When it was just me and my boy sickness was horrible, but I was always thankful of the fact that I got to be home with him, and that we could just sit and cuddle until he got better. Just like him and I wanted. “Sit with me Mommy” is what he’d say, and I of course would. I would be at his beck and call, and he liked that. Now, I have my baby girl and it’s harder to cater to just one or the other. Both need my attention and more so if one of them is sick. This past week my boy got strep throat and as much as I wanted to just wallow along with him my baby girl wasn’t sick. She wanted to play. So I juggled. That’s what mom’s do right?
Even though my boy is 5, he still says “sit with me mommy!”. I love it. He still wants his blanket and his bunny when he’s sick and he rests. My daughter on the other hand won’t sit. Not even for 5 minutes and runs around the house. It’s cute, but not when my boy needs to relax. It’s hard. For kids who don’t entertain themselves when they are healthy it’s even worse when one is sick. The other week my daughter threw up and I wanted to just be able to sit and cuddle her. My son wasn’t having it. He wanted to cuddle too, but who wants their sick kid cuddling next to their healthy kid? The more I tell my son when he’s healthy and my daughter is sick to stay away the more he wants to be close…..and same goes when he is sick and she’s not. If I tell him to back off he refuses. She will drink from whatever cup he has, and he will do his best to share. Spite? Teaming up against mommy? Probably.
I struggle daily with trying to be everything for everyone and I probably fail, but it’s even harder when one needs even more. I WANT to be there for that child….I want to take away their pain and suffering and do so in whatever way I can, but when they want something I can’t give at that exact moment I am left feeling guilty. With my sick son bedtime routines were a little messed up and little Miss Tessa cried, which made my sick feverish son cry. All leaving mommy feeling stressed out. Daddy tried to pitch in and help but what kid doesn’t want mommy when they are sick? And since the healthy kid seems to want mommy even more when the other kid is sick…..we all lose.
I am thankful my kids are pretty healthy and we don’t have to deal with this often, but each kid had their dose of sick over the last month or so. It was a reminder that I just can’t be everything to everyone all the time. I can still try….but I guess I won’t always succeed. I hope my babies know I WANT to make them better, but sitting and cuddling for all hours isn’t an option. Not when both kids are home.
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