I woke suddenly and looked at the clock: 3:00 am. I thought I had heard something but rolled over in bed, convinced I had dreamt it. But then I heard it again; the unmistakable cough that my oldest son had started with, along with a runny nose and sneezing, the day before. He seemed okay when he went to bed, so I had convinced myself that all would be well. As I listened to him cough and rustle around in bed, I was overcome by dread.
I knew he should probably stay home from school. I really, really did not want to miss work again. I had just missed two days two weeks prior due to a different kid illness. By the time I had made my way to his bedroom, my mind was reeling, trying to find a solution for an impossible situation.
I spent the next couple of hours in and out of sleep, listening to him cough and making contingency plans. A little before 6:00 am, I sent a text to my mom asking her to text me when she woke up. To my surprise, she answered immediately and just like that, I had a babysitter and a plan.
Figuring out how to handle sick kids is probably one of the most difficult struggles I face as a working mom; trying to answer a lot of questions in a matter of minutes. How sick? Stay home from school sick? Doctor visit sick? Not able to leave the house sick? Who should stay home, me or my husband? Could I possibly leave them with someone and we both go to work? Ideally, I would like to stay home with them any time my kids are sick, but if I did that, I would not make it to work a whole lot between the months of September and May. It is times like these that I rely on my village.
I rely on my village for quite a bit, actually. I am fortunate to have a very large village: grandmas, parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews, friends (internet and in real life alike), nannies. And to all of you, I would like to say thank you.
Thank you for responding to texts at 6:00 am. Thank you for coming early and staying late.
Thank you for all the times that you were there when I could not be and for all the times that you were there simply because you wanted to be. Thank you for the love that you have shown our kids. Thank you for snuggling them, putting together countless puzzles, playing Legos, and the assortment of arts and crafts and science projects that you have done together. Thank you for doing fun things that I would never do, like making slime and cloud dough, taking apart and fixing computers. Thank you for listening patiently when the kids ramble on and on about Minecraft.
Thank you for taking them to soccer practice, games, and play dates at the park when our family has been over-scheduled. Thank you for picking them up from school on my late nights. Thank you for keeping them overnight so that their dad and I could have an indulgent date night on occasion. Thank you for taking them shopping and to plays and movies.
Thank you for giving me some pretty solid advice when I asked for it and sometimes when I did not. Thank you for answering the millions of questions about parenting that I have had, especially in those early years when breastfeeding and sleep training were enough put anyone on edge. Thank you for reminding me how quickly these years go past and to enjoy them while they last. Thank you for answering the phone when I call and for not hanging up when you realize that I am in a sobbing rage (again.)
Thank you for meeting me for breakfast, girls’ weekends, and glasses of wine. Thank you for reminding me to unwind and relax once in awhile and for remembering who I was before I was a wife and mom. Thank you for commiserating, laughing, and crying with me. Thank you for always having my back.
You have all stepped in, calmed fears, eased parental anxieties, thrown your arms around our kids when we could not. It would be so much more difficult if their father and I had to do this on our own. All of you have helped to make an impossible job doable. When people say, “I don’t know how you do it,” I always tell them that I could not without my village.
Saying “thank you” hardly seems enough for all that you have done for us and our kids, but I will say it anyway. Thank you! And thank you to anyone who has ever helped a parent out. Please know that you have made a frazzled parent’s day immeasurably better. Words are not adequate to express just how grateful we are for our village.