things that don't bother me about sick kids

Barfing

It's gross, of course, but everyone feels so much better afterwards, that it's hard to get too upset. (Now, that I've fessed up, John is going to delegate all the clean up to me I'm sure.)

Laundry

We usually do laundry once every two weeks and by we I mean, really, John. But when the kids are spewing, the laundry's a brewing. I've been running a load a day. Like any task, as long as the kids are helping me, which they love to do, it's my normal gig with new activities.

T.V.

I feel a little guilt about upping the amount of t.v. they watch when they're sick, but not much. It's that or me read to them for six hours a day.

lethargy

It's a little disconcerting when your son falls asleep on your lap and then sleeps for the next three hours or your daughter drops off in the middle of a conversation, but I figure their bodies know what they are doing, and I try to take every chance to rest myself.

things that really get to me

quarantine/the interruption of my routine

I had a really bad day yesterday. We cancelled our trip east. We cancelled Sunday School. We cancelled the gang coming over for lunch after Sunday School. We cancelled grandma coming to visit. We sat in the house and did nothing with no one all day long. Next time, I'm going for a long walk alone.

not knowing how hard to hold the line

Some parenting rules I try to live by: don't back yourself into a corner, don't give in to temper tantrums, when you do say no, mean it. The other day I truly thought David was better and was trying to hustle him off to school. David was vehemently refusing. The fact that Rose's school was having an in service day made into even more difficult. He offered the compromise of coming to jazzercise with me, and I gave in. Turned out it was the right choice since he needed to be near me and the school didn't need barfing boy on their hands. But deciding is this a temper tantrum I should ignore or does he need extra extra t.l.c., I find confusing and hard to manage.

the whining and melt downs

I had a really bad afternoon. My morning was fine because both kids were well enough to go off to school. My early afternoon went well because John is on spring break and took a shift while I napped. But then David wanted me only me, clung to me, whined to me, screamed and cried to me. He refused all play suggestions and then had the temerity to tell grandma there was nothing to do. Everything was cause for a melt down or huge refusal. By post-dinner, I was drained.

getting sick myself

I've had a couple days of queasy, but I think this one has basically passed me by.