It’s 11 p.m. and do you know what your kids are doing?  One of mine, my oldest boy, just bounded for the bathroom in a flu-riddled flurry in search of an appropriate receptacle for his dinner, which was protesting the whole event.  That’s right.  He vomited.  You can wince if you want, but if you’re a parent, and I bet you are if you’re reading this, you won’t have a problem “stomaching” this topic.  

I held the poor boy’s head as he leaned over the toilet heaving and I just thought how pleased am I that he is now old enough to know to run to the bathroom first, then seek out parental assistance.  How many times, parents, have you been awakened in the middle of the night by a child, “Daddy?  I think I’m gonna be…BLEEECCCHH!”  I expressed my great satisfaction in his course of action and told him how proud I was of him and that I really hope he feels better soon.  

My wife and I pulled out an extra mattress onto the boys’ bedrooom floor for him to try and give him and his brother some space (they share a bed).  I asked him to lay with his head opposite his brother’s (the mattress is on the floor between their bed and the door.)  After dealing with this as much as we have, I know it’s only a matter of time before the culture growing in our other little “petri dishes” bears fruit in much the same fashion, so I wanted the path between my next oldest son and the bathroom to have the least resistance possible.  We tucked him in and laid the baby back down (he was awakened during the “upheaval”) and came back downstairs.

So, we’re stocking up on bedsheets, towels and making sure there are plenty of extra pajamas, clorox wipes and washcloths around for the coming storm.  To try and defeat the coming bug we have several weapons in our arsenal.  Mainly, probiotics for good digestive health, lots of handwashing, tinctures and plenty of water.  Oh yeah, and if you’re fighting the 24-hour flu, it never hurts to remind all of them, when your tucking their little full tummies into bed, where the bathroom and nearest garbage cans are and that you will come running if you hear them.

My biggest struggle in these situations is having a good attitude at 3 in the morning when I’m standing in the driveway hosing off a comforter.  Many times I’ve jumped out of bed in a huff because somebody just sat there, in bed, mouth gaping open.  I can’t stay mad long, though, because they’re so sad (especially the little ones) and really need me.  My wife and I made a deal, she takes care of the giving birth part and I clean up vomit.  Funny enough, when we’re in the middle of either, the other one feels like they got the better deal.  Well, I’m off to stock up on some sleep…it’s going to be a long night.  God bless.