WTF?

by Marinka on October 19, 2010

This afternoon Young Ladrinka had a playdate with a boy that he doesn’t often have playdates with.

I asked him how it went, and he gave me the “fine”.

And then, as he was settling in to go to sleep, he asked me if I liked it when he fell asleep right away. I was sure that it was some kind of a fancy trick question, possibly being secretly videotaped for a future parenting seminar, so I said something like “it is your choice when you go to sleep. I just ask that you rest quietly in your bed.” And he told me that when he was at Casa of Playdate, his friend told him that he has a stick that you can breathe in and it makes you tired and fall asleep in fifteen minutes. So Young Ladrinka did a few good snorts and, well, nothing happened, but he’s sure if we ordered it, he’d be out like a light in no time.

I tried to get a better description, but he just said that it looked like a chopstick, but white, and also smelled like mint.

I’m too scared to email the mom to ask.

What could this be?
And do they sell it in bulk?

UPDATE: I emailed the mom because I couldn’t take it anymore.

Here’s her response:

Re the smelling stick, I think we got it at East West Books on 5th Avenue. They have a bunch of aromatic sticks that are supposed to induce various psychological states, who knows if it really works.

So, there you go. If you’d like to induce any psychological states, let me know and I’ll get you a stick. And is it a coincidence that East/West Books recently closed? I’m too scared to check if they were shut down by the DEA.

One year ago ...

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October 20, 2010 at 10:33 am

{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }

christy October 19, 2010 at 9:47 pm

OMG. I have no idea what that could be! But I’m dying to hear, and will now be checking the comments on this post obsessively. AND I would definitely email that mom and ask her!!!

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Tamara October 19, 2010 at 9:57 pm

I will be refreshing this page until someone provides you with an answer. I am just as curious as you are.

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Tamara October 19, 2010 at 10:09 pm

Although, I suppose I don’t actually know if you’re more curious, concerned, or jealous. ; )

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dusty earth mother October 19, 2010 at 10:15 pm

This is seriously freaking me out. Somebody, tell us what “the stick” is! Please!

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Glamamom
Twitter:
October 19, 2010 at 10:22 pm

Stick? Mint? I have an image of a sugar cane that’s been sitting in a mojito or caipirinha absorbing alcohol.

Those put me to sleep in 0-15.

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Karen at French Skinny October 19, 2010 at 10:25 pm

For the love of God just call the woman and ask what the magic stick is. I need 3. Thanks!

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marathonmom October 19, 2010 at 11:01 pm

OMG!!!! I wanna know too!

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heytheredearheart October 19, 2010 at 11:17 pm

First thought – was it one of those trying-to-quit fake cigarettes?

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rachel October 19, 2010 at 11:22 pm

Is it Chloroform? Like Tot-Mom?? I really want to know, too. It’s kinda freaky.

My daughter came home from a sleepover at a cousin’s house and told me they used a special “sleepy spray” at bedtime. As it turns out it wasn’t some sort of aerosol Chloroform, as I’d suspected, only a lavender-scented body spray.

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Alexandria
Twitter:
October 19, 2010 at 11:37 pm

You must email the mother and ask!

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mosey October 19, 2010 at 11:58 pm

What? What what what WHAT is it?

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Tracie
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 12:24 am

It sounds like it could be those vapor inhalers. Although I don’t know why it would make him fall asleep…but they are great when you have a stuffy nose!

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claire campbell October 20, 2010 at 12:47 am

Yeah i’d say it’s a vicks vapor rub inhaler to clear your sinuses. I agree i don’t know why it would make you sleepy, maybe it helped the kid relax?

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annie October 20, 2010 at 1:24 am

Do you think it’s a placebo kind of thing? Like a tic tac curing a headache? Maybe Young Ladrinka just hasn’t been properly brainwashed. I’d send him over there for the weekend.

Unless it’s a stick soaked in horse tranquilizers – then I’d probably keep him home.

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Elisa @ Globetrotting in Heels
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 6:04 am

wow, you are nicer than I am, I would have called the mom already, probably accusing her of having my son sniffing coke at her house. But I’m not sure if sniffing coke makes you tired. And I don’t think they’ve come up with a peppermint version yet.

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Vicki
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 6:42 am

“I’ve got the magic stick, I can hit once, I can hit twice”- Mr. Fifty Cent
He was also talking about a different kind of stick in this case.

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Donna October 20, 2010 at 7:50 am

I have no idea what it is, but when you find out, I’m in for four of them.

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JK October 20, 2010 at 8:01 am

I’m really hoping that it’s just psychology the other mom is using on her kid. If so, she’s pretty smart. If not, should the authorities be notified?

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traci October 20, 2010 at 8:46 am

oh, look! Ladrinka ousted his first huffing experience.

