I think I am a very mean mum, just shouted at poor sick ds

[yawningmonster]

Ok so ds very poorly since last Friday with flu. He has high temps, chills, tummy pain, nausea, fatigue, cough and sneezes and generally feeling grim. He was starting to turn a corner the fever had broken and he was eating a little etc and so today I refused to entertain him. I got out the art box this morning and he and 15mth old dd painted and played happily for a while before he started feeling off again and curled up on sofa. He started screaming that his tummy hurt while I was feeding dd and to be honest I wasn't sure how much was put on and got annoyed in the end as he woke the baby up. Finished her feed in another room with him wailing at full gail not to leave him alone. Anyway he then said he hated lying there all day and when was I going to play with him and I announced I wasn't, he could listen to audio books, look at real books, play wiht lego etc or help me but otherwise I was not doing entertainment. A few tantrums later and he fell asleep. When he woke up he was very red so I got out the thermometer and he had a meltdown. Tried to explain calmly again that I needed to check he wasn't too hot and he finally consented after much fuss on his part (I know he is feeling rotten) 38.8 so got out the pamol and another big tantrum ensued and I finally yelled at him that he had to take it, it wasn't a choice and he wouldn't feel better if he didn't let me take care of him. He is almost 6 and prone to tantrums at the best of times. I am feeling stink about it all though...anyway just needed to vent.

Well yes, it was a bit mean really, but we can't all be Mary Poppins and you have been dealing with a sick child and a baby for 5 days so I can cut you some slack.

Take a deep breath. Have a quick shower or a cup of tea or whatever works for you and go and be nice to your poorly 5-yo.

If you can't face 'entertaining him' how about watching a film together? Or think of something that is the least painful option that you can do together. Is he well enough to wrap up and have a nice walk in the fresh air?

Is he allowed to use the computer? My 4yo loves playing www.poissonrouge.com when she isn't well.

thanks for the message, he is allowed screen time after 3 oclock, too much and he is fairly vile. We have watched films together, read stories etc and I am happy to set things up for him but not prepared to entertain him all day (he is fairly high demands when he is well and we are trying to get him to not rely on us so much for entertainment as we can literally spend a solid couple of hours doing stuff with him and then pop to the loo to hear him complaining that we were not playing during the last 5 minutes. But yes it was mean I am just over tired and sick of fighting him on taking temperatures, keeping hydrated, taking medicine, etc. I tried to convince him to go for a drive to get out of the house today but he had another meltdown at that idea so I canned it. DD has cabin fever and he must be pretty miserable feeling as he has been so shouty and tantrummy since it began. Have been much nicer this afternoon to him and he has some tv on now which we are watching together.