Doing the usual Monday morning scramble in the kitchen, unusual activity and even more bizarre conversation was coming from the lounge.
“I have a sore tummy. I want to go to the doctor’s”
K-Bear hates doctors. Along with sleeping outside with the goannas, us awesome parents pull out the doctor threat when dealing with misbehavior or the refusal to eat porridge for breakfast.
Happily playing trains with his brother, he didn’t appear sick, nor tired. There was no sign of a fever.
While I take risks with work and other factors of life, I dare not in parenting.
Even if it was highly probable the bugalugs was faking it.
Dropping Nunu off at daycare, the teachers offered to keep an eye out on K-Bear.
“If he actually is sick, we’ll give you a call”
As tempting as it was to keep him at school, again something told me not to take the risk.
Before the doctor’s appointment, there was a weights session at the gym I wasn’t able to cancel.
While many other mums did it, it was impossible to have the twinions tag along.
I tried once. But in a split second, Nunu ran to the metre high rack of barbells, climbed to the top and almost starting an avalanche of heavy equipment and weights.
I vowed never again.
Until now.
At least K-Bear gave my 6 month pregnant person trainer to let her clunky senses go into overdrive.
Getting to the doctor’s, we couldn’t find anything wrong.
In fact, while getting his tummy checked, my hooky playing child started to giggle.
“Well, he doesn’t seem to be distressed” was the Doc’s verdict.
Concluding that there was a likelihood of constipation, Doc whipped out a poo chart – for those moments we ever found ourselves, you know, stuck. (Boom tish).
Corn on the cobs or sausages? Good. Avoid rabbit droppings.
Returning home, an immediate trip to the loo was in order and funnily enough, the sore tummy had miraculously gone.
Just like that, my working day had disappeared into the ether of unproductivity.
Ready to go through the usual frustration of being a working mum, I realized nothing that day was actually urgent.
Sure, I didn’t get to make those phone calls or lock in appointments.
Forget writing or blogging.
But I did save myself from worry and guilt.
My boy rarely asks to stay home, let alone see the doctor. Even if he wasn’t physically sick, maybe he just needed something else.
Time away from his twin brother.
Time with himself.
Time with me.
I’m glad I let him take the lead.
When it comes to your kids getting sick, are you a master at picking fakies or realises?
Ever let them wag school?
Do you still look out for the corn on the cobs or sausages?
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Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit says
That poo chart is the best!
I like to give my kids a “rest and recovery day” each every term. Just a day to themselves at home with me when the rest of the world is at school. One on one.
Mind you, if they’ve had a sick term then they don’t get the rest and recovery day. We can’t have too much time off school.
I think we all need a rest and recovery day a few times a year where it’s just a day off to be ourselves …
L
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Deborah says
My iPad is playing up and kept freezing on the poo-chart.
As you said, he doesn’t follow it often so it sounds like K-Bear needed a mental health day (& / or was constipated or had a funny tummy).
And I’m sure the one-on-one time was lovely for both of you.
Deb
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Lydia C. Lee says
It’s a fine line – I know adults that still bring up to their mother how they were sent to school with appendicitis…
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Renee at Mummy, Wife, Me says
Grace, after a week with gastro, that poo chart was almost too much for me to bear lol. Yeah, I’m usually pretty good at picking a fake ‘I’m sick’. My littlest one seems to say ‘not feeling well’ a lot lately, but then five seconds later she’s tearing around. Monkey!!
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Bec @ The Plumbette says
You did the right thing Grace and you know your child. My Esther would go to Kindy sick as a dog because she loves it. The moment she tells me she doesn’t want to go because she is sick, well I will most likely keep her home and go to a doctor because it would be unusual for her.
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Kathy says
That poo chart! I do get hoodwinked by Miss Yin for days off when there is very little wrong (but she suffers a bit from anxiety so we have to cut her some slack). So far Little Yang has been happy to go to school and when he has been sick he makes a very good little patient. I’m sure you guys had a lovely and much-needed day together.
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Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
Mum always knows best – it sounds like a day together was just what the doctor ordered! And that poo chart is just ace!
