to wish people would stop telling me ...

[BigBadMummy]

... to take it easy and that the reason I have flu is because I am doing too much?

No, I have flu because I have been infected by a bug.

I have three DCs at home (all teenagers virtually so needing lifts here, there, and everywhere including two midnight pick ups from Reading festival) and am self employed, working full time from home.

So I have to do all their organising and running around. Make sure we have a well stocked fridge. Get their stuff ready to go back to school. Look after the house. And work. And keep an eye on my granny who is recenly out of hospital.

At which point do people really think that us mums can "take it easy"?

I am against violence but really.... My dad has just called me up to give me a lecture about taking it easy today and I wanted to scream "I am an only child and mum didn't work, what the hell do you know".

Not expecting any responses, but if anybody has any tissues spare I could do with a few more.

Sending tissues
Make those teenagers shop and cook.
Yes, they can, honestly.

I think it's lovely that people care enough to wantyou to take it easy to recover, and for that reason I think YABslightlyU. However as a working (also form home) mum of 2 small boys with a house to run, fridge to fill etc etc, I also understand how time off to relax is virtually impossible, so from that point of view YANBU.

How was that for sitting on the fence?

Oh my dear, I know just how you feel. I felt similar a few days ago, although my children are younger than yours. I would let the less important things like the housework and laundry slide for the time being. Everyone ran out of clean clothes but we survived

Well if you can do all that and post on MN then I'll wager that you don't have flu.

But, people don't mean that doing too much caused whatever virus you have, but that your recovery would be aided by taking it a little bit easy.

Why not say 'well if you're offering to help...'

Get well soon.

Now now, don't get wound up. You'll make yourself ill.

martyr-syndrome

Can your teenagers not get to places on their own? why do you have to ferry them about..send them to the shops for a start

Ah, but you may have caught the bug because your immune system was down because you are doing too much.

Teenagers can shop, cook, clean if you are ill. They can get buses if they want to go somewhere (Reading festival is over now).

Oh and btw, my dd is an only and I don't work. Doesn't mean my life is a walk in the park.

If you have flu - go to bed! Otherwise you will collapse soon.

If you have a bad cold/viral infection. Then tell teenagers to get themselves home; or if you really don't trust them and your Dad etc. can't give them a lift; then dose yourself up on something non drowsy and get them. Order food to be delivered.

They can look after you for a bit.

My DCs know if Mummy is ill to look after themselves/ each other a bit. They make me tea etc. And may even cook pasta, they are 14, 11 and 7.

Rest, warm drinks and paracetamol are the prescription for bad viral infections unless they get worse.

Apparently the acid test for real flu is

"Would you get out of bed and crawl across a muddy field to get £250?"

If "yes", you dont have it, just a cold.

I always thought it was a stupid test and I would always say yes........until I had flu

That is the acid test and variations on a theme ie there's a bag of £10 notes outside in the garden and it's about to blow away. What do you do? If you have flu, you do bugger all tbh.

I've had flu once. I don't remember the majority of it. I was in bed, delirious and in pain. DH had it a couple of years ago and couldn't walk to the toilet without help. He was shivering violently while hallucinating. He didn't know what a car was, there's no way he'd be driving one.

Here have a snot covered hug. Got a horrid cold here (although wouldn't crawl across the room to get £250, never mind a muddy field - so maybe it is the flu)

DD 10 months is also down with it - hence the snot covered hug.

You have my full sympathy - and I'm sure I have a clean tissue somewhere you can have

Nobody NEEDS a pickup from reading festival from someone who has flu. They certainly do not need 'kufts here, there and everywhere'. You are ill. The answer is no.

NT teenagers are perfectly capable of running a house for a few days with only minimal instruction. You do not have to get anything ready for them - you tell them to get themselves ready to go back to school.

"At which point do people really think that us mums can "take it easy"?"

This is the point at which you can take it easy, when all your children are over 12.

Teenagers should be a help.

You don't have the flu.