Chicken pox and school??

[Tidbits of Learning]

My youngest ds3 has come down with a mild case of the chicken pox. He has under 20 pox, respiratory issues (cough and congestion abound), and mild fever. He is normally in day school from 9-12 a.m. and I work with the big kids. We took yesterday off since it was when he developed the rash and fever.

Today, I tried to school the biggers and keep him resting on the couch. It was not a success. We got history and science completed while ds3 was soaking in an oatmeal bath. He really seems to be in great spirits besides the itching and we are having difficulty keeping him sufficiently occupied so he doesn't get his fever roused, become clammy, and break out more.

He will be home for a week. Should I just call this a sick week and let the big kids keep him occupied and happy? I feel bad that we would get further behind, but we really didn't accomplish that much trying to get school done. At least this way he would happy and the big kids could feel useful instead of trying to keep him happy and still not accomplishing much school.

Would you just call it a sick week?

[Mom-ninja.]

I'm all for taking time off school. :001_smile: Every "excuse" we have we take time off.

 

I took today off because I'm decompressing from the last few days of ER visit, T or T, and Dr. visit yesterday.

 

My boys are outside building a fort. That counts as education in my book. :tongue_smilie:

[justamouse]

movies? My little had a slight case and she watched Hairspray about three times a day for a week. (her choice-it's a family fave movie) She can now sing all of the songs. *g*

[MariannNOVA]

The schools in fairfax county virginia are closed yesterday and today. I say that you should give yourself a break and do the same.;)

[Tidbits of Learning]

Movies sound like a great distraction. Looks like it is time to move the xbox to the living room and see what is new on Netflix.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I vote for a reduced schedule and let the kids alternate between keeping the young one occupied while you work individually with the other. When I had 2 school-aged kids and a toddler, I played "school pinball." I would spend 15 minutes with my youngest (dd) then have one of the kids play with her while I worked with another. Then the kids would switch. They worked independently when it was my turn to keep her occupied. Since they didn't know what to do, I made up a bunch of cards called the "Meggie-do" cards. These had suggestions (including pictures) of short activities to do with her. I also had a few boxes of "school time only" toys/activities.

[RanchGirl]

I don't know how old your older kids are, but I would probably have them on a reduced schedule, doing mostly independent things that they can check in with you on or do near you, but that don't require your full attention for long periods of time. Or reading and craft projects and baking. If little guy needs you, he needs you, so don't feel guilty about mixing up the schedule a bit.

 

Also I would take it day by day -- don't declare the whole week a loss yet, it's only Tuesday and he'll probably be feeling much better by Thursday!

[Tidbits of Learning]

My older dc are 10, 9, and almost 8 (in Dec.). I am waiting for dh to come home to do math and language arts with them. We finished science and history. ds3 wants to be in the thick of everything and is making himself sweaty and clammy. The big kids are keeping him busy by giving in to his movie watching demands and finding them on netflix for him right now. He has played stuffed animals and done his LHTH preschool with me.

He actually seems to be in fine spirits aside from the slight fever and keeps making himself miserable by stirring himself into a higher fever with clammy skin and sweaty, itchy skin. I can't seem to leave him alone with a movie long enough to go over math or language arts with the biggers and expect him to "rest" and not get hot, sweaty, and clammy. So the rest of school is waiting on dh to be home to cater to little mister.

He seemed happiest today after the big kids went off to do a major clean on their rooms and we did his "home" school preschool. The only problem is that it only takes about 30 min., but did keep him contained and non-sweaty. He just wants to be in the thick of whatever is going on and not resting or being still.

So it looks like night school for the biggers and keep ds3 happy and not scratching and not running around for a bit.

[SonshineLearner]

Just a thought... when we had the chicken pox, I ended up having my son take the meds for "anti" whatever.... I don't think it was a shot... Anyway, it had gone secondary... or at least "almost" had... and "PRESTO" .... he was almost immediately over it with the meds...

 

As far as school... I'd call it a week and be done. Be sure to keep him all oiled up while healing for.. no scars..

 

:)

[Tidbits of Learning]

Just a thought... when we had the chicken pox, I ended up having my son take the meds for "anti" whatever.... I don't think it was a shot... Anyway, it had gone secondary... or at least "almost" had... and "PRESTO" .... he was almost immediately over it with the meds...

 

As far as school... I'd call it a week and be done. Be sure to keep him all oiled up while healing for.. no scars..

 

:)

 

Thanks for the advise. We are keeping benadryl in him as well as caladryl lotion and oatmeal and shea butter baths. He has only really scratched his feet and legs. I am on the watch though. He has the most bumps on the back of his neck.

[Matryoshka]

Thanks for the advise. We are keeping benadryl in him as well as caladryl lotion and oatmeal and shea butter baths. He has only really scratched his feet and legs. I am on the watch though. He has the most bumps on the back of his neck.

 

When my kids had the pox, I found that calendula gel helped more with the itching than the calamine lotion. I tried both, and that's what they preferred.

 

I also gave them some herbal antivirals and homeopathic rhus tox. And someone suggested putting a bit of vinegar in their oatmeal baths. Smelled bad but seemed to work. And if they got any really big ones I'd put one of those spot-bandaids over them with a bit of Neosporin; it seemed to really help them not pick at it and scar or get it infected.

 

Oh, and school? Pop in some videos (some could even be educational) and call it good. If you really feel you need to get soemthing done, you could always try to get just a bit done first thing with the olders (math, say) and pop in something purely fun for the poxy kid, then put in something educational while you give the itchy one an oatmeal bath, and then call it good for the day (with maybe more videos). When someone has the pukes here, there's always a day of videos (though that is usually only one day).

Edited November 2, 2010 by matroyshka

[4everHis]

I'm just jealous that you have chicken pox. We need it one more time here. . . . watch 'educational' videos for a day or two, read-alouds and call it school.

[Tidbits of Learning]

I'm just jealous that you have chicken pox. We need it one more time here. . . . watch 'educational' videos for a day or two, read-alouds and call it school.

 

LOL! We are part of that 3% that still got it with the vax. I actually prefer them to get them and be done with it as they aren't positive even with the 2nd booster that your kids won't need another booster later or that they won't get them even with the vax.

He is my 2nd to get them before getting the booster at 4 yrs old. My other 2 have had both the vax and booster and been exposed when their siblings had it. So I guess they definitely aren't getting them.

I am still leery b/c of our experience with getting them even with the vax.