Alex and Betty Crocker

So I think Alex learned his lesson about germs today. The entire thing started yesterday. The night before I baked a lemon cake and it was sitting on the counter, minus two pieces, which Craig and Alex enjoyed the night before when it was warm from the oven. Yesterday, when he came home I was busy doing laundry in the basement so I was not at the door to greet him. He decided he wanted cake. Just as every 11 year old would I guess, but Alex decided to just pick at the cake with his fingers; his dirty, unwashed, germy fingers. Alex does have trouble asking for food, he would rather sneak it and lie about eating or taking it.


When I came upstairs to say hi to him, I noticed the cake plate was moved just a bit. Upon further inspection I noticed the center of the cake appeared to have been picked at. I asked him about it and at first he denied it, as usual. But he has an amazing tell when he lies and he has no chance of pulling one over on his ol’ mom. I reminded him that lying was not favorable and that he should just confess up. He finally did, after repeated denials, but he did admit it. Then I asked if he picked at the cake with his fingers. Yep, he sure did. I asked if he had washed his hands after he got home from school. He said he had, but I being the sleuthy mother I am decided to check the sinks for… well… evidence of water. Drier than the desert during a drought! Reminding him again that lying was not ideal for his situation; he again fessed up to his lack of cleanliness. I know, I know, you’re saying, he’s 11, cut him some slack. But this is a rerun that happens in our home at least once a week. Anyway, back to the story. After determining he dug his sticky, germy fingers into the cake, I decided to explain germs. I told him that germs were everywhere to which he promptly replied. “I know” (Oh boy I can’t wait for the days when he knows everything… just a few years until he’s a teenage genius)… Reminding him that if he hadn’t washed his hands since he used the restroom at school, he had touched his locker, his backpack, the van doors, the van seats, and anything else he could possibly come into contact with.

At this point he started to look like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming auto, and he decided he should remove the germs and wash his hands. Later that evening, after dinner, he asked if he could have a piece of cake. I decided the only way he will truly learn about germs and their utter domination of the human body, was to make him eat the altered, germy cake. So I sliced a thin slice across the cake and removed the damaged portion, plopped it on a plate, pulled out a fork, and stood there while he ate every germy bite. I know this may sound harsh, but harsh would have been physical punishment, not this, this was a lesson. So tonight he is coughing, sniffling, and he even threw up. I’m not happy he isn’t feeling good and his body has been invaded by these alien forms we call germs, but I am happy he is learning a lesson. Who knew a piece of cake could change someone’s life? Maybe Betty Crocker!