Did anyone else like the attention of being ill / hurt when they were a child ?

[wonderfulwonderer]

I was pondering about life today. I was feeling quite unwell recently which made me remember when I was a child, quite enjoying all the fuss that came with being unwell or injured. Did anyone else have that ?


I really loved and craved that attention. I would say sometimes I would be a bit clumsy on purpose even...

Anyone ?

[RedHelenB]

I hated being ill. Stopped any fun, you were just stuck in bed.

[SausageinaBun]

I was lucky not to get sick much as kid, but we did always get sweets if we got injured. We otherwise lived a sweetless existence, so it was such a treat. I remember burning my hand on the hotplate of a coffee maker and being given a packed of tootie frooties. My DB had to make do with the tootie minties because I was the injured one, so got first pick.

I also remember having a hacking cough on the way to primary school and my dad stopping to buy me Murray Mints to suck at school as throat sweets. But no chance of staying home for a duvet day. I think I'd have had to have had an arm hanging off for that.

[venusandmars]

My sister was in hospital to get her tonsils out. She ate ice cream for a week afterwards. Then she had her appendix out. Family and friends bought her presents, comics, chocolates. I was so envious! But I was also disgustingly healthy.

[FinallyHere]

One of my earliest memories is crying in the morning because my parents were deciding that my cough was too bad and that I should be kept home from school. I loved school. My sister was much older than me and it felt as if I had had to wait years to ho to school like her. And now they were going to stop me from going in.

The memory is standing in the hall, wearing my outdoor things, crying, and coughing and the crying making the coughing getting worse so there was no chance of me getting to go to school that day. Turned out to be bronchitis so I was off for a good few weeks.

Looking back, my mother was marvellous at looking after us when we were I'll. She too had been ill in hospital for months as a young adult and knew just what would make me feel better. Even now, in my sixties, when I am ill, I immediately crave the kind of chicken soup and hot orange juice with honey DM would make me when I was ill. I didn't think much of it at the time, wouldn't even now think of craving it because, I think, her love was made so freely and abundantly available when I needed it

I'm feeling a little emotional just remembering how little I valued, how I just took for granted what was so freely given.

The postings about how children who are not shown that love and attention find that they are destined to work through it as an adult instead. DH was not treated well as a child and now in older life has continual ill health.

[Purplestorm83]

No but I liked the break from school and watching Sesame Street and the schools programmes (ironically) that were on during the day

[AuldReekie1905]

Nope. Never felt like this. I absolutely hated being sick.

[roarfeckingroarr]

No but I certainly liked people worrying about how much weight I had lost at boarding school and I took it to extremes.

[Whatafustercluck]

My mum always used to get me chicken soup when I was ill. I remember a few years ago I had raging tonsillitis (the kind that needs antibiotics and really strong painkillers) and she appeared at my front door with tins of soup. She always had a lovely way about her when I was ill, really calm and loving. I loved cuddling up to her. Never a complaint when I didn't make it to the toilet before puking. I still marvel at that. I do loads for my children and like to think I'm a lot like her when my kids are ill. But I cannot deal with cleaning up their sick. It makes me gag uncontrollably.

Anyway, yes I used to like the feeling of security and unconditional love, and that simple one to one, just me an my mum.

[DenholmElliot1]

Hmmm, I always, rightly or wrongly, associate being pleased at getting attention for being ill as something that was specific to low achievers. Almost as though they never get any praise because they seldom achieve things but get lots of attention when ill.

[Rosiepeta]

This was me...and I feel awful about it as some of my siblings have been poorly all their life and I have younger siblings so I think it was just wanting a bit of attention perhaps

[Chattycathydoll]

@daffodilandtulip

I wish. I broke my arm and had to sit through a carol service and the socialising afterwards, before they would take me to hospital - because they weren't having their evening ruined by my drama.

omg- me too, but it was a theatre trip! We were visiting more well off family friends and I couldn’t show my parents up, even though I broke my arm in two places doing a group activity. It was agony doing my own seat belt up, in particular. Remember it so vividly even now.

