The Longest Shortest Time

Saved By Duck Sauce

We talk a lot on LST about struggles in parenthood. Okay, that’s all we talk about. But sometimes I feel like such a genius.

Yesterday, for example, I was trying to cook dinner and Sasha kept opening this drawer that isn’t easily childproofable. There’s nothing super dangerous in there—just spices—but still, I don’t want her digging around in it or getting her fingers pinched. She would pull open the drawer with a glint in her eye and say, “Special things.” She’d start rooting around, trying to get a hold of these special things that are obviously special because I keep shaking into our food. Y’know, to make them more “special.”

How can I make this less enticing to her? I wondered. Or at least give her a little bit of what she wants.

That’s when I spotted the little wax paper bag full of duck sauce, mustard, and soy sauce packets. Those bags from Chinese takeout that you keep around just in case. Just in case … what?

Just in case you have an antsy toddler, apparently.

To Sasha, that bag was full of treasure. She dumped it out and sorted through the transparent liquid-filled packets. Luckily, she’s not quite dexterous enough to figure out how to open them (though I’m sure given a few days she’ll get there). To my astonishment, Sasha completely lost interest in the drawer. Instead, she shook the packets one at a time, made piles with them, and when I took a break from the stove and sat down with her she loaded them methodically in and out of the opening in my lap. She did get a little bummed when I had to stand up again but I suggested that she put the packets in her cash register like play money. She thought this was a brilliant idea.

For a couple hours I had her totally figured out. Hang on to those Chinese condiment bags!

What surprising things have you discovered around your house or outside that keep your child occupied?