Motherhood: a contact sport

In September 1979, Gordon was diagnosed with conjunctivitis ("pink eye"); the treatment required eyedrops, and later on Neosporin eye ointment to be placed in the eye. Remember, Gordon is two years old at this time. A trusting child, Gordon let me administer the dose once before he dug in his heels. It was a good thing I was so much bigger than he was, because he fought me with every inch of his body rather than submit to having ointment dabbed onto his eyeballs.

It took a day or two to perfect the success strategy. If I pinned his shoulders with my shins, and wedged his head between my knees, I could have one hand to pry the eye open, and the other to administer the ointment/drops. Not that he wasn't flailing and screaming the whole time; just that it didn't interfere--no, that's not the right word; didn't prevent the administration of the dose.

Personally, I have a poor opinion of anyone who designs an ointment-based medication for a child's eyes.