With two children, it's starting to feel like one or other of them is sick ALL THE TIME

[morningpaper]

With two children, it's starting to feel like one or other of them is sick ALL THE TIME.

When I was on maternity leave it wasn't so bad, but now I am working 2 days a week (in THEORY) I have missed about 1/3 of my alleged "working days" because one or other child has been sick. It's exhausting! Admittedly it hasn't helped that I have slipped a disk in my back so I have also not been able to manage things very well, but it feels like the whole family is never well at the same time!

In fact it has TOTALLY put me off the idea of having any more. I honestly couldn't cope with any more sick-management.

Is this normal for families with 2+ children or are we cursed?!

the trouble is they never get it together so every illness seems to go on forever. A24 hour bug lasts over a week (I have 5)

You are being very lovely answering my posts today AuntyMandy

And ARGH that sounds like hell

Are you constantly mopping up vomit?

Mp, it's been like this for us for nearly 2 years now - but at I am an SAHM so it's not so hard as it is for you.

How old are your children? dd was at playgroupschool when ds was born and she brought every single bug home and passes it on to the rest of us, especially ds (including chicken pox when ds was 6 weeks old). NOw he is 2.5, it's not so bad. I think when children get to about 6 the amount of times they are ill decreases.

But it is absolutely exhausting at the time.

My children are nearly 1 and nearly 4!

It's taken me ages to reply because I've been cleaning up sick and spending 4 hours tryig to get her to sleep

I TOTALLY FEEL LIKE THAT. SINCE MARCH WHEN DS1 GOT CHICKENPOX, THEN DS2, THEN CROUP, THEN CHEST INFECTION WHICH LED TO PNEUMONIA, NOW ANOTHER CHEST INFECTION. NIGHTMARE.

HOPEFULLY THEYLL GET OVER IT SOON!!!

Now I HAVE to exclude children post d&v FOR 72 HOURS - this is ridculous, but I would get into so much trouble if didn't

Supposedly it gets better once they're about 8 years old. My sister swears this. She's a teacher as well and now hers are 9 and 12 they're only rarely ill.

It is AWFUL

I don't want any more babies

The first six months were a piece of piss but this is just impossible and SOOOOO stressful

Thank you for sympathy

Hi trefusis, that sounds nice. (Although on account of having two children who are shite sleepers we haven't had a night out together since dd was born - nearly a year. Even my own MOTHER said she is too difficult. I can't really leave screamers with anyone else. So I live in hope that we will go out for dinner one day before the children leave home ....)

It's hard having reluctant baby sitters though - you just sit there feeling guilty and not enjoying yourself.

Oh well in 20 years it will all be over and we can re-carpet the lounge....

hope everyone is feeling better now!