Kids, colds, and contagion
- John DeSantis
- Dec 6, 2019
- 2 min read
When one of your kids is sick, you may as well be too. Your schedule hinges on their needs and getting them better while hoping that the inevitable spread of illness doesn’t happen inside your home like a fire in Molotov cocktail factory. Some kids enjoy the grape flavored sweetness of Tylenol, others gag at the sight of it, and if you’re dealing with something like an ear infection, there isn’t any child in America who likes taking a 7 day dose of those thick, chalky antibiotics. Any of that self-discipline you impose on TV watching, pajama-wearing, and sleep schedules has been left out on the curb like a stack of Amazon boxes on recycling day. That 3 year old who suddenly wanted nothing to do with you, told you everything you said was wrong, and wanted no help with anything a week ago is now cuddling up to you like you had an endless supply of cookies and lollipops in your pockets. The neediness of their earlier stages returns and it feels good for a bit, only they’re also miserable and you’re checking their temperature every 5 minutes wondering at what point you should consider taking them to the hospital. You do your best to keep any vomit contained to areas that are easily cleanable and they manage to cover your couch in it. As you’re cleaning this conveniently placed puke late at night you’re grateful you didn’t splurge on that new living room set recently and make no bones about reminding your wife of this. You stock up on Pedialite like it’s cheap domestic beer on the 4th of July, and you sometimes feel bad when you’re eating the crackers you bought them at a 2 to 1 ratio. Then a different feeling sets in. You wish you could take all their misery and pain away, and sometimes wonder if this is what it will feel like when they have their first heartbreak, if you’re lucky enough for them to confide in you. The mind of a parent can wander and go to odd places when you’re holed up in a quarantine unit for a couple days. Just know that they’re okay as long as you give them love and care, and decide that the correct order to run your Don Bluth animated movie marathon is historical: The Land Before Time (prehistoric), An American Tail (early 20th century), All Dogs Go to Heaven (Burt Reynolds/1980’s). These days are exhausting, filled with anxiety, and you’re relieved once they’re over, but feel like you really helped them get through it. And if you think you’ll miss that rediscovered sense of need your child had for you, don’t worry; if you have more than one kid they’ll likely catch whatever patient zero had within the next few days. Soon you’ll also catch it when they find a convenient time to cough in your face like a biological anarchist. Listening to: Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Make You Feel Better”
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