Christian Gets Grossed Out!?

Christian is having a hard time staying in his seat on the bus.  He likes to bounce up and down and talk to the girls behind him.  This is a problem.  I decided to reward the positive behavior, instead of repeatedly disciplining the bad behavior.  If he behaves all week and does not get in trouble, he gets to have a friend over on Friday. 

Christian is super excited about this.  He happily hops off the bus each day and tells me how well he did.  He's three for five.  Yesterday, he rambled off the names of everyone he wanted to come over on Friday.  Based on the number, I'm guessing it was the entire class.  Well, maybe not the whole class.

He said he did not want to have *Bernardo over.  I asked him, why?

"I don't want *Bernardo to come over because he is really gross!" he emphatically said.  He was adamant and very serious.  This was no joke to him.  I then asked him why *Bernardo was gross.

"He chews on his fingers and he spits out his gum!" Christian explains.

I don't really see the big deal at this point.  All kids are gross.  What kid doesn't do something like this?  My kids do this!  How nasty could *Bernardo really be?  Before I could finish my thought or say another word to Christian, he blurts out, "AND HE LICKS HIS LUNCHBOX!!"

His voice shrieked and his lips curled with disgust.  He was completely grossed out.  I found it comical.  I've never seen the boy grossed out before.  He is gross.  All of my children are gross.  Why was this boy freaking him out so much?  I was biting my lip so I did not laugh out loud.  This conversation lead to a discussion about making sure to include everyone, even lunchbox lickers. 

I have a sneaking suspicion he may throw the whole challenge, just so he doesn't have to risk a play date with *Bernardo.  We'll see.


*Names have been changed for anonymity.