Saturday, February 28, 2009

A Stomach Flu Primer

Rule #1: When you are a Mom, never, never, never throw up into your own car. Ask me how I know this.... It will be awhile before the smell is completely gone (sigh).

Rule #2: Always keep a trash can near the potty. You WILL need it!

Rule #3: Keep a few gallons of Gator-Ade in the house just in case. Once you can keep it down for more than 20 minutes, it will help you to feel much better...

Rule #4: If you are going to share your viral good fortune, try to spread it around so that you never have more people vomiting with diarrhea than you have bathrooms at one time.

Rule #5: Remember that you are a Mommy first and a teacher second. Don't feel guilty that you have to take all but one day off a week in order to deal with sick kiddos. Well, try not to anyway.

Rule #6: Be eternally grateful that when hubby gets sick that he can be left alone at home to recuperate without your presence.

Rule #7: Remember that viruses don't respond to antibiotics, so don't go running to the doctor's office. If you can keep everyone hydrated (if you don't know how to tell, check the internet or ask a doctor or nurse) then it will pass in time.

Rule #8: Be glad you married a fabulous chemist who just happened to have industrial carpet spot remover in his truck. Now that is love! Be glad that he is willing to share the scrub up duties.

Rule #9: Disinfect everything in the house, hard surfaces, etc. Use 1 Tablespoon bleach in every dishwasher load or sinkful of dishes washed. I wouldn't use it with every load, but I do when I want to kill germs on glassware and dishes that sick folks have used. Wash clothes in hot water during this time.

Rule #10: Remind kiddos to wash hands after going to the potty or eating. Make sure they have loads of hand sanitizer around in classrooms, bathrooms, etc. to use additionally or if washing is not convenient.

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