Sunday, September 16, 2007

The Game of Lice

Jill over at Writes Like She Talks asked me a very important and profound question a few weeks ago -- what is the conventional wisdom on why God invented lice?

I've been pondering this very question these past two weeks as we've waged our third battle against these relentless vermin this summer. The only purpose for lice that I can think of is that it teaches us a lesson that is as important and profound as Jill's question itself. Things can always get worse.

I've had alot of time to ponder many things as I've spent hours on end sifting through my daughter's thick curly locks, picking nits off her head. Aside from lamenting the missed Rosh Hashanah services and play dates as a result of this undeserved plague and wondering how my daughter might look bald (she has a pretty face!), I've mostly been asking myself why I've been so utterly unprepared for motherhood.

I always feel like I missed a course in high school or college or something. Other than my own parents' experience (and who actually pays attention to them?), the only thing that gave me a glimpse into the "real" world while I was growing up was Habro's "The Game of Life." Remember that game? The one where you sent your car along the road of life and along the way you got a job, got married, had kids, bought insurance and stocks? Sometimes you even defaulted on loans, lost out on the stock market or got hit by a hurricane. I just loved that game!

But thinking back on it, maybe that game was a bit superficial. If I was revamping it today, I'd add a few more "real" life experiences. Like, "Your daughter has lice. Loose two turns as you delouse your children and your house." Or, "Your daughter wants dance lessons. Pay $200 dollars for the lessons and $200 more for ballet shoes and recital costumes." Or, "Oops! Your baby spit up on your expensive wool suit. Pay $100 in dry cleaning!" Then maybe kids would grow up a bit more prepared for the real world.

Here's a fun game...what "real" life experiences would you add to "The Game of Life?"
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5 comments:

Jill said...

Amy, this is wonderful. I have The Game of Life jingle stuck in my head now! (And do you remember the frozen food called I Hate Peas? I have that jingle in my head too - lice and peas, lovely!).

And just this evening, at a lovely fall block party, some mom friends of mine were telling me how much they loved the entries about lice. Maybe God gave them to us to laugh over. Or maybe it's that adage, what doesn't kill us makes us stronger?

In any case, look how many of us lice has brought together. Hard to fault anyone over that I suppose.

L'shana tovah and we missed services this year too - my oldest had a croupy virus! This was the first I ever missed services on the high holidays, including the years I was at a Catholic university!

Have a good fast later this week too and may we, and the lice, be written in the book of lice. I mean, life. :)

Amy@UWM said...

Good to hear from you, Jill! I couldn't believe how just a few short weeks after sharing all my words of wisdom with you about how we "beat" lice, we were plagued by yet another bout. I suppose you just have to laugh at the lice to save yourself from jumping out the window (to quote you, "We WILL outlast the lice!).

L'shana tovah and a good fast to you too! (A Jewish girl at a Catholic university -- I'm sure that's an interesting story!}

Anonymous said...

They are the worst WORST thing that can happen. I'd rather my kids got scurvie. At least with scurvie it's like, here kid, have a lime. BUt with live you have to scour the house. Twice. Here, read my ordeal:
http://deathbykids.blogspot.com/2007/03/lice-lice-lice-baby.html

Amy@UWM said...

Loved your post (and your blog...you've got a very engaging writing style). We did the full out chemical assault to no avail too. I scoffed when a friend suggested we try the mayo thing, then tried it in desperation when the chemicals failed again. We use Tea Tree Oil shampoo (which costs a gazillion dollars). And we bagged up anything fluffy, washed everything not nailed down and wrapped the house in bubble wrap. Remains to be seen if we've actually succeeded.

Anonymous said...

Hi Amy--

Our daughter's lice made their first appearance during Yom Kippur services. Weren't we lucky? This was the first year during my adult life that I went shopping on YK.

We are waiting to see how things turn out. I hope your lice are gone for good.