.  He's been calling it his finger puppet all week!"

So glad that I can turn a boo-boo into such joy for my son....and also for the daycare employees.  I'm sure they think I am the nuttiest mom in the world!