Here’s a conversation that went down in our car on the way to school one recent morning…
Lexi: Hey Mom. What does green snot stand for?
A big pause here as I think about that. After all, I was not aware that snot stood for any particular causes. Perhaps it stands for dairy products in the interest of becoming more robust? Or maybe it stands for the cause of softer tissues in order to have a plusher landing pad?
Me: Uh…, I don’t know. (There. Just bought me a few more seconds of thinking time.)
Oh! Maybe she means “stands for” as in an acronym…S.N.O.T. Could S.N.O.T. stand for Syrupy Nasally Olfactory Things? Or maybe Secretions Normally Otherwise Thinner. Shoot! Got me. I have no idea what S.N.O.T. stands for.
Lexi: You know, like if it’s clear it means something but if it’s green it means something else.
LIGHTBULB!
Me: Ooooooohhh, okay. Now I know what you mean. Yeah, clear snot’s the kind you want because that means there’s no infection. Green or yellow could mean infection. But sometimes it gets that way at the beginning or end of a cold, too.
Lexi: Okay.
That was it! That’s all she needed! Just a little reminder about which colors of snot to be concerned about! Whew! It’s snot easy trying to have all the answers! But I love it when I do. ;-)
