Trying to give 3yr old Calpol in middle of night NIGHTMARE

[Embem92]

So my 3 year old has a chesty cough and the night before she didn't sleep go to sleep till ten then woke at half 7 with a wake in the night. She is obviously tired this eve so it was such a fight to get her into bed by half nine that I forgot the Calpol this eve!!
She woke at half ten in an absolute state, coughing fit screaming boiling hot to which I was in there, tried my very best to calm her down, asked her to please take the Calpol it will make her feel better but the calpol went everywhere, I've been hit kicked punched screamed at pissed on, literally so ended up doing a whole bed change in the end I had to hold her in my arms and put the little Calpol syringe in the side of her cheek and she choked on and all I could think was I am the most horrible person on the face of the planet
Eventually after an hour she took the Calpol and got in to bed and I tried to give her a little hug, tell her it's ok I'm sorry and she pushed me away so now I'm in floods of tears. I can't bounce off or lean on anyone as I'm a single mum
How did I get that so wrong I feel so very awful

Aw you did your best, she was probably just feeling rubbish and it’s hard getting calpol down them if they aren’t properly awake and feeling rotten. Mum of 4 (single parent) and paeds nurse so I’ve seen it at work and lived it at home.

Try not to take it personally though she loves you was perhaps bad timing.
Have you got a thermometer? Try taking her temp it may not be really high or if it is and she won’t take calpol you could try removing pjs and covers and just leaving her in a light vest and pants until she’s more awake and might cool down herself and calm enough to take the meds. The popping it into her cheek is a good method also gently blowing on her face helps to make her swallow.

Don’t beat yourself up, you sound a lovely person and it’s hard going with a sick toddler on your own (been there with 2 vomiting toddlers fun times)
Hope you’re ok and she’s better soon

Really it’s fine, she’s poorly, it will all be forgotten in the morning.

Next time, calpol isn’t worth getting in such a fret about. Maybe let her calm down before worrying about it. If she’s hot cool her by fanning her (amazingly effective) and taking off some clothing. But it is frustrating when you know it will make her feel better. I’m not above bribery with chocolate on these occasions.

We've all been there - it feels horrible at the time but she'll get over it and you were giving her something she needed.
Bizarrely if find that when kids most need calpol they wont take it and if they don't need it they would drink it by the bottle!

We've been there before and, I don't know if it's ok to do this, but we've diluted it a bit with water and given it to them in their usual drinks bottle!

You’ve done nothing wrong. You were trying to do a difficult thing and you got it done. Be kind to yourself.

calpol isn’t worth getting in such a fret about. Maybe let her calm down before worrying about it. If she’s hot cool her by fanning her (amazingly effective) and taking off some clothing.

This is good advice. She was maybe hot because she got so worked up. Calpol won't do anything for a cough so worth trying other methods to reduce temperature first.