One Finger

"Mom, you should put some of your issues away. Baby proof this house," stated our oldest son Mark as he lumbered up the stairs followed by his wife, Kim, and fifteen - month - old Hannah.

Visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday, he finished unloading the luggage and took it to the guestroom downstairs. Soon after driving all day from Salt Lake to Ft. Collins, his temper showed. "That 1 finger rule may well work with the twins, but it'll never function with Hannah, " he insisted.

When my 3 granddaughters were born four months apart as well as the twins moved into our home at eight months, my close friend provided me her secret to entertaining grandchildren with couple of mishaps. "Teach them the 'one finger rule'." All of her five grandchildren learned it at a young age. The success of the method surprised me.

I picked up my granddaughter and said, "Well, Mark, you just watch." I hugged her and walked all about the terrific room.

"Hannah, you may touch anything in this room you need. But, you could only use one finger." I demonstrated the technique by touching my forefinger to the African sculpture on the mantle. Hannah followed my example. "Good girl. Now what else would you like to touch¡ê?"

She stretched her finger toward one more object on the mantle. I allowed her to touch everything in sight, plants, glass objects, Tv, VCR, lamps, speakers, candles and artificial flowers. If she began to grab, I gently reminded her to make use of 1 finger. She normally obeyed. But, Hannah, an only child, possessed a much more adventur ous personality. Her father predicted it would stop her from accepting the"one finger"rule.

In the course of their four-day stay, we aided Hannah in remembering"one finger"rule. She learned rapidly. I only put away the things that could prove to be a danger to a child. Otherwise, we watched her closely and nothing appeared to suffer any damage. Besides, "things"can be replaced.

A few fingerprints on glass doors, windows and tables remained immediately after Hannah and her family returned property. I couldn't bring myself to clean them for days. Every single 1 reminded me of some wonderful experience with Hannah.

Months later, my husband and I drove to Salt Lake; I watched Mark and Kim continue to practice the one finger rule. But I refrained from saying, "I told you so." But, I smiled inwardly every single time they prodded Hannah to touch with "one finger. " Mark, a salesman, often gave a packet of gifts to his potential customers. The night before we returned home, Mark sat on the floor stuffing gifts into their packets. Hannah helped.

Then she picked up one gift, held it in her hand as if it had been a fragile bird, and walked toward me. At my knee, her beautiful blue eyes looked into mine. She stretched her prize to me and said, "One finger, Nana!"