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Vicki @ Knocked Up and Abroad says
I think an odd day at home snuggling can’t hurt. It’s nice you got to give him some one on one time. I imagine that is so rare.
My Vicklets are a bit young yet to get out of school but my 4 year old occasionally tells me he has a sick tummy. Up until now I have always believed him as he has no reason not to be honest but I have been a bit suspicious of late when that one liner is delivered at bed time. I also think he quite fancies the taste of Panadol!
How cool is that poo chart? Best poo explanations I’ve ever seen!
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Emily says
Haven’t had a fake I’m sick yet. Although there was an unfun kinder incident last term and my girl didn’t want to go, but she told me the reason. I have no doubt the fake sickies are still to come, though!
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JM Peace says
My son tries the sore tummy thing about twice a week. I always tell him to have a lay down on the couch and he usually forgets it within minutes (he’s not the ‘laying down’ type). Although the poo chart is marvellous, my indicator is the eyes. ‘Sick eyes’ and you stay home. Ah, the games we play 🙂
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Gael - The Vinyl Edition says
What can you do, Grace? It’s hard to know which way to go. I’ve had embarrassing ‘false alarms’ with my kids, but also the opposite situation where I took them ‘just n case’ and got onto something requiring urgent antibiotics. It’s a tough call, but glad it all turned out OK. You know you wouldn’t have done it any other way.
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Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life says
I think my kids enjoy school too much to have fake sick days. The first “mental health” day my daughter had was last year in year 9 when we went into the city for an R&R day totally spur of the moment, her in her school uniform! Her twin brother couldn’t believe it and did tell a couple of the teachers but they didn’t believe him and thought he was joking!
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Desire Empire says
Who knew a poo chart. Yuck.
Have a good week I hope you get some work done and the sore tummy doesn’t return.
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Dannielle@Zamamabakes says
Grace that chart, how funny but how clever if that makes sense?!
The best advice I’ve been given (even though not all that healthy) to pick a fake sickie is to offer a fairy bread sandwich to take for lunch the day of the complaint, works a treat!
In general though I always errr on the side of caution, like you if I can’t quite tell, having them safely by my side makes me feel a whole lot better.
Have a beautiful weekend Grace xx
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Lara @ This Charming Mum says
Danielle that is a brilliant idea! I’m using that one.
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Kaz @ Melting Moments says
Aw, he may have just needed some cuddles. It’s so hard to tell if they’re faking it. Like you, I’d rather not chance it, just in case!
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Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side says
Ha ha. My youngest (2yo) is the opposite – he’ll seem fine then come down with a raging fever. My 4yo will try to tell me he’s sick but he’s a terrible liar. I’m sure he’ll improve with time!
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Amy says
We have three big kids. One is never sick, never pretends to be and you know for sure when she is. The other two are slightly more inclined to drama- the worst being mr 10 who perfected his man flu as a toddler!
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Ai Sakura says
why am I so surprised that there’s such a thing as a poo chart???! haha..
Yes, perhaps he just wanted more time alone with you 🙂 I’m glad that you went with your instincts, even if it turned out to not be something really wrong. Because one day *touch wood*, it may jolly well be. There’s no need for risks when parenting.
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Raych aka Mystery Case says
So glad it wasn’t anything too serious. My eldest, after years of loving school and would attempt to go even if running a fever, was starting to get sick each and every Monday. It took me a little while to clue on that swimming was Monday and she hated swimming with a passion.
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Erika @ Ever-changing Life of a Mum says
Glad to hear your little boy was ok, sounds like you both might have needed a well deserved day of rest. We all need a day like that sometimes. I used to call them mental health days when I was working 😉
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Emily @ Have A Laugh On Me says
I gave my daughter a mental health day on Tuesday, she wasn’t overly but just tired, had a blood shot eye and so we chilled at home. I still had to work but it was nice having her around. xx
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Tonia zemek says
What a day, hey! Glad your little one’s ok. Love that you’re looking on the bright side and enjoyed some one-on-one time. Have a relaxing (and healthy) weekend. x
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Lara @ This Charming Mum says
Oh gosh, the poo chart! We’ve been shown that fairly recently too after my boy was having tummy pains. Who’d be a doctor eh? Or a parent for that matter, lol. Best wishes. Your boys are so beautiful.
