When Mom Is Sick

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
When Mom Is Sick
13
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 10:03am

I'm sure I won't be shocking anyone here when I vent about how difficult it is to be a mom and be under the weather...

My kids have had colds on and off for a few weeks and something's been going around the office so it was just a matter of time until I got it. I took a sick day Friday because I am congested and coughing and sick to my stomach. Friday the kids were busy with friends so I got SOME opportunity to relax. Yesterday I felt a little better so I took them to the movies to celebrate last weekend of Xmas break. They'll be back to school and busy again and I will be going into a busy work period so I figured we should have one last night out.

But this AM it hit me with a vengeance. I feel AWFUL and all I wanted to do was lie in bed. My 11 yo son wouldn't leave me be and made tons of racket with his games. My 15 yo dd is used to a Sunday morning routine where we have a nice breakfast and read the Sunday papers and was sulking for half an hour that I wouldn't get up with her. My mom wants me to take the kids over to her place for lunch telling me I could just as easily lie down at her place... The beds remain undone, the kitchen is a mess -- ARRGGHHHH....

You know I had hoped as my kids got older they could take some of this pressure off of me. But unless I tell them to do something it never gets done. And when I don't feel well and just want to rest, its like they can't just look around and see what they could do to help out!!!

Okay...vent over....

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 10:17am
Aww - feel free to vent away.
Pam
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 12:53pm

Sorry you're feeling under the weather and frustrated, too! My experience with my own kids is that they rarely do something (even tho it is obvious it might need to be done) unless specifically told to.

So! Tell your kids what you would like them to do -- clean up the kitchen, make beds, whatever. Then call your mom and tell her she is welcome to come pick them up for lunch if she would like to but that you're staying home and resting.

And then ... lie down and rest. I hope you are feeling better soon.

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-24-2006
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 2:24pm

<<>>

I'm sorry that you're sick. Luckily we've been able to avoid colds or flu this season.

But I HAD to comment on this! My mother also tends to say things like this. Oh, you won't feel any better over there than here. Or the biggie: no point in sitting in the motel room sick, you might as well be on the beach sick. Hahaha! Actually that time turned out alright. I was in much pain, but laying under an umbrella with her waiting on me wasn't so bad, hehe. I would have been in the same pain in the motel.

But going to her house to lay in bed sick? No way. Hopefully you got lucky today and your mom came and picked up the kids and let you have all day in bed!

zz

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 3:08pm

<>

Not only are my kids also like that, so is DH. But I know it's my fault, too, for not demanding that they do chores on a regular basis. I often have to remind them to have consideration for others outside the home, as well.

Messy kitchens and unmade beds are fine when we're sick, or when we're simply too busy with work or other stuff...as long as it's temporary. Hope you're soon feeling better.

-----------------------------------------------
http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/october/meet_the_new_health_.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQTBYQlQ7yM

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 5:19pm

Hope you're feeling a bit better by now. What an awful way to feel!!

((HUGS)))

Sue

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Sun, 01-07-2007 - 10:42pm

Thanks all of you....well....not feeling that much better but amazing what some sinus meds can do. Ended up going to my mum's after all (she doesn't drive) and sitting on the couch there feeling like I was going to hurl any minute. We came home early and I just plopped onto my bed and the kids busied themselves while I took an hour nap. It was very helpful as afterwards I managed to keep a light dinner down...

Tomorrow its off to work and the kids are back to school and back to routines...typically I spent all evening yelling at my kids to prep their backpacks and clothes for tomorrow. My 15 yo had all Xmas break to finish 3 major assignments and predictably she was still trying to finish stuff off at 9PM tonight!!! Arrgghhh....

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-31-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 10:09am

Oh man, totally sounds like the weekend I just had! Have a wicked cold, home Friday from work, then my daugther gets it Saturday so both of us are down for the count and still home today (my work will NOT be impressed but oh well). The whole weekend nothing got done - all I could manage was a load of towels in the wash as there were none clean. DH and DS18 are totally useless - just ordered food in, never thinking that maybe the dishwasher could be loaded or unloaded or fix us a bowl of soup. Makes me soooooo mad! I thought about venting here as well but you did it for me!

Take care and get some rest!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 10:35am

I do an occassional "everyone is on their own tonight"

Sometimes its because Im exhausted from work(it gets crazy at times and our continuing education stuff is always 2-3 hours away making for a VERY long day)and sometimes it's because Im just in one pissed off mood!

Anyway, the guilt I feel about that was diminished by these posts. Now I can tell myself Im preparing them for my inevitable illness ;)

Really, when there are leftovers in the fridge, Hot Pockets in the freezer, and ramen in the pantry, it's a good time to let them be on their own

Surprisingly, DH will often step up at these times and organize. DS3 may make his ramen but DH makes him sit at the table with him to eat it

Maybe doing this 'quarterly' isnt a bad idea?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2004
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 1:58pm

Hope you are feeling better, wow, this must be going around literally everywhere. We all have it here too.

Just wanted to say, you are not alone. I know that doesn't help, but sometimes I feel better when someone says that to me!!!!!

I do like the previous post that says she periodically makes everyone fend for themselves. Maybe we should try that!!

Take care, feel better

Andie

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2006
Mon, 01-08-2007 - 3:51pm
i hope you feel better soon. luckily my fourteen year old cooks and will take care of his brother if need be. but his new thing is that he wants to be occupied all the time. so if i want to relax, he complains that he doesnt just want to sit home. i ask him if he wants me to hire him an orchestra? lol. my son is entering that pain in the rear end stage and i have another one right behind him getting ready to turn twelve. i have a friend who has three teenagers and i remember her telling me when my kids were entering teenage hood that i needed to grab the reins and hold on tight because i was in for a bumpy ride. NO KIDDING! good luck to you.

Pages