LIfe's lessons with 3 sick kids - Positive Parenting with Anna Partridge

No doubt about it, being a parent can be hard. I have had three sick kids at home for six days and I know I have to keep them off school for one more day before they regain the energy to go back. I have had some pretty special moments with the kids during this week, as well as some seriously trying moment.

One of the trying moments was on Saturday afternoon. My husband and I went to an official function for this job. We were gone for three hours and kids were dosed on nurofen and panadol. I got dressed, picked up in the car, drank champagne and spoke to people about life – I walked in the door and was greeted by my son with a huge temperature and within minutes he was vomiting. Nothing like going from glitz to having vomit on my foot to realize what is important in life.

Here are my take away lessons from a full on week.

1. My kids are the most important thing

Through the night, I was up every two hours with one of my children, readministering panadol, sitting on the balcony in the middle of the night with my son on my knee to get his temperature down, wiping snot away and holding the chuck bucket. All of these pailed away into insignificance when I knew I was the mum of these precious babies and it was my job to help them get better. Work, friends and all else was second to these little things.

2. Perspective is everything

I have three kids at home sick. I am lucky. I was thinking of parents who lost all three of their kids in MH17. In a matter of seconds, their world was smashed apart. I spoke to friends who also had sick children and didn’t have the luxury of staying at home and caring for them. And no matter what sort of night I had had with the kids, the sun still rose in the morning to remind me to live the day.

3. Patience has to be your best friend

I am not one for staying in the house but I was housebound for 48 hours. Patience with the kids and patience with myself was important. My grandfather once said to me ‘patience is a virtue of which you do not have’. I would like to tell my dear grandfather who died before I had children that I have learnt to be patient and this was one of the weeks that tested my patience.

4. Keep a chuck bucket under your bed

There is something to be said for a small child running straight past the bathroom to your room to tell you they are about to vomit. As you race back the bathroom with child in arms, it is always too late.

Some weeks are there to give you lessons and this was one of them.