A Sticky Situation

I have a thing about band-aids.  Well, they would actually be called Band-Aids, or adhesive bandages, but either way, I have a thing about them.  I don't know when it started, but I think that it had something to do with working in the office and doubling as the school 'nurse' back in the day.

The thing is, I think that band-aids are highly over used.  It annoys me when kids have band-aids all over their bodies just because their sister has one, or because they bumped their knee or grazed their elbow.

Get over it.

Seriously.

So, here's my thing.  In my mind, it's all really just a marketing ploy put out by the band-aid companies.  True, there are times when wounds need to be covered and protected, or just covered 'cuz we don't wanna see all that, but not every little scratch.  But, what we hear is that things heal faster or better or with less scarring if we use a band-aid.  Really?  Ok, maybe, but doesn't that really just apply to deep wounds that need some extra TLC?  Is my son's bruise really going to heal faster?  Of course not!  But hey, put a band-aid on it, and it will feel better, right?

And exactly how does that work?

Out of sight, out of mind, of course.  Plus, an angry bird or two decorating your body is always fun, right?

What happened to the 'flesh' colored strips?  When did they stop being enough?

I think it was all around the time that we started giving everyone on all the soccer teams oranges during half-time of an hour long game PLUS a snack at the end of the game, as if our kids can't last til they get home to get some nourishment, and trophies for everyone.    

So, here's my thing:

Why do we do it?  Why do we give in to the cry for a band-aid?  To make the kid stop crying, of course.  We say, 'I'll put a band-aid on it.  There.  Now it's all better.'

But is it really?

Think about this:

What is in those band-aids that we slap willy nilly on our kids' tender skin?  What makes them stick so well?  How much processing and chemicals are in that little white non-stick pad?  And we are putting these on our kids right next to a part of their skin that is already compromised by a scratch or bruise.

Maybe I'm just blowing smoke.  Maybe it's all been tested by the band-aid company and proven to be very safe for our little tricycle motors, but then again, maybe not.  I honestly don't know.

In fact, I did absolutely no research before writing this post.

My only insight has been that Jo has a small rubbed spot on her foot and she is crying for a band-aid.  I, however, am being a horribly mean mother and am not giving her a band-aid.

Why?

Because I know that if I cave and give her a band-aid now, for this minuscule dot of red, it is but a short ride down a slippery slope of whining for a band-aid at every tiny bump or smallest scrape.

And I personally do not want to buy stock in the companies that produce 'adhesive bandages.'