Sick Days

When my girls were little, I kind of enjoyed it when they were sick. Doesn’t that sound all weird and demented? And I know all of the Moms out there reading are going “Well, I always knew she was a bad Mother, but that just proves it” and are probably already flipping through the phone book for the number for CPS or dialing 9.1.1.

First, there a few caveats as to the type of sickness I’m talking about – we’ll exclude any vomiting or diarrhea, because I just don’t like bodily functions. I’d like to the fever to stay under 103 (my children run hot, so I don’t get excited till I see triple digits and pretty high ones at that). Also, we definitely want to steer clear of the hospital stays. We’ve been there and done that on more than one occasion and IT IS NO FUN.

But when the girls were much smaller, they were very pleasant sick children, so easy to please and much sweeter and loving than in day to day life. I think it was a combination of them being under the weather and having Mom’s undivided attention.

To be clear, I NEVER wished for my girls to be ill, what Mother would want that for their child? But, on the occasion when Syd or Rea would get sick, it always seemed to happen when I was being pulled in many different directions. And suddenly, my priorities became so apparent to me. Work would be there tomorrow. The laundry would just have to wait, and if the house didn’t get straightened up that day, well, so what.

Those days were a little like snow days, everything just had to stop for a while. It forced me to slow down, take and breathe and just hold and cuddle a little girl who just wanted her Mommy.

Think less of me if you will - but I enjoyed it.