Lara @ This Charming Mum recently posted..Can You Drink Pod Coffee And Still Sleep At Night?
Fairlie says
That poo chart is hilarious! I can just imagine some of the conversations that follow…
Everyone needs to play hooky and have a day off every now and then.
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natalie @ Our Parallel Connection says
They say you learn something everyday well I have learnt about this poo chart.. lol never seen it. Every now and then I will give the kids a day off. For their birthday however, I take them out of school for a couple of hours, buy them a hot chocolate and morning tea and spend a couple of quality hours together..
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MElissa {Suger} says
HA! Poo stories, is there ever anything better.
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Laney@thelaneyfiles says
I love the idea of keeping one of the kids home because they could just do with the down-time. And time with mum. As mine grow older, I expect that one of them will need this too. Thanks for the heads-up, I will be on the look-out!
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Sam STone says
The poo chart! I just can’t get past the poo chart 🙂
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Lisa@RandomActsOfZen says
Some times we all just need a little break from everything, kids included. I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious, Grace. Some hugs from Mum can make a big difference xx
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Robo says
Some smart ahem arse put that poo chart up in the toilet at work. Always makes me smile. R&R is so good for kids. They definitely need a day off here and there to chill and just be. And we need it too. It’s nice to have that one-on-one time. X
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Julie @ Off to the park says
I have had Popette home from school for 2 days. I probably could have sent her yesterday, but after a couple nights of coughing, i went with my gut and kept her home and took to the doctors. While we were at the doctors, Cherub broke out in a rash so they both ended up seeing the doctor. Popette has a upper tract infection and Cherub a skin infection!! The moral of this story, sometimes you just need to go with your gut!! xx
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Toni @ Finding Myself Young says
I don’t think bub has quite worked out how to fake being sick yet, which is good because she’s not even 2 yet. She quickly worked out that faking choking would get my attention though given her allergies make her choke. She spent heaps of time even when she was younger than one “fake choking” just to make me run back to her if I was going to the toilet or the kitchen.
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Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
I think you are right, he might not have been sick but just needed some time out from everything, some time with his mum. I don’t blame him, I have days like that.
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Lisa Wood says
I think your little boy is so very smart – asking for a day at home, he sounds like he knows what is best for himself. What a top Mama you are Grace, for knowing what he needs.
What a great day you all had xx
And glad the bathroom trip helped !!!
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Dani @ sand has no home says
Awwwww, a bit of mama and boy time is beautiful, chicken soup for the soul 🙂
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Fluffy says
I have never seen that pooh chart before… I am still laughing. I love that you listened to your little man and that it all worked out how it did.
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Alicia O'Brien says
Time away from his brother and time with you. Just what was needed. Look on the bright side, you got a poo chart!!
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Rita says
Haha! Re poo chart! Never saw that before! The twins are so gorgeous Grace, so grown up. I will discover the world of parenting very soon…! !!
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Zita says
When I was teaching in the classroom I had parents bring their children to school late after they were way too ‘sick’ to come to school but miraculously recovered by about 9:30! I thought, good on them, but you could be right, perhaps your little man just needed some alone time with his Mumma!
That poo chart cracks me up!!!
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Denyse Whelan says
I am such a believer in ‘mental health’ days for bigs and littles…never say “wag” Poo chart.. sure, why not if it helps..
I also know kids cant always express what they feel so ‘sore tummy’ gets a guernsey a lot.
Miss R who started school this year “happened” to get sick at school – they love her in the office where sick bay is – when Mummy had just had baby #4. Grandma retired principal and office ladies determined a little TLC and then back to class would be a good idea. it worked. So hard though when you cant be sure! Well-done G. D xx
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Kirralee @ Escape With Kids says
Such a beautiful post. Mine haven’t come up with the idea of faking sickness as yet. There’s the occasional whinge, but they don’t get very far with it. But at the same time I love the idea of giving them the occasional surprise day off. I think it would be a lot of fun and something they would remember for a long time.
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