Don't Be So Sensitive

Are there any red-heads out there?

If so, can you answer something for me?

I have heard that red-heads are more sensitive about things. My dentist said that red-heads need more Novocaine. One of The Boy's doctors told us that things seem to be more painful for red-heads. And when The Boy had surgery on his thumb his anesthesiologist said that red-heads generally need more anesthesia than most people. I find that fascinating. I am not totally sure that I believe it, but I find it to be something interesting to watch.

And then I witnessed one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life and I thought that perhaps the theory had been proven true (although keep in mind that I found this to be funny after several nights of little to no sleep when The Boy was sick and up coughing all night long).

As mentioned, I was about at the end of my rope with having The Boy up coughing all night long. I was willing to try anything. My mom mentioned casually that perhaps I should put a little Vic.ks Vapo.rub on his chest as that had helped her tremendously and she remembered it being used on her when she was a kid. I figured, can't hurt and proceeded to give it a shot.

After potty and teeth brushing and as we were putting on our night time pull-up I brought out the little blue jar. I told The Boy that I was going to rub some of it on his chest and it would help make the bad germs go away. He looked skeptical and backed away slowly from me. I said, "No honey. This doesn't hurt at all. It smells really good and will clear up your nose. I just rub it on your chest like some lotion."

He still didn't move.

I said, "Okay, I won't put it on you without you checking it out first. In fact, here, I will rub some on my hand so you can see. See? Nothing to it. Come over here and smell it and see if you think it might help." I actually thought that once he smelled it he would be all for it.

He cautiously walked over towards the jar. He got about a foot away and took a good sniff and literally spun on his heel and high tailed it out of his room.

"NO WAY Mommy! NO WAY you put dat on me. Dat not nice you try a put dat stuff on me Mommy. Dat Mean!!!" While he was yelling this he was physically running into the bathroom and hiding behind the shower curtain. Drama much?

I laughed and told him it was fine and that it didn't smell that bad and that I promised it would help him feel better. I walked toward the bathroom...

He screamed a high pitch sound like I was coming after him with a knife. It was then that I broke out in the full-on hysterics. I mean, seriously, who freaks out like that over Vapo.rub? He ran from the shower and into my room and my closet and then back to his room and into his closet with a blanket over his head, the entire time screaming about the horrible thing I was trying to do to him.

I thought it was the funniest thing I had seen in my entire life. This is the child that will walk up to a spider on the wall and stick out his little finger for it to crawl on him while saying, "Come here little buddy..." But Vic.ks Vapo.rub? Nope. That shit is the devil.

But perhaps he is more sensitive to the smell than most? Has anyone else had a similar experience with their kid? Or is my kid just...special?