Kids are Resilient

We're (finally) on the mend after multiple rounds of viruses that lasted way too long, and let me tell you something: kids.are.resilient. 

(They're also pathetically frail, but we can talk about the meltdowns that happen over a sideways glance from sister another day.)

Sick kids still have more energy than healthy parents. 

and I don't mean healthy parents who are taking care of sick kids 

(everybody has more energy than they do)

They also become even more needy than they already are - moaning and flopping about like a fish on dry land and whining, "hold me, love me" all day long (it's not pretty when you find yourself about to reply, "I don't want to hold you, love you!" to your two-year old who can't stop coughing).

On the one hand, I love that just touching me makes them feel better, safer, happier (what a super power!). On the other hand, STOP TOUCHING ME!

During this round of illnesses, I discovered a parenting hack for getting 38 seconds to myself with no one touching me (necessity is the mother of invention). It's simple and oh, so effective. Pull out a tissue. Nothing sends them away faster than the suggestion of a wiped nose!

Another parenting hack: have the best mom in the world bring you happy pancakes to keep in your freezer as a quick treat

Our kids had some kind of respiratory-virus-croup-whooping-cough thing (I guess I could have taken them back to the doctor to get a better diagnosis when it kept getting worse; I was waiting for one of them to turn blue, but they never did. I felt confident enough with Dr. Paul streaming in my living room and decided not to add to the germs healthy children encounter at their well-child visits; you're welcome). Anywayyyyyyys. These children of mine were coughing every 8 seconds. I kid you not. I had a sympathy headache (although my sympathy had long run out) just from listening to all the coughing! They were un-phased. It's like they didn't even notice!(??) I wonder how long I would have to listen to so much coughing before my brain would automatically tune it out. Longer than 3 weeks, apparently!

Cannot breathe. Cannot stop playing.

I credit their resilience to their underdeveloped brains, lack of awareness, and limited life experience. Mostly because then I can feel good about trading my own resilience for a more developed brain, increased awareness of self and others, and rich life experiences. But I still kind of wish I were as resilient as my kids are. Have you ever wronged a three-year-old? You would know if you did. They would make sure of it, and they won't soon forget it. Although their anger burns brightly and their memory is long-lasting, they are also quick to forgive and move on. Too quick sometimes. After such an