Now here's something that is odd, and I don't even know if it's odd because I'm English in America, or because I'm old and times have moved on without me noticing.
When 6-yo went to school the other day, she took a hanky in her pocket. An old-fashioned hanky - you know, a square piece of white cotton fabric for blowing your nose on. I say "you know", but do you? Not one of the other children in the class knew what it was for. When she got it out of her pocket, someone said "what's that?", and nobody could identify the mystery object. Except the teacher (and even she wouldn't guess that the hanky is dried by being hung on a line in the back yard!)
Would your child know what a handkerchief was? Would they keep one in their pocket, or would they always prefer to use a tissue? Just how odd is my family? (Don't answer that last question.)
Post-script: I should add that we do actually know what tissues are, and have boxes of them around, in the Manhattan household. I prefer them, myself. It was 6-yo who, on that morning, wanted to take a hanky to school, and asked for one (which had a butterfly in the corner - always nice to wipe your nose on a butterfly).
Mine have hankies, way better for the planet than tissue after tissue. We actually own 24, bought in a buy 12 get 12 free from the Guardian! Sometimes in winter, up to two hankies a day for four of us, 24 doesn't seem enough.
ReplyDeleteReminder to self, hankies on Christmas/birthday list for 7 yo. She gets to borrow Daddy's (large and colourful) when she has a cold and now wants her own.
ReplyDeleteI always was a hanky person, then ecame a tissue person but can see myself going back...I have a large stack in a drawer somewhere...
My 3 yo's current favourite story (againagainagainmummy!!!!!) is the Smartest Giant in Town. I wonder what HIS hanky could have been used for.
Love Josephine
xxx
I'm def a tissue person, can't bear the thought of all that stuff being in my washing machine, ocd or what!!
ReplyDeleteIn most other things (baby nappies/diapers would be my other exception) I do my best for the enviro, spend ages separating rubbish to recycle as much as possible.
Love line-dried clothes! Apart from hankies!
I can't bear the thought of bogies in the washing machine mixing with my smalls!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a child though, it was the norm to have a hanky, but my mother always sluiced them in the sink before she put them in the boiler.
No..... I'm a tissue household these days!
Maggie X
Nuts in May
I had hankies as a child, and my Dad carries them around religiously to this day. However, when I have a cold, I always use tissues - preferably the type that have some kind of balsam impregnated into them, so that I don't rip my face to shreds. I'm not really sure why I haven't inherited the hanky tradition - I guess maybe they aren't obviously displayed in shops? As for the boys, I have thus far failed to train them to use tissues, and they still haven't accepted that using their sleeve is not really a desirable option...
ReplyDeleteI love hankies but most Americans are grossed out to see them, and I don't blame them really. The worst thing you can do (and I have blogged about it) is stuff it up your sleeve for safe-keeping.
ReplyDeleteI must admit with three kids (one of whom has a cold right now) I am a big tissue person, planet or no planet.
I will go one further and tell you that my mother used to have a fit if we put them in the waste basket. We were to flush them down the toilet and not leave the germs floating around for other people to catch. Makes sense I suppose.
Being an Aussie I grew up with the great Britsh tradition of handkies. Over the years though I have switched to tissues because I hate the thought of all those germs lingering around when I want the cold to go away. Dad still usues them religiously and mum soaks them in boling salted water befor washing them.
ReplyDeleteNow I live in Japan and everyone carrys a handkerchief. It isn't for blowing your nose but rather for wiping your hands after you've washed them. Until recently paper towel and hand dryers were never seen in toilets. Enviromentally speaking handkies are the way to go there!!
I love your blog and so glad you didn't move :)
Ours would definitely know what one was - they're the things Daddy blows his nose on. And they usually have his name sewn into them too. Maybe we should avail ourselves of that Guardian offer...
ReplyDeleteAs for me I'm more of a soggy tissues shoved up the jumper sleeve kind of girl (Sorry Expat Mum). Classy I know.
We're a tissue household but - BUT - would love to have more hankies for the eco-reasons quoted above and also because - well, nothing beats a clean hanky, does it? Of course, it's what happens after that that causes the problems... Husband has some but heaven knows where they are (and I am NOT going through his disgusting coat pockets to find out...
ReplyDeleteI now use tissues but grew up wth hankies & my mum had an enormous jug she soaked them in before washing. my husband is a dedicated aficionado of magnificent mouchoirs. &, sorry to gross anyone out, but I regularly borrow his hanky when out & about, with, invariably no tissues. The kids borrow his too, so it's a communal family hanky really.
ReplyDeleteThe hubby uses handkerchiefs; and tissues now and then. I use tissues mostly. As a kid our teachers used to make sure we had hankies handy though!
ReplyDeleteI used to collect hankies as a child and still keep two very nice ones in my jewellery box. So yes, I think she'll grow up knowing what a handkerchief is.
ReplyDeleteAchan, I spent a few weeks in Japan many years ago, and was gently taken aside by my expat British colleague there and told that to blow your nose (albeit on your beautifully laundered, ironed and folded designer hankie that they all seemed to have) was an utter social no-no! Though any amount of coughing, spitting, hawking and making other hospital noises seemed to be perfectly fine...
ReplyDeletelove
Josephine
My dad always carries a clean hankie, as does Husband - perhaps that's what attracted me? My God, I married my father!
ReplyDeleteFootballers knees - me too!! I shall ask my 9 yr old to ask in his class if they know what hankies are now!!
ReplyDeleteI think my eldest would know. Perhaps. But I don't like to carry snot around.
ReplyDeleteI do use the family hanky as well. It's my dad. Somehow that's a clean hanky. I don't get it either, what with my OCD about ALL other dirt.
I meant "my dad's." Not that I put snot on my dad.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is considered endearingly retro for his stash of huge hankies. He's never without one, and they have truly come into their own now that we've got children. Tissues just fall apart when faced with something truly challenging, such as exploding nappies or yoghurt pots tipped over heads in restaurants.
ReplyDeleteFunny! My daughter knows what hankies are because my husband uses them. But I still cant get used to the idea (having been raised in an American, hanky free zone). I like to use tissues so I can then get rid of the offending material as soon as possible, not keep it in my pocket to use again and again throughout the day!
ReplyDeleteFunny that your child wanted to use one!
As a child I spent my winter school days with a soggy hankie stuffed up my cardigan sleeve - so no - my children have no IDEA what they are :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe my mother washed them in a twin-tub.
I am now in 1970s hell.
Where's my mobile phone........
Hubs uses a hanky. I use tissues. I've never quite got over the idea of carrying around all that snot and germs all day...
ReplyDeleteI'm not a fan of hankies to be honest, cause once used they are either wet and sticky or dry and crusty. Much prefer a tissue. But would my children know what one was? You know, I don't think they would, they've never seen one at home anyway...maybe at grandmas...interesting, I wonder what else from my childhood my children wouldn't recognise...
ReplyDelete