Yep, you guessed it. I’m home with a sick kid. Or maybe “potentially sick kid” would be more accurate. Bee spewed her dinner all over the back of her dad’s car last night on her way home. She did feel warm, but didn’t have a fever when I checked on her and seems to be fine this morning. So we’re home. I’m going to spend the morning assessing the situation and if the bugger is still fine by lunchtime, off we go to daycare and work to serve our time. Because you know what? I’m not entirely sold that she’s germy. Which brings me to those 5 things…
- The Are-you-sick-or-not? In-between Land. I hate when the kid in question seems puny the night before, is fine all night long, and is fine in the morning. She should go to school, right? Ah, but there was the reappearance of dinner the night before and the possibility that the fever will reappear mid-day. If she gets sent home from school, she has to stay home an extra day and you’ll end up burning twice as much sick-time. If you play it safe and stay home, you might burn an unnecessary sick day. I only get 12 sick days a year to spread out over me and two school-age children. It’s Sick-or-Not Roulette! Step right up and spin the wheel… but I’d stand back a ways in case she is sick.
- The Guilt Over Calling In Sick. I know I shouldn’t feel guilty, but find me a working mom who doesn’t experience guilt because she stayed home – especially if Issue #1 is in play. I was out a few hours Tuesday and yesterday for doctor appointments and I’m out half-days next week because my sister is in town. A day home today makes me feel like people will start talking about how frequently I’m out of the office, even if I have a handle on my workload at the moment.
- The For-the-Love-of-Pete-Start-Acting-Sick! Factor. Bee cried when I turned the light on in the girls’ bedroom to get Gracie ready for school this morning. I let her stay in bed and figured I could just throw her sneakers and jacket on and carry her to the car at the last minute. Except that 15 minutes later, Bee walked into the kitchen and started chatting. I changed her into some sweatpants and tried to convince her to go to school, but she wasn’t having it. And she hadn’t passed the breakfast test, so I didn’t push it. By the time I had driven Gracie to school and was most of the way home – and Bee hadn’t even stopped to take a breath amidst all her chatter – I was beyond annoyed. “STOP CHATTING AND START ACTING SICK!” I wanted to yell. My teeth still ache from clenching them closed.
- I can’t even sleep in. I miss the days when a sick kid meant I could sleep in until the girls woke up before dashing the healthy one to school. Now, that only works if it’s Gracie. And guess who never get sick? Yep. Well, if it’s any consolation, the sleep-in-if-it’s-the-right-kid plan would only work for a few more months anyway. Bee starts kindergarten in the fall and then that bubble bursts, too. Then it won’t matter who’s sick, we’ll have to still get up at 6 a.m. to get the healthy one to day-care for 7 a.m. so that Mommy can avoid the drop-off lane of doom at the elementary school.
- The Day Never Goes As Planned. As soon as I feel the fever (or hear the retching), my mind starts making a list of all the things I can do at home to neutralize Issues #1-4. I can do laundry. Clean the house. Run errands (if the Sick Kid isn’t truly Icky-Sick). Put away toys. Squeeze in a nap. Finish my book. Exercise! Usually I might get to cross one item off my list because I’m busy tending to Her Royal Highness or my head has simply exploded from an excess of chatter. That means by the time my day with the girls would usually be starting – dinner time – I’m spent and grouchy. And that never ends well.
So there you go. I’m trying to take things as they come today, but Bee has already pulled out all the Barbie toys, made a bead necklace for her sister, and told me she’s just not feeling good because she wants to stay home. When I said she was going to school later, I got a very smiley yet earnest, “I’m not kidding, Mom.” Yeah, right.
January 27, 2011 at 9:34 am |
Thanks for writing my list for me. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
January 27, 2011 at 10:01 am |
Tell lil miss chatter box to call me at auntie kims!!!!!! Also, as much as in between sick land sucks, at least you didn’t have to deal with any…spew ( that word will always make me think of fighting the unjust treatment of house elves)
January 30, 2011 at 9:01 am |
As we have endured a full week of sick kid-ness, I so feel this post.