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Jodi F. October 20, 2010 at 9:46 am

WTF for sure. Why would the subject even come up? And why would the other kid offer such a thing in the middle of the day?

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Tiffany @ MomNom
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 9:53 am

Email the woman already! I want to know what the freakin’ stick is. It was probably a straw…and the mom is probably a child psych. LOL

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By Word of Mouth
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 9:55 am

It goes without saying you have our undivided attention, maybe you should invite yourself along next time …

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Jennifer
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 10:02 am

Two things: 1) I need that magic stick for my daughter, so find out what it is. 2) I’m shocked that this is the first post you’ve ever titled “WTF?”

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Finn
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 10:28 am

Probably wasn’t a disco stick, huh?

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drlori71
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 10:30 am

Thinking about what this item may be is going to keep me up all night. If only I had a magic stick to breathe into to make me fall asleep. D’oh! 🙂

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Beth October 20, 2010 at 10:34 am
Issa
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 12:50 pm

Okay, I had to laugh. When I opened this link, the one of the sidebar said Joint Stick. Snort.

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cat fur to make kitten britches October 20, 2010 at 11:08 am

Hookah knows what it might be? But if you find out, please keep us posted!

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the mama bird diaries
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 11:58 am

I think your son is screwing with you. But please email the mom.

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reiven October 20, 2010 at 12:46 pm

I want one. That said, after hearing stories like that how does one let one’s child leave the house? I’m single and blessed with no children, so I’m just curious.

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Issa
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 12:51 pm

No freaking clue. Am completely intrigued though. For me though, not my kids. Little buggers sleep just fine. It’s me that needs that shit.

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Keyona
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 1:23 pm

I’m sitting here in a fit of laughter. Like the guy next to me is looking at me funny. What kind of crazy shit is that. Since when do we have to start tellibg our kids not to sniff weird shit while at a friends house. I’d scratch their asses off the list.

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Helena
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 1:30 pm

Well. That is a lot more tame than what I was thinking about. I am glad you just came out and asked her.

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Cristie October 20, 2010 at 1:38 pm

Is it weird that her response didn’t really make me feel any more confident in said stick’s safety ? I mean, “induce physiological states”? Now, a little whiskey on teething gums but this…

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Awesome dude October 20, 2010 at 2:08 pm

The mother is nuts big time. Next time she will offer crack, should not really let him out to sleepovers to the people you do not know well.

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Phoenix Rising
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 4:57 pm

This is why I don’t let my kids have friends over. I’d be featured in some WTF blog post. Although we don’t have a sleepy stick, I’m certain some of our other, uh, “habits” might be traumatizing innocent people.

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Miss Britt
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 7:15 pm

” looked like a chopstick, but white, and also smelled like mint.”

Sounds like a Newport.

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Holly October 20, 2010 at 8:02 pm

I think I’d like some of those. Sounds safer than drugging my kid with benadryl every night.

I kid! I kid. I don’t do that.

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Erin I'm Gonna Kill Him
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 9:29 pm

I thought it was Menthols, so this is better!

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peajaye
Twitter:
October 20, 2010 at 10:02 pm

I don’t get it – what’s all the fuss? So you let your 9-year-old son sleep over a stranger’s house where he’s encouraged to “sniff” some sort of white magic stick that turns out to have been purchased (or maybe not) from some store that’s no longer there. It’s not like he was sold into white slavery. Yet.

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kiki October 20, 2010 at 11:22 pm

well, now that you know it was an aromatic stick and its origin, will young Ladrinka be allowed to return to this boy’s house?

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Sophie@Fabrications October 20, 2010 at 11:37 pm

I need some sleepy sticks. Also please mail no-peeing-during-the-night sticks and not-waking at-6am-from-junior’s-kisses stick.

Oh, Shit. I have only 20 minutes for fall back to sleep before the 6am kissing begins.

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Whitney
Twitter:
October 21, 2010 at 10:18 am

I need one of those sticks for myself!

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Tiffany
Twitter:
October 21, 2010 at 5:28 pm

I have one of those, doesn’t quite look like a chopstick, it’s from Origins, part of their nighttime line of products, smells minty, does help me go back to sleep too. Never thought to try it on my kids, thanks for the tip!

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GrandeMocha
Twitter:
October 21, 2010 at 10:34 pm

What is it called? I went to origins.com. I found Night Healthâ„¢ Bedtime Spray and Night Healthâ„¢ Bedtime Balm, but no stick to sniff. I’ll buy them all if it gets my kid to sleep all night in his room.

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Tiffany
Twitter:
October 22, 2010 at 11:04 am

I think it’s called “back to sleep” but I couldn’t find it anymore on their site, I’ve had it at least a year. I would try the spray or I also have essential oils from Woodhouse Spa that I put on my pillow and it helps.

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