So Monday, awesome agency sibling Josephine mentioned on Twitter that when she was young, her mom made her drink hot Jell-O to when she was sick.
After a round of What?!s and Ew!s (OK, mostly from me), Josephine said her mom had two basic remedies for childhood illness. Either they had to drink the hot Jell-O, or they had to eat melted butter (with lemon and honey) by the spoonful. Because that's how it went down when Josephine's mother was little herself.
So basically:
- Parents are crazy.
- New parents don't know jack except what their parents knew.
- It's amazing we survive as a species.
I started wondering if some of the remedies I grew up with were weird, and I didn't know it because I was just a dumb kid.
So I picked one to share: when I was little, my mom cleaned my ears with hydrogen peroxide. I'd lie on the couch, head on her leg, and shiver as the bubbles did their work. Apparently, it worked. And it was really relaxing. In fact, I still treat my ears this way once a month, though sadly Mom's leg is with her in Indiana and I have to use a pillow instead.
But I've never seen anyone else do this. Sound familiar? Bizarre? If I'm losing my hearing should I stop? :)
Now it's your turn: can you think of a remedy you once accepted as Mom's Truth and now consider suspect? Spill it... (We promise we won't make fun of your mom. Any more than we already do.)
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4 ate pie:
Ok, it wasn't from my mom, but from a close family friend. I have psoriasis and she said that back home, they would pick these yellow flowers that she called "broom" and steep them into a tea and then apply it to any patches. So one day, my mom, sister, and I all went out picking these flower petals and we tried it. It wasn't a miracle cure and I really don't know if it would have helped, since it was too much effort to do it more than the one time.
The ear thing does sound intriguing though. As long as it isn't uncomfortable and/or damaging, can't see how it hurts. I may give it a try too since it can't be any more damaging than jamming a q-tip in there.
I can't think of anything weird my mom used to do or make us do, but the ear thing my husband still does and it was recommended by his doctor, so it should be okay, right? Not that I swear by everything a doctor says, but I can't see the harm.
And the hot jello thing? My husband swears by this for an upset stomach. If nothing else, it's like drinking warm liquid candy. What kid wouldn't respond positively to that?
Peroxide in your EARS? I'm a bit of a freak about *anything* in my ears (q-tips, water, yuck!), so that would drive me crazy.
And yes, Abby, my mom & your husband are on the same wavelength. She gave us hot jello water when we had an upset stomach, and honey/lemon/butter for colds. I've never heard of anyone else doing either one of these, so this is fascinating. :)
Jenn - I think broom originated in Scotland, but I could be wrong. Definitely a labor-intensive remedy.
Abby - Good to hear I'm not alone w/ the ear thing. Mom's gonna jump on and say, TOLD YOU SO.
Josephine - It's pretty ticklish till you get used to it.
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