I love having my kids at home most of the time. This week however I was about to pull my hair out. Both boys 13 & 7 have the crud and were mean as vermin. Generally my kids get along, but yesterday I had to send them to separate rooms. Then the youngest cried because he wanted to play with his brother.
Today I told them I didn’t care how sick they were they were going to school (lucky for me they were both feeling fit as fiddles). While growing up in a large family it wasn’t unusual for one or more of us to be home sick. If you didn’t have a fever it was out the door with ya though. I remember playing games and doing a lot of reading. My kids play Legos and watch things they’ve recorded on DVR.
My mom used to make us a bed on the couch and give us a tray where we could have 7 up and saltines. We weren’t normally allowed to have food or drink in the livingroom so this was a treat. We also didn’t go to the doctor unless we were really on our deathbed. My kids I run to the doctor if they have a few days of fever and if their throat or ear hurts. I don’t think I like the “let them ride it out” attitude that is now the rage. I was told when my daughter was small if their ear hurt and they had a fever to get them in. With the “let them ride it out” the kids have had their ears burst from infection thus causing hearing damage and a lot of pain.
What are the norms at your house?
I have to agree on the ride it out thing. Seems too harsh to me. I hate seeing kids sick – it always makes me feel so helpless! Plus, I think it’s really important to have a doctor that you truly trust. but if you have a doctor that you feel like you can really trust, there’s no reason to ignore symptoms if you believe your doctor isn’t going to give meds if they aren’t needed or necessary.