The boys in a moment of high spirits and feeling good during an Epsom Salt bath yesterday. Five minutes later they were both crying and whining for pain relief. Fun.
It is Monday and the kiddos are still sick. Zac’s fever finally broke, but his cough has gotten worse and both kids have faucets for noses.
I’ve done everything I can think of to help my kiddos feel better, and a lot of it is helping. But with this particular virus, we really have no choice but to just let it run its course. Nothing seems to speed this vicious little bug along.
I’ve had a lot of time this weekend to think about this, and I thought I’d share with you what I think are the 10 worst things about having sick kiddos.
Or, to be a little more blunt about it…
“Ten Reasons Why Sick Kiddos Suck”.
10. They feel like crap. Which means they whine. They cry. They whimper. They moan. And you have to listen to it all. Unceasingly.
9. Bedtime is shot. They might have slept a lot that day, which means they aren’t tired at bedtime. Or maybe they didn’t nap at all, which means they pass out on the couch earlier than normal. Any way you look at it, your hard-won sleep routine? Is wrecked.
8. Your toddler/pre-schooler will start acting out in frustration…because, thanks to their stuffed up nose and head, you can’t understand a word they’re saying. Remember when they were pre-verbal? Yeah, it’s like that – only worse.
“Bomby? By dose is drilling!”
“What, honey?”
“By dose is drilling!”
“I’m sorry, I don’t understand you. Try again.”
(Getting frantic now) “By DOSE is DRILLING!!!!”
Repeat 20 times until you figure out they’re saying “Mommy, my nose is drooling!” Toddler-speak for “my nose is running”, of course. Ah-hah!
7. Forget mealtimes or even knowing what to feed them. That delicious, nutritious chicken soup I made for them? Darrel has eaten every bowl I’ve served. Jed won’t touch it.
Over the last few days Jed has requested the following foods: bacon, sausages, sandwiches, soup, crackers and sunbutter, sliced bananas, chips and dip – and eaten none (or hardly any) of it!
Poor Darrel hasn’t eaten a real meal in days. He’s just the “meal disposal unit” for all the foods Jed won’t eat.
6. Snot. Snot everywhere. This might improve with age (please, dear God, say it does!), but for kiddos under the age of 4, if it is sitting still, it’s a Kleenex. My shoulder, my legs, the couch…you get the idea. It’s just gross.
5. They psych you out. (Did I just date myself?) One minute they’re in the throes of agony, the next minute they’re screaming “Mommy! Watch this!” as they leap off the couch.
Are they still sick? Finally getting better? Nah…because half an hour later they can barely breathe and are clinging to you like a drowning man in the ocean.
Small kiddos don’t understand what “rest” means, and the minute they get some small relief from their symptoms they go play like normal, wear themselves out, and make you go crazy while they do it.
4. All that playing they’re still doing instead of resting? More toys to try and sterilize once the family is healthy again.
3. Mommy is the only person who can make it better. Both kids will suddenly – and simultaneously – decide they feel rotten and NEED MOMMY RIGHT THEN!!
Sometimes they pick Daddy, but whomever is their choice of “magic fixer parent” is left feeling torn and guilty that they can only attend to one child at a time, and the other parent gets to just watch helplessly. Fun times.
2. After enough days of non-stop neediness from the kiddos and enough nights of completely interrupted sleep, you will be woefully behind on laundry, dishes, and general cleaning, plus, you’ll be sick, too! Yay!
And the absolute worst reason having sick kiddos sucks:
1. It just breaks your heart to see your kids sick. Looking at their little faces all pinched in pain and discomfort, their eyes all red and watery from crying, their runny noses that make it hard to breathe, and having even your most independent toddler asking to snuggle with you just tears your heart to shreds.
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What do you think: are those pretty much the worst things about having sick kiddos or did I leave something out?
And no, I wasn’t joking about #2. I’m feeling pretty cruddy now, myself. I’ll probably still post this week, but it might not be what anyone expects.
Now, seriously: go wash your hands! Cooties suck.
