Parenting while sick
© Aidan Jones
What happens when you catch a virus and get really run down? When you forgot to listen to your body's signs that it is sick and tired?
Well you find yourself at the doctor's office yesterday morning like I did. After breathing tests and chest xrays, your doctor tells you that you have bronchitis and walking pneumonia. They caught the walking pneumonia early thank goodness so I'm on antibiotics and an inhaler with strict instructions to take it very easy and stay hydrated.
I'm trying but motherhood doesn't always let you do that. My daughter alternates between being super sweet and slightly sulky that she isn't getting all the attention. She's a ten year old only child and only grandchild on our sides so she's used to a lot of attention (note – she is adopted and has bio-siblings and cousins, etc but she is the only on here).
I'm trying to use this as a time to help her grow up some too. There are things she can do on her own that she's content to let mom or dad do – well the time is now to get your butt in gear and do them yourself my darling. She can pack her own snack, she can be responsible for remembering more things – and suffer the consequences if she doesn't. She doesn't really need four reminders about getting dressed for horseback riding. She knows the routine and right now I'm too tired to play some game where I have to cajole her into getting ready on time. I've got enough energy to take her to and from so if she wants to play games in the middle, she can just skip the lesson!
Now I'm going back to bed. Someone else can pick up the ten year old's clothes on the floor or I"m sure the dogs will eat them for her. Either way, I'm napping!
September 4th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
Boy I feel for you! It’s so much harder being sick with a kid – and I have a 2 year old. We’re both sick, and have been fighting colds and infections for a month now. I’m also almost 10 weeks pregnant, so it’s been that hellish first trimester of nausea and exhaustion on top of it.
Alas I cannot nap unless he is – he can open the doors in the house – even the ones I can’t deadlock. *sigh*