So why exactly do children love Calpol so much?

children love calpol
  • Save

I remember the first time my daughter asked for Calpol by name…it was a strange moment…the coming together of slight amusement and utter disgust as somehow despite the fact she could not say a whole host of other words…she knew categorically how to say the word Calpol.

And then there was the little happy dance every time the Calpol bottle made an appearance. Bouncing around on her bed in a jiggle of anticipation and delight as only a toddler could know how surely seemed….well….a little bit of a wrong and inappropriate response when faced when the prospect of taking…..shock horror…medicine!

I remember doing anything not to to swallow “THAT MEDICINE” when I was a child, so how did things get so far away from that response?

I continued to wonder and wallow…

Then yesterday, in Boots, a mum doing her routine Calpol run was being manically tugged on by her toddler son demanding the good stuff right there and then on purchase…like it was a Kinder Egg.

I mean, let’s get this straight here…..we are talking about the same thing here yeah? Calpol? The stuff which has paracetamol, the stuff you give your child when they have a fever or feel like s*** on a stick.

Do you see adults do a Mexican Wave every time they have a cracking head ache and reach for a couple of pills of paracetamol?

No.

Do you see us whooping like a cheerleader when we dissolve a Panadol in a glass of water?

Blurgh! Not on your nelly.

So what is it about Calpol that has littles twerking in delight at the mere mention of its name, and the mere suggestion that Calpol might be about to make an appearance of ever better….be administered? What is it that drives a toddler to be able to open a bottle of Calpol in a mere twenty seconds despite the fact it’s supposed to be blimming child proof? And why oh why would they want to let loose and guzzle a whole bottle of the god damn stuff?

No it’s probably not the fact that it reduces their fever, or that it makes them more comfortable in illness, although truth be told of course it does.

The drive is more basic. Even primal.

It’s quite simply this….

IT TASTES OF FLIPPING STRAWBERRIES.

And not even real strawberries….strawberry sweets. You know those really amazing strawberry sweets you used to sneak off to buy when you were a child at school? Yes those, you know the ones I mean.

I mean, if we’re wondering why our children all seem to turn into total addicts when even a whiff of Calpol is in the air, the answer is right there.

Strawberry sweeties, in liquid form, hiding some medicine in there too. If I were a toddler I would probably be – rightly or wrongly – chomping at the bit for Calpol too.

Does your child seem to have an unhealthy love for Calpol? What do you think about the fact it has the flavour of strawberry sweets? Do leave a comment and share.

***Did you enjoy this post? If so, please give it a share on Facebook, a Tweet on Twitter and for more from me please like my Facebook page here.***

 

11 comments

  1. Calpol is gross. There have been a few times when there’s been no other paracetamol in the house and I cannot taste the stuff without yaking. Don’t get it. Children must have no taste-buds!

  2. I quite like a bit of Calpol myself if I’m honest. L asks for it all the time, I’m sad I need proper medicine, I coughed (followed by fake cough) I need my proper medicine etc etc. I’ve bought him chewy vitamin tablets now that I’ve lied and said are medicine so now at least he’s well up on his vitamins​ #coolmumclub

  3. I literally lick the spoon after they’ve had it! It tastes amazing!! Why don’t adults have it? Why don’t they just make a stronger version for us? Why doesn’t it come in chocolate?!! #coolmumclub

  4. Haha so true! Amelie has just started asking for it to ‘make her feel better’ but I know she just likes the taste! Clever cookie #coolmumclub

  5. My little girl goes nuts for it because I don’t let her have sugar very often and she knows it tastes like sweeties! It is nice though… I’ve had a shot before now when we’ve run out of paracetamol! #coolmumclub xx

  6. Zach has had some Calpol this week because he had his jabs. The older 2 have been desperate to lick the spoon and inventing imaginary aches and pains to convince me they need some… #coolmumclub

  7. My son has always hated the stuff and we know he’s really ill if he ever agrees to take it. When he was really little we used to end up with more on us and the floor than in his mouth. My daughter on the other hand loves the stuff. I’ve tried it myself when some has gone on my hand and I’ve licked it and it is vile, I don’t get it.
    #coolmumclub

  8. Oh my god, you’ve described my daughter’s reaction to calpol perfectly! In the night she’ll mutter either calpol or ‘jela (bonjela) to me. When I give it to her before bed she’ll do the twerking dance. It doesn’t even have sugar in it! I’m allergic to strawberries so I can’t try it to see what the deal is about… #CoolMumClub

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.