Use the Bowl!

Communication is so important! What is said, how it is said, and the message clarity all play into the effectiveness of a conversation! 

As a mother of four children, I have a lot of barf stories… but, one of the “funniest” highlights poor communication!

My sweet Lava was only 4 years old, sleeping in a big kid bed and sick as a dog! This was the first time that the flu had settled in and his poor tummy was unable to keep anything down. During the evening hours, I taught my child how to throw up in the toilet, but bedtime was upon us.

I got a large stainless steel bowl for Lava to use during the night if a wave of nausea should hit so quickly that getting to the bathroom was not possible. I tucked in the blankets, we said a prayer and I walked to the door. My parting words were, “Just remember, if you need it… use the bowl!”

I thought it might be a long night, so I went to bed shortly after this conversation. I was startled awake to the awful sound of wretching in the next room. I sprinted to Lava’s room to find my child sitting in bed with the bowl upside down over his head! He had grabbed the bowl when the sensation hit, probably wondering, “How do I use this thing?” He grabbed both sides and pulled it down tight over his head. He was tiny, the bowl was large and went well past his shoulders. Can you imagine?! He barfed directly into a wall of steel! It ricocheted against the bowl back on him faster than lightning! He must have been thinking,  “How on earth is this helpful! I sure hope that I never vomit again!!” Vomiting is bad enough if there is something to catch it!  But, projectile vomiting into something 3 inches from your face, takes the grossness factor to the top of the charts!  

I lifted the bowl off and the vomit was dripping from his eyelashes, hair, ears, shoulders… bleck! It had kept the room clean, only the bed where he sat was a mess. 

I never even considered that such directions were not clear… “Use the bowl!” Well, it is not clear to one that has never had to “Use a bowl!” 

We have laughed over that unfortunate night so many times… But, we have also learned a tremendous lesson! What seems clear to one person may still need clarification for another. Now, I often ask my children to show me what I mean when it is a tangible task that I am asking of them. Or I ask them to tell me what they heard me say and what it means. 

I also learned… just have my children sleep in the bathtub when they are sick with the flu!  Blankets are a lot easier to wash than a mattress (or walls).  I simply hose down the tub, fill it with fresh blankets, and put them back to “bed”.

I hope your communication never has such an epic fail, but I would love to hear your favorite stories!