Something to sniff at

By Christine

I have a terrible secret. I'm a sniffer. Not a glue sniffer or cocaine addict. I don't get high as a kite on gasoline fumes or scented candles. I sniff children. Mine to be exact.

My children's rooms are located on the ground floor. Because our house is very open, you can toss down your dirty laundry from the top floor to the bottom via the stairwell. Much to my dismay, and without warning, my husband frequently sends his threads a'tumblin' down the "chute" from the top floor just as I'm bent over picking up the last load of laundry for the day. At the same time, the air circulates quite nicely from top to bottom because of the way our house is constructed.

Consequently, when my children are asleep at night, their aromas rise up the stairs and into the living room. They have a distinct, sweet smell which drives me down to their rooms at night. Snuggling my nose into their sleeping bodies, I sniff, whiff and wallow in their delightful scents. There is nothing like the smell of a freshly bathed kid with a smile on her face while she slumbers.

Am I crazy? I thought so, until fellow DotMom, Robin P., chimed in one day. She admitted sniffing her daughter is like "aromatherapy." Who needs Chanel no. 5 when you've got kid whiff to liven up your mood?

The sniffing stops at the dirty laundry I see piled next to their rooms, however. It is a no-sniff zone. My nose has no business prodding about the dirty socks and soiled jeans. I did that once, and it cured me for a lifetime. But, give me my kids' heads any day of the week. Sometimes I invite them to eat their lunches on my lap, just so I can burrow my face into their hair.

Yup. I'm addicted. There's no doubt about it.

Christine is an American author and freelance writer living near Munich, Germany, with her husband and two children (Jackson, 4 and Sophia, 6).

Comments

[Shani]

Hi All, this is fasinating, I have a situation where my son sniffs my hair. He has done it since a baby, and he is now 3 and still does it. I have tried to give him teddies, furry blankets etc and nothing works. He can be playing and then run over to me, sniff with a shudder and then just as quickly run off to play again. Have any of you heard of this with kids. I am his living breathing comfort rug....LOL Love tohear from you all :-)

[Critter's Mom]

Oh thank God! I am so relieved to find out I'm not the only one who does this. I don't feel quite so weird anymore. :)

[amy]

I love the way my daughter smells after coming back from taking a bath at Grammy's house. I keep my nose pressed to the top of her head and just breathe in.....I'm not sure if it's because it was an effortless bath (because i didnt have to give it) and THAT'S why she smells so good..or if it's just the combo of a clean little girl and a sweet little girl...*sigh* I love it. Keep sniffing!!

[Brenda]

I am ALL ABOUT SNIFFING my boys (4 and 1)! My mom sniffed me as a child (and her mom sniffed her) and its a tradition I carry proudly. Put me blindfolded in a room full of kids and let me sniff their heads - I'll find mine in no time flat!

[Krisco]

It's wonderful still now, but the best is when they are babies and breast fed. Man, they have the sweetest, most intoxicating smell emenating from their sweet little heads.

I am sure it is biological - just one more little thing nature uses to help make parents realize this is the best thing ever.

[charlene]

i confess, i'm a sniffer. i burrow my head in the crook (sp?) of my boys' necks and smell them. i rub my nose in their hair, close my eyes and inhale whenever we snuggle. i can't get enough of that smell...that "my baby" smell.

[Kris]

Oh my God, that seems like all I do lately: sniff and kiss, sniff and kiss ....

[Robin P]

Can I sing the "I told you so!" song??
I know there are tons of head sniffers out there,Christine. When I first read this post I said you would get lots of parents admitting they sniff their child's head.
Let's see how many comments you get!!

Gotta run.....I have to sniff Lillianna's head!

[Nicola]

Count me among the ranks of the crazy sniffing mothers. I adore the way that my son smells. My two favourites are:

1. When I arrive home from work and he's freshly out of the bath. He runs over to cuddle me and I love that fresh baby smell.

2. When I open up his bedroom door before we go to bed each night. Its been closed for a few hours (if all is well with the world) and I can't get enough of his sweet little boy smell as it floods out into the hall.

Weird? Maybe. But I don't care. And now I know that I'm not alone. Thanks for your post, Christine.