Wife away for the weekend and me at home alone with a slightly sick daughter.
Sleep = nonexistent, mostly for me but for her as well last night. Managed to stick to routine for the most part but then she was so exhausted she passed out early for nap before lunch and then only napped for 1/2 the time she normally does. I’ve never been so happy to put her down at 6:30, hoping she sleeps through the night tonight. Wife gets home in about 2 hours.
Tell me this gets easier when they are sick. Basically everything today as a huge ordeal, from getting her into the stroller to trying to give her anything to eat.
Yes, I’m just whining. It was a very, very, very long day.
I usually enjoyed, well maybe not enjoyed, but days when the kid(s) were sick usually meant a lot of cuddle time, reading books. They don’t have their usual energy level and just want to be held
When sick we use the BRAT (banana, rice, apple sauce, toast) diet. Didn’t worry about keeping on regular schedule? Fed them a little bit throughout the day. Never worried too much about food when sick. Just kept them hydrated and waited for the bug to pass.
Oh yeah. I remember those days. But got good news for you - they don’t stay 18 mos forever. Been there, done that but now my kids are 25/30 (yrs not mos). Believe it or not, when your kids are grown up you’ll actually miss that time, but wouldn’t want to do it again unless its grand kids that you can hand back.
Mines 10 and we got minimal sleep last night trying to find someplace in the house he could get to sleep. Finally fell asleep sitting on the couch ~1AM and then was up several times coughing and hacking etc.
At least I don’t have to carry him around the house pacing for hours trying to get him to fall asleep. It’s tough when the little ones get sick.
Believe it or not, when your kids are grown up you’ll actually miss that time, but wouldn’t want to do it again unless its grand kids that you can hand back.
My youngest is ten and was sick last night. You’re right it’s different and as much as it sucked at the time you kind of miss those long nights and times where you’re doing everything you can to make them feel better, even though sometimes you feel really helpless and completely wiped.
Ours are 4 years and 22 months. I think it gets easier, certainly for the “slightly sick” days. When they’re older they can tell you how they’re feeling, they can understand that medicine makes them better (as opposed to spitting it all over you), they have the attention span to sit and watch a movie, etc. Obviously if they’re really sick it’s still pretty tough, thankfully we haven’t had a projectile vomit day for a while!
Only thing you can do when they’re younger is make allowances for them and try not to get too stressed, because if you get wound up they’ll feed off that and get a whole lot worse.
that’s tough but as noted above, when he/she is under the weather and just wants to lay there and read/watch cartoons with you, that’s some good time. My almost 2 year old son never stops moving so selfishly I love when he has bad allergies so he’ll just lay with me.
Good luck, and in the scheme of things this will be minor.
It might get easier later but I’m not so sure. 3yr old, 2yr old and wife are all sick right now. I slept in about 45 minute increments between helping blow noses, getting cough medicine, more blankets, etc. Quite certain that the 3 of them will recover in the next few days and I’ll be out of commission as the exhaustion and whatever they’ve got overtake me.
When they are the most sick it’s a lot of cuddles, books and little naps. Those are the good times. When they start to come out of it, it’s whining, being uncomfortable, etc. That’s the hard part for me.
Think about when you feel like shit. Now put that on a little kiddo that can’t really have a say in what she gets to do. I would be a whiny butt too!
Ours are older now and thankfully have been pretty healthy over the years, but when they were that age they were either full tilt or down for the count. There was no in between. Down for the count was easier, even though you felt sad they were sick and didn’t feel well.
Right now the Mr. is battling a nasty cold and you would think he has Ebola. Now THAT is a tough one to have compassion on sometimes
Hope the baby is feeling better by now and everyone got some rest.
I think it doesn’t get easier but it gets different when they can verbally express what hurts and how they feel. My 18mo old is basically stuck with crying and sign language to tell you how she feels. My 4.5yr old can tell me that her tummy doesn’t feel good with enough warning for me to get a bucket before getting covered in vomit. Not better, just different.
Good luck and definitely don’t worry too much about schedule when sick! Rest, hydrate (oh yeah, and the kiddo too) and good luck!
Thanks for all of the perspective folks. I think at that point I was feeling not only exhausted but definitely a bit apprehensive about child #2 coming in six weeks. That’s going to change everything as well and I now that the first three months are going to be really tough. Thankfully this time we have some help coming in grandmother form for the first 4 weeks, which we didn’t have with our first.
I definitely have to remind myself that these times aren’t going to last forever, and when she’s a surly teenager listening to whatever will pass for music in ten years and ignoring me because I told her she can’t go to a party I will want nothing more than to have the little ball that loves to curl up on my lap with books to read to her. Or see the smile on her face when we’re dancing to Wheels On The Bus and I can actually hold her.
