Full House

Well, all three of my kids are home sick today. Now...it's not as dire a situation as it might seem. Clara coughed her head off yesterday and did not sleep really well last night due to the coughing. Poor Ben's throat is still killing him and he can hardly talk. Max seems fine overall, but still keeps complaining that his stomach is hurting. And so...I made the executive mommy decision to keep the whole crew at home and resting in hopes that MAYBE, just maybe, a day of total rest will give their little bodies what they need to get on their feet and feel better and get on with the school year. I am feeling like they have been sick FOREVER! I know they haven't. But it HAS been two weeks. Clara started her first round of not feeling well back before her birthday. LIke on August 14th to be exact. Then she seemed to feel better for all of 4 days before she came down with another new and improved cold-like illness. Ben has not felt well for 4 days now. And Max (the least likely one of my crew to ever be sick) has been complaining off and on for a few days of mild, but similar symptoms. All of this sickness has made for very crabby children and it is starting to wear on the mommy who is quite tired of hearing them complain and fuss! So hopefully today will be a turning point for them. They are not too, too sick. I see the cabin fever starting to show itself a bit. On sick days like this, there is no t.v., no computer, no electronics of any kind. Just their rooms and their books and crayons. Dollies for Clara and legos for Ben, the guitar for Max. And then there is always napping which I have reminded them of already twice this morning. They find staying at home under these circumstances to be quite boring. Which I think is good for them. They are supposed to be at school and after a boring day like this at home, school looks OH so much better the next day! And hopefully...they will go back tomorrow with quieter and less present coughs, with soothed throats and iron tummies! Nothing like a day of rest and chicken noodle soup to help that dream become a reality!

Then once they go back I just have to pray that they can fight off any new and improved germs that get hurled their way. There is a practice going on in Clara's class that is driving me insane. Apparently they are learning how to shake hands with one another in greeting. Not one to be a total party pooper...I told Clara that it was nice to shake hands...just be sure to use the hand sanitizer when she was finished. Then Clara told me they aren't allowed to use it except when they go lunch. Ooops...here comes the pooper! I have to say that this bit of information has literally kept me up at night. My first reaction when I learned of the hand shaking was "Oh no! No hand to hand contact! Hands to YOURSELF!!!" But I realize that her teacher is trying to teach them a skill...and while I totally and completely disagree that this is the age they need to learn it...I TRIED to get on board with it. But now that I know she has to shake those little dirty hands who have most likely been swiping away their own snot trails with those same little hands...and that she is not allowed to clean her own hands afterward...well, quite frankly, I am losing sleep over it. And during the daytime I am just turning it over and over again in my mind. And I have come to a place of great debate now. Do I call or e-mail this teacher and voice my concern? And in doing so am I setting her up for trouble with this teacher? I mean...to a point it all sounds a bit paranoid. "I would really prefer that MY child NOT shake hands, as it's a terribly germy business...but if she MUST shake hands, then I MUST insist that she have access to some soap immediately thereafter." Sounds like an overprotective and whiny, paranoid mom. Then again...after a LONG two weeks of constant illness and sore throats....I'm thinking it's time to put a stop to all of this. Ahh...the great dilemma! I will have to think on it some more.

For now, I need to go and bond with my treadmill since I could not make it into the gym today with all my sick charges at home! Perhaps some enlightening thought or solution will visit me there! Goodness knows there are enough other crazy thoughts whipping through my brain when I jump on that treadmill! We shall see!