When I was at school we had ladies come round and check our hair for nits (Nitty Nora we called them). I would have been devastated if they had found any in my hair, and luckily they didn't. I guess if they had I guess we would have done something about it pronto.
These days Nitty Nora has retired and Nits are all around! In every school newsletter we get warnings and have 'bug buster' days. It doesn't work.
Last Friday my little one got sent home from the childminders because she said she saw one in his hair. How bad did I feel?? I felt like the worst mother in the world - and now my childminder knows it too! - I feel like I'm classed in the same group as the mothers who buy their kids something from the sweetshop for their breakfast on their way into school in the morning.
I did think we were winning the latest Nit war. I don't use chemical shampoos though - not really for chemical reasons (although that too) but because I've done it in the past and it doesn't work. And they REALLY smell - and very worst of all, my kids might let a nit jump into MY hair and there is NO WAY I'm going to smell like that all day. Not unless I didn't see anyone until it had worn off and for a couple of extra days for good measure.
We have a comb for upstairs and one for downstairs and we comb in the bath and we comb before school (and I comb in secret while I wash my hair - just in case).
My sister has just lent us her 'electronic' comb. You can set it on 'sense a nit' mode, comb it through and it stops making a noise when it meets one. Then you can set it on 'Zap A Nit' mode and it makes a satisfying Zap when it gets one.
I thought this was a great idea and contacted the manufacturers with a view to selling it via schools (this is the way lots of things get sold now, with a donation to the school 'friends' group for each one sold). They seemed quite keen - it works well in the States apparantly. They haven't contacted me with a price yet though, so maybe they're not interested.
In the meantime, I am only going out in my dark glasses and big scarf, so no-one knows its me - that BAD MOTHER - and making my little one wear a hat at all times..
Have a nice weekend.