[JaneorEleven]

I enjoyed a day off school here and there, probably annually, and remember Mum would put me on the couch with a blanket, and leave a tray of food for me before she left for work. I was raised with 4 siblings by a single mum, so this was a nice little bit of attention, and peace and quiet, amongst what was usually chaos in our house.

Sorry to those who weren’t taken care of as children. I can’t imagine.

[Pyewhacket]

No.

[Chattycathydoll]

oof. Not at all as a child, I was largely ignored if unwell or told off for ‘playing up’. I was told off for vomiting- even though I’d got myself into the bathroom in time, didn’t make a mess, I was still told off.

Later when I had a decent partner & discovered being unwell meant being looked after… well. I don’t make myself ill on purpose or exaggerate because that wouldn’t be fair, but whenever I am unwell I quite enjoy being able to treat myself gently (if not with partner- we don’t live together) or being taken care of, if I come down with something when together. I have a horrible cold at the moment and am not upset about it because I quite like having spent most of the weekend snuggled in blankets, drinking honey and lemon, feeling allowed to whinge a bit.

[daffodilandtulip]

I wish. I broke my arm and had to sit through a carol service and the socialising afterwards, before they would take me to hospital - because they weren't having their evening ruined by my drama.

[JamSandle]

Not to an extreme. I've never enjoyed being fussed. But I loved a day off school snuggled up in bed with the telly on.

[camelfinger]

The kids with casts and crutches were definitely the most popular kids in the playground. And was so jealous of people who got to stay overnight in hospital. It does seem crazy now, and dare I say that it’s symptomatic (pardon the pun) of our nation prioritising illness over wellbeing.

[Spritzso]

Breaking a bone (preferably leg or right arm) was basically my childhood dream.. very weird! I also used to jealous of the kids with glasses and braces 😶

[sanityisamyth]

I was always in pain when I was a child, either from my hyperextending joints, or from being abused by my sister. Nobody gave a toss so I just learned to put up with it.

[gamerchick]

I used to get shouted at if I was ill or broke a bone, would stay in my room if I was too poorly to go to school and get water from the bathroom, stayed well out the way. I'm definitely a pull yourself together type as an adult and just get on with it and hate being fussed over.

Im the complete opposite with my own kids.

[RincewindsHat]

I mainly remember my mum would always buy grapes for me as a treat if I was ill enough to be off school (which she doesn't remember!) and even now I regard grapes as something of a treat. But otherwise, no :)

[InThatCaseCanIHaveARaise]

@StrictlyAFemaleFemale

Don't know what you're talking about. Was sent to school regardless.

Same here, never had time off school. I was never really ill- my mum’s thermometer was her hand on my forehead.

[wonderfulwonderer]

@caringcarer

When I was five, almost six o was rushed to hospital with stomach pains that turned out to be appendix. It was taken out but in those days that meant about 10 days in hospital. Then two weeks off school at home. Whilst in hospital I had visitors everyday who brought me these bracelet making kits, or necklace kits. By the time I left hospital I was addicted to these little jewelry kits. My Mum says at home for 2 weeks I asked for one every day and if I did not get it I cried my tummy was hurting. My 2 Aunties, who did not have children of their own, took turns buying me the kits, comics, sweets and reading me endless stories too. If Mum ever brought it up once I was an adult I pretended not to remember. I do remember though.

This is brilliant. Especially that you pretend like you don't remember.

[Sunnyqueen]

I did with my nan because Id get the full nanny treatment lol. Lots of tea and sympathy.

Fairly sure to be anything close to munchausen you would have to actually make yourself poorly or go out of your way to seriously fake it (I don't just mean trying it on for a day off school, pretty sure we all did that)

[MsBucket]

For me, it’s quite the opposite. I enjoy taking care of others when they’re sick or unwell, and I like sending care packages or flowers etc. just to brighten someone’s day, but if I feel sick or under the weather, I just try to avoid human company. I prefer to take care of myself, just knowing someone has asked is enough, but to be taken care of, I’d rather just get on with it unless I’m really unwell and can’t get out of bed… But even then, I know when I should be sleeping in complete darkness, when I need to eat or take painkillers or antibiotics etc. so it doesn’t make sense for me to rely on others.