To the Last Sibling to Get Sick: I’m Tapping Out

home insemination Kit

Updated: April 7, 2017

Originally Published: December 12, 2015

When a big family starts to show signs of the sniffles or a fever, it’s only a matter of time before everyone catches the bug. At first, the caregiver approaches the situation with empathy, suppressing any feelings of disgust to cater to the needs of the ailing child. But as more kids fall ill, patience begins to wear thin.

Typically, the younger ones are the first to fall victim. After all, they’re still in that phase of putting everything in their mouths and generously sharing their “treasures” with their siblings. It always starts in the middle of the night—a child will wander to your bedside and whimper, “Mommy, my tummy hurts.” And before you can even rub the sleep from your eyes, they’re vomiting. It could land on the floor or even worse, on you. No matter what, you’ll find yourself cleaning up the mess while holding your breath.

During these moments, you might not enjoy any of it, but you’ll respond with calm reassurance, saying, “It’s alright, sweetheart. Mommy’s here.” After cleaning up, you’ll set up camp on the couch for a cozy movie marathon. That’s round one.

After a day or two of binge-watching cartoons, your little one is feeling better just in time for the older siblings to start showing symptoms: the runny noses, coughs, and complaints of nausea. You take it all in stride, doing your best to manage the chaos. The illness slowly makes its way up the sibling line, and soon, tissues have morphed into toilet paper, while popsicles and ginger ale are in short supply.

As it reaches the older tweens and teens, their immune systems are clearly worn down, and they start to whine, “I don’t feel so good.” When you suggest a trip to the doctor, they insist, “I’ll be fine,” only to start whining again. It can be a frustrating cycle that tests your last nerve.

By the time you reach the youngest child in the lineup, sympathy is a faint memory. The child who once received gentle comfort now gets a “You’ve got to be kidding me!” instead of the original soothing words. Being the last one to get sick in a large family is tough.

Just last week, my 12-year-old came home from school and approached me. I thought, how sweet, she’s going to hug me. Nope. Instead, she coughed right in my face and declared, “I think I have a fever.” I quickly responded, “Get away from me!” while pointing at the thermometer.

While my patience may wear thin from sleepless nights, I’m grateful that our health issues can be resolved with time and a little Tylenol. We’re fortunate, albeit germy, but blessed nonetheless. If you’re looking for more insights on home insemination and related topics, check out this informative piece on Intracervical Insemination as well as resources from March of Dimes for planning your family. And if you’re interested in products that can help, visit Cryobaby’s Home Insemination Kit for expert solutions.

Summary:

Navigating illness in a large family can be quite the challenge, especially as the youngest often catch ailments first, leading to a cascade of sickness. As the caregiver, you initially approach these situations with empathy, but by the time the last sibling falls ill, frustration often takes over. Though the journey is exhausting, the eventual return to health is a blessing worth celebrating.