When Your Kid Is Sick...

I'm a tad germ-phobic but since having Anya, I've let her do things I would have scoffed at it the past- like letting her eat something that fell on the floor (it's called the five second rule!).

She started a two hour twice a week preschool program in September, which has been so much fun. The school has so many toys that she doesn't have at home, plus she gets to interact with different adults and of course, other kids.  She's never been to daycare so this is our first exposure to what I imagine to be an army of germs waiting to attack. Germs covering the toys and the kids and all of the lovely surfaces. My friends who have their children in daycare said that their kids have been sick on a regular basis since they started daycare and don't mind if I bring a slightly sniffling kid over to play.  Yet, I didn't want their hacking kid to come over. I know, you can't put your kid in a bubble, and a little bacteria actually builds their immunity.

Well, now we're all sick. I assume Anya picked it up at school and passed it to us because she came down with it first and then me, and then my husband.  I can't really complain because we have a full-time nanny and my job is flexible enough (usually) that I can take a day or at least a few hours to take it easy, plus I work from home.  And I'm my own boss.  But for a lot of stay at home moms and dads, when your kid is sick, and inevitably, you will be too, and man, it's hard taking care of everyone. You feel like crap and want to climb under the blanket and let someone take care of you. And you look at your husband like, I know you're sick, but I'm sicker, so it's your turn to take care of everyone!

One upside to Anya being sick is that she turns into this absolutely mushy and cuddly baby.  She's content to snuggle in bed, watching TV all day, and I have to say, that's perfect for me!  Now if she could only bring me hot tea, we'd be set.

-- Danielle Friedland is author of Celebrity Baby Blog

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