Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Bad Parenting Moments

It's been a tough couple of weeks. Nick came down with the flu last Monday, and despite an early intervention with tamiflu, he's been coughing and hacking ever since. I came down with it Tuesday, and Mariah followed on Wednesday. Thursday was the low point, though.

Nick actually went to school Thursday morning. He fussed a bit, but I insisted; he'd stayed home three days already, his fever was gone, and the cough seemed manageable. I was feeling human again, so I figured he must be as well.

Mariah stayed home for a second day, but she was feeling a bit better, and when I asked her to put her dishes into the dishwasher after lunch she did it.

Then the phone rang. The school nurse was on the line, saying Nick was coughing too much and couldn't stay in school. Bad parenting moment #1: sending the kid back to school when he's still sick. Sigh.

As I left the house to pick him up, I asked Mariah to fill the dishwasher with soap and close it up.

When I got back with Nick I saw that Mariah had done as I asked, but not started the machine. So I turned the dial to start and went upstairs to do a little work.

Some time later Mark walked into the kitchen to find the floor flooded, covered in soapsuds. Bad parenting moment #2: apparently no one has ever taught Mariah the difference between hand dishwashing liquid and automatic dishwashing detergent. And, yes, Ivory soap in the dishwasher will indeed cover the floor with soapsuds.

Mark and I emptied the dishwasher, mopped the floor, and got everything sorted out. And then I went and took a nap.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those two incidents don't even come miles of bad parenting, you know. :-)

but still, it sounds very trying and I'm sorry you've all been sick. That's no fun.

Anonymous said...

This made me laugh - your Lucy moment. Though I'm sure it wasn't funny at the time. Hope everyone's feeling somewhat better.

Magpie said...

Well, at least it was an excuse to mop the kitchen floor, right?

Hope everyone feels better.

Caroline said...

Oh, I agree with Susan, that doesn't sound like bad parenting at all, really -- maybe call it "Optimistic Parenting" :)

Hope you're all truly recovered soon!

Unknown said...

Like everyone, hope you're all feeling better.

As for the bad parenting . . . I agree with the "optimistic parenting" assessment.

And the image of the kitchen bathed in bubbles - well, that is really priceless. Bet it's clean now!

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