Spinning, spinning
January 9, 2008 by Sherry Osborne
Filed under Parenting
I would have posted this last night, but I was halfway through writing it when I knew I had to immediately go to bed.
I think one of the hardest things about having kids – harder than the lack of personal time, harder even than trying to actually eat a hot meal or finish a coffee before it’s gone cold – is feeling under the weather. It used to be that if I was sick, I called in to the office, crawled into bed, and slept until I felt better. If I wasn’t able to sleep, I could lie on the couch and watch whatever I wanted to on television. I didn’t have to take care of anyone but myself, and depending on my age I either had my mom or a boyfriend/husband to take care of me too.
Now, unless I get hit by a car and have to stay in a hospital (not that I’m asking for that, got it Universe?), I still have to take care of others no matter how crappy I might feel. My husband helps as much as he can but sometimes they just want Mom or else he isn’t home. My five-year-old can take care of some things on her own, but she can’t cook her own meals.
I had a cold just before Christmas, and now I think I’m coming down with another one, if the post-nasal drip is any indication. I can live with that, I’m used to feeling tired, but the other thing this cold has brought me is lightheadedness with occasional bouts of heavy dizziness. All I want to do is lie in bed and wait for it to go away. Alas, there are still routines to take care of, and I can’t just check out of my daily life.
Today I’m going to do my work in little bursts, and in between I’m going to lie on the carpet and play blocks with my little one, something I can do easily while still resting somewhat.
How do you deal with your own illnesses when your kids are still too young to really understand or care for themselves?
I am not a parent yet, but I remember how my parents handled it a few years ago (like 15 – 20) It may not be possible now, cause I dont know if neighbors are that close anymore
It was like we lived in this protected little court, like 10 houses and a dead end type court. Everyone was friends, so everyone helped out. It truely was a village taking care of all of us. If one family was sick, the others took up the slack. and i live in BALTIMORE lol!!!! But that was then. How can a society expect people to be healthy all the time?