Sick Day

As per usual, we have managed to squeeze a lifetime of craziness into a period of days. For the second time in a week, I am home with one of my children. Last week, our little boy was caught in a tidal wave of germs that swept our daycare center, and spent 2 miserable days with the flu. Yesterday, our baby was sent home with a fever and a severe case of the crankies. So today, in keeping with our center's germ policy, and my husband's work schedule, I am home with the baby.

I admit that when I was a young and single girl, I was tremendously resentful of all the time the resident moms would take off. "Their kids are sick again?" I would think incredulously, annoyed that my schedule would need to be rearranged once more to accommodate the needs of someone else's family. That makes me sound awful, I'm sure, but I have always been lucky enough to be healthy. I rarely got sick in those days, and used my own sick time for the occasional "mental health day" when I knew it wouldn't put anybody out. It was beyond me why a coworker should get "extra" time off, when they inevitably caught whatever it was their kids had.

Now the shoe is on the other foot, the worm has turned, insert your cliche here. I am the mom having whispered, tense conversations with her husband about who will be the one to approach their boss about leaving early. I am the mom who's precious sick days are saved for those times when my kids are sick, leaving me to go to work armed with Lysol, Purell and tissues if I should catch it next. I am the mom receiving laser beams of resentment from my single co-worker, who's forced "It's fine" tells me exactly where she stands. I am the mom, and I finally get it.

Honestly, my husband and I are a lot luckier than some. We both work for companies that actually give us sick time. My husband's job allows him to work from home if necessary. My boss is the mom of 2 grown sons who has been in my shoes before, and who is understanding of the needs of 2 small kids. It still doesn't make the task of telling said boss that you need to take another day off any easier, but at least I know I can probably work something out.

Now the hard part of asking for time off is over, and the even harder part of taking care of a sick baby is under way. If a day of snuggling, kisses and naps will cure her, I expect we'll all be back on schedule tomorrow.