I have to laugh off the idea of me causing the kids to get sick. On the weekend I took care of them, we went to a birthday party with about 20 other kids at a gymnastics center. The kids all had their shoes off and were climbing all over the equipment and each other. I have to believe there were some nasties floating around the gym. Still it's not fun and now I'm battling the flu and "pink eye".
As one of the members who actually read your previous post about your situation, I want to thankyou for keeping us up to date. I know I, for one, do wonder about some of our posters who have posted problems, and how they are doing now.
I'm a big believer in busy, stressed out mums taking time out once in a while. We need time off from the role of mum, wife, cook and cleaner. Sometimes we start to lose ourselves, and forget who WE are, what WE like, because our lives are so full of looking afer the needs of others. I go to rock concerts with my sister about 3 times a year, and always come back feeling boosted. I can be a little critical of how my husband has dealt with the boys, while I'm away, but I am grateful to have had the opportunity for the break.
There are numerous illnesses rampaging around at the minute, I work in school, and we have a lot of kids absent with colds, tummy bugs, and even a couple with measles. You can't really blame anyone when a kid gets sick, specially with schools being the breeding ground for nasties that they are. You've done a good job, and given your wife the chance to have some "me" time, she might need reminding that kids=bugs.
Did your wife agree to get any counselling?
I do feel for you, I wish you all the best and hope things continue to improve for you.
Thanks very much for your post. Things are improving around here, partly because of the time off my wife had.
I think that did two things, it gave her a break but it also showed her that I understand what it takes to care for the kids for an extended period of time - multiple meals, baths, getting dressed, exccursion, etc. I think it allowed her to realize that my issues were not just complaints from the outside looking in, but that I have an understanding of the difficulties, giving me the "right" to comment.
I haven't spoken to my wife about any counseling but I think she did listen to me the last time I talked to her about the effect her anger had on the kids. I'm hoping things will continue to improve and that my wife will have more confidence in me to take care of the kids so she will go away on her own again, without worries.
