Recently, I've been musing over the idea that children of this generation, in the age of such huge technological advances, are becoming less and less adept at handling the normal every day tasks and routines that require them to use basic, fundamental tools. As an example, I present the case of the “old school” tube of toothpaste. My children have become accustomed to the wonderful containers they make for toothpaste that stand upright and automatically push your toothpaste to the top of it's reservoir when you squeeze it. Heaven forbid you should give them an actual tube of toothpaste and expect them to know how to utilize it. That's why for today's blog, I'd like to focus on the lost art of “tube rolling” (see above example).
For those of you that might have forgotten this procedure from the days of yore, I have put together some helpful tips. I've added a few especially aimed toward my kids. OK… they are all aimed towards my kids.
1. Do not squeeze from the center. This causes the remainder of the toothpaste to become unevenly dispersed throughout the tube, wreaking unnecessary havoc for the next person in line to use the toothpaste.
2. Nix hint number one if it is a fresh tube. Squeezing a fresh tube of toothpaste dead in the center can be a very satisfying experience for most.
3. Instead of squeezing from the center, squeeze from the bottom by flattening the tube as you go up.
4. When you have about an inch of flattened tube, reward yourself by whimsically rolling the tube over itself and crease it. This initial fold will be the starting foundation of a series of rolls that will help you flatten your tube as you continue to use the toothpaste.
5. The cap goes back on when you have finished squeezing the toothpaste on your toothbrush.
6. It's best to rinse the excess toothpaste off the tip first before screwing the cap back on. (Not that I'm being anal or anything.)
7. If your roll comes undone and the next person in line resorts to squeezing in the center, you can quickly repair the roll in two easy steps. First, with the cap on, place the tube on the counter and slide your toothbrush horizontally across the surface of the tube starting from the bottom. Next, roll it back up, only this time, make your crimps more defined by pressing down firmly with your fingers.
8. If you should accidentally waste toothpaste by letting it fall off your toothbrush before it has been inserted into your mouth, DO NOT try to reuse it. DO rinse it out of the sink so your mother doesnt have to.