Parenting can be quite a tough gig at times, and one of those times is when you’re sick. The amount of energy and enthusiasm toddlers have is incredible; when I had the flu this week it became abundantly clear that Rosalie had a hundred times the exuberance I did. I had so little energy I was basically unable to play with her.
When you’re a mummy you don’t really get time off or sick days; nappies need changing, clothes need laundering, food needs preparing and there is always a little voice calling “mummy, mummy, mummy, do you want to play with me?”
And in those moments, there was nothing more that I wanted than to be able to play with my baby girl, but I was just too exhausted. Instead I let her watch hours of Maisy and Peppa Pig because it was the one thing guaranteed to keep her occupied and out of mischief.
So that was how I parented when I had the flu – we watched a lot of TV. I could let myself feel bad about it, but I won’t. I did what I had to do to survive looking after myself and my two year old.
But you know what? Something great did come out of me being unwell – seeing Rosalie playing nurse.
After explaining that I was too sick to play with her, she told me she would fetch me something to make me feel better. She sped off to the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with a pot of mandarins and one of her plastic spoons. I suddenly felt really proud that I’d raised my two year old to be so caring – she got a huge hug, and I ate those mandarins with a big smile on my face.
She quickly learnt the colours on the thermometer too, regularly taking my temperature (and hers, and Teddy’s) and reporting whether it was green, orange or red.
My little Florence Nightingale.
8 Comments
Beth Twinderelmo
March 20, 2016 at 3:57 pmTotally agree. You have to keep plodding no matter what & im sure she loved it. What a clever little nurse!
Katie @mummydaddyme
March 20, 2016 at 5:10 pmOh bless her heart, what a wonderful little nurse she is. And that is a gorgeous photo of Rosalie. Definitely don't even think about feeling bad, we are surviving on a lot of TV at the moment in this house too as I come to the final part of pregnancy. I hope you feel much better now. xx
Carie @ Space for the Butterflies
March 20, 2016 at 9:15 pmAww bless her, what a little sweetheart! And yay for Peppa – I can still remember going down with a tummy bug when Kitty was tiny – I popped her in her jumperoo, put CBeebies on and lay down on the lounge floor for a half hour nap just to get through the day until H get home!!
www.mummyofboygirltwins.com
March 21, 2016 at 11:43 amSuch a lovely photo ๐ Bless her, too cute! I hope you feel better xx
http://www.mummyofboygirltwins.com
Jess Eliot
March 22, 2016 at 7:16 amYes we do! She definitely did love it and now has a bit of a taste for TV! xx
Jess Eliot
March 22, 2016 at 7:18 amThanks Katie, I'm feeling so much better now. It's reassuring to hear others use TV as a survival mechanism! xx
Jess Eliot
March 22, 2016 at 7:20 amPeppa really comes through when you need her to doesn't she?! Thanks Carie x
Jess Eliot
March 22, 2016 at 7:21 amThanks Jess, feeling much better now xx