Upsidedownosis

The kids got out of bed easily at 4 a.m. because they had never flown on an airplane before. They bussled right out to the car and they didn’t fuss or fight in the ticket line, or in the terminal. They sat expectantly in their plane seat buckled in and peering out the window, the plane accelerated took off and hit turbulence.

Five minutes into the bumpy ride, Emma grabbed my hand and turned to me. “Mommy, I want to get off.” My four year old daughter seldom takes no for an answer. She made herself quite clear, as far as she was concerned the ride was over and she wanted off. My husband and I reasoned and cajoled and tried to distract her with food and toys and promises. Emma looked thoughtful but did not yell, scream or throw her body onto the floor. This is a technique she perfected in supermarkets: she becomes a blubbering mass of completely limp child until you agree to her terms. Her brother James listened impassively to our negotiations.

After some time and some improvement in flight conditions Emma, offered her own explanation. Airplanes she said have “upsidedownosis.” She used hand gestures to illustrate her point. Her short fat fingers did flips and somersaults. My husband and I vigousoly agreed with everything she said. When she finished her brother James, 5 years old, felt obliged to add his comments, “Mommy, I’m gonna blow chunks.”