Attempting a smile over his sicky bowl
There have been some less-than-shiny moments where I have had it up to *here* with the mucus, the throw up, the messy pants, the tears, the whines, and the interrupted sleep. But mostly, I think I'm just frustrated with the confinement. Mama needs to stretch her legs! But, alas, I'm too tired by the time Cori comes home...
I've tried to make use of the time. I've cleaned out a couple of closets as well as the kitchen pantry. Naturally, I've done lots of laundry. I actually did some blogging last week. I did some cleaning out in our office. This is a more impressive feat if you consider that, for all intents and purposes, our office is also serving as our basement. (The garage gets too hot during the summer for a lot of the storage I'd like to keep out there.) I've shared a few conversations with the triage nurse at our pediatric center and have been able to avoid taking the kids in - as I suspect we caught all this junk at their office when we took Eden in for her well-baby visit. Said triage nurse also gave me an insane schedule of liquids to help with the barfies. It goes something like this:
- 1st hour- 1 T coke every 15 minutes
- 2nd hour- 2 T coke every 15 minutes
- 3rd hour- 3 T coke every 20 minutes
- 4th hour- 3 oz. Gatoraide every 30 minutes
- 5th hour- nothing
- 6th hour- more Gatoraide
I don't remember what she said to do if you make through all 6 hours without a relapse. I was, perhaps, a little overwhelmed. It's intense, right? But I set my timer and dosed Gracie up with beverages as directed and she did really well. It was bed time when we reached the 6th hour. She slept and then was eating easy food the next day. With Grant this morning, I was a bit more casual about the process and he kept throwing up. So I buckled down, got out the medicine cup and set my timer again and he hasn't thrown up in 2 hours. How do people figure this stuff out?
In other news:
- Cori was set apart as our ward's Elder's quorum president yesterday.
- Cori also cleaned/fixed up my 15-year-old bike. Hurray! We are a trailer away from having our whole family on wheels. Credit should also go to my dad who had stored the bike for the last 15 years. Thanks guys!
- Our DVR is pretty busy. It is 31 days of Oscar on TCM baby! See the schedule here.
- I think I need a vacation. I KNOW I want one. My parents are gearing up to go to Scotland this summer. I'm just a wee bit jealous.
- Two of our four citrus trees are blooming. The aroma is indescribably perfect.
- I'm thinking about keeping a mommy bank on my iPod rather than giving the children the cash for their allowance. I never think to bring their moneys along when we go out, and when they see stuff they want to buy I can't remember how much money they have at home. Grace is SO GOOD about doing extra chores with me and though I know her compliance is completely money related I want to enforce the behavior better than I have been. So my plan is to keep a ledger for tithing and allowance that we will review each family night. And then pay tithing once a month... Suggestions?
8 comments:
I have never seen such a regimented
liquid diet like that for after the barfs. That's amazing. Maybe I'll try it next time.
We like our money system a lot. We have a family store (a plastic bin we keep high in our closet) filled with candy, art stuff, small toys, even books for the older kids. Our kids get a certain amount every week and we keep track on a clipboard any extra money they earn or money they get deducted for not doing their chores well. Once a week after dinner and after their bedrooms are clean we give out allowance and open our family store. We do it one kid at a time and have an informal interview with each kid at the same time to see how they're doing. We do actual money--with a cash box and their own box from Deseret Book with "Fun Money," "Tithing," and "Mission" slots, so they can pay their tithing right on the spot for each week's allowance. The kids think it's the best night of the week. The younger kids are so happy to just get a couple fun-size candy bars. The older kids will sometimes get some candy but save most of their money for a trip with a parent later on for bigger things.
Oh, and when we're out and about and the kids don't have their money but beg for us to buy things, we'll buy items under a certain amount of money to put into our store for them to buy on store night.
Marcy- Thanks! Great ideas from a veteran mom. Cori and I were actually just talking about a family store kind of idea, but for birthday presents for friends and each other (since we have moved here, we have been invited to so many birthday parties!). Glad to hear it is an idea that is working in the real world. You guys do such a fabulous job with your family!
Funny our husbands have the same calling on the same day.
As far as allowance I tend to think that your kids (except Grace) are pretty young for any allowance at all. But I think that perhaps now or soon Grace should have real money to hold and be responsible for... as much as possible. My Ali is great with money now because she has had experience with it. She learned between kindergarten and first how to make change because I let her do it all the time even when the cashier gave me dirty looks. If you are keeping a ledger they won't understand and then they won't be able to comprehend money it will be just like a credit card to their little minds. They need to get out and use and lose the money. Put her wallet in your purse or else put her completely in charge of bringing her own purse along if she wants to buy anything. And don't ever loan money they don't have even if you really really want them to have it. Also make sure they are saving now to get in the habit and to have something real later to use!
Melissa- Good points all. The allowance situation is mostly for Grace at this point. Grant is just old enough to feel left out, so we've included him. And the allowance we have been giving them has been very small (we are talking quarters and dimes here). And they have to work for it. There have been times when Grace got some money and Grant didn't because he wouldn't help with the extra chores.
It has been exciting for Grace to handle the money. She especially likes handing it over when she buys things. So that is something to consider. If we do the ledger, my plan is to teach them what it means. More of a checking account perspective than a credit card... A frame of mind that will be useful to them later. And saving is a must!
WOWWWWWWWWWWWW on so many points.
the barf thing... that stinks, literally. Sorry.
the money thing... wow, I'm so behind. My 6 year old still gets PSYCHED when he finds a penny because he thinks he's rich. We have sooo not taught our kids a darn thing about money, though we do restrict them on things and they won't ever be the kids that have what the Jones' have because I don't believe in living that way. But reading all these things about allowances and stuff, hmmm it's got me thinking. But it also sounds exhausting and one more thing I gotta teach the kids!
and I'm sorry your family has been so sick!!! I feel your pain, I really do! I learned the hard way last year to never ever take the other kiddos to well check/sick visits unless they're being checked.
love you.
LOVE the barfy idea. Really how to people figure this stuff out. I am TOTALLY remembering that next time we get the nasties.
Did the barf thing really work!? Lucy has the flu today and I am thinking about trying it. I am a little worried about the caffeine however, I have never let her drink it...
Do you think sprite would have the same effect?
Post a Comment