So Thing Four loves, while lying on his back, to brace his feet against whatever hard surface he's laying on and lift his pelvis up and down. My other kids did it, and I called it "The Butt Scoots" because eventually they start scooting around when they do it. My personal trainer calls that particular move a "Pelvic bridge" and she makes me hold it for like, 83743 seconds. Really gets those glutes working.
But I digress. Thing four (who is officially seven months old!) and yes, GINORMOUS, this pic was taken a few days ago--let's just say he's 22 pounds and 30 inches long now. HUGE.
He loves to do this little "dance" a lot. Especially when I'm trying to diaper him, which isn't very funny. The WORST, of course, is when he has a poopie diaper and I open it up to wipe him off and he starts "doing the dance." Poop everywhere. And he thinks it's hilarious of course. My kids have dubbed it the "Humpty Dumpty Dance" which is probably not the best title but it's stuck and Thing Four is offically the Humpty Dumpty Dance King.Nice, huh? Now, on to my dilemma:
Last year, Thing One was part of the chorus in the school 3rd and 4th grade Christmas play. On the day of the performance, she was running a high fever. So, I let her make the decision whether to go or not, and she felt so awful she decided not to go.
Cue to today, the night of the Christmas play, only Thing One is one of the MAIN CHARACTERS, and guess what? Stuffy nose, sore throat, high fever. And she has to dance and sing a solo in the play.
So, do I do the "Stage Mom" thing and knacker her up good with a heavy arsenal of medicine and get her through it, or do I have her stay home and let the understudy do it? She feels awful, and says she's got a horrible headache, going to "throw up" if she moves, the light hurts her eyes, and she is whining like a mule, basically. I told her to stop being such a drama queen, she just had stage fright, but then I felt her head. Burning up. And I am suspecting a migraine.
I think I have pretty much made up my mind to give her medicine and let her go. I mean, she's been working hard at rehearsals and she's been wanting to do this her whole life. (It's her first play!) AND Hubby actually is leaving work, like TEN hours early at 5pm and he's coming to the play. That doesn't happen often.
What should I do? Am I a bad mother if I let her go? (There's the whole spreading germs thing too--but aren't schools cesspools of germs anyway???)
UGH.
6 comments:
Hm. Tough one. I'd be inclined to dope her up with meds and make her do it. I mean - the show must go on. Right?
Then again, if she's running a high fever for a good period of time, I'd let her stay home.
Of course, if she goes and she toughs it out..it could make her stronger in the long run.
Oooh, tough one. This is the nurse in me talking: Keep her home! She feels awful! She's probably contagious. She'll feel better faster if she rests, and if she does a terrible job in her play b/c she's sick, she'll feel even worse. There will be more plays!
If she stays home and feels better by this afternoon, then go for it.
I hope she feels better!!
And wow, Thing 4 is IDENTICAL to your other things! What a cutie!
You really want the opinion of someone who works on B'way?
Give her medicine and have her go. To me, it sounds like she's making herself sick whenever she has something like this to do -- the symptoms are real, but her fear is manifesting them. If you let her stay home, she'll make herself sick every time she gets stressed about something. The older she gets, the worse it gets.
I can't tell you how often an actor comes in complaining of a headache or running a fever and, once the show starts -- it goes away. When they're really sick -- you learn how to tell the difference between fear-manifested illness and a genuine cold or flu bug.
If it continues past tomorrow, then she's genuinely sick, but she could just be manifesting her fear.
You're not a bad mother if you let her go and she's genuinely sick -- you're testing the cause of the illness.
I agree with Devon. Whether she is truly ill or not, this is ONE performance, right? Like a ONE TIME thing?? It is not like she has two a day for a week or anything??
Ok. That little baby is SO CUTE! WOW! Man, my oldest was not even 20 lbs at his second birthday, we were freaking out! Now at 5 foot 4 he is not even 90 lbs:( Kid can't gain weight for anything. It's pretty gross, I feel bad for him. I was scrawny (note WAS) but nothing like that! Then my second was 20 lbs at 4 months, 25 at 7!
Anxious to hear what you decide to do with Thing One. I am sure after a few hours rest in a dark room, she should be much better!
If she feels better, let her go. If she feels worse, I'd let her go. This is one performance, right? If it were many, she could sit it out. But one, I would have her go. I think Devon is right. She is stressed out and it's manifesting istelf in her illness.
Play it by ear. If she's still feverish, etc by show time, then keep her home. It's only a school play. But this is yesterday's post, isn't it, and I'm coming in late.
So how was the play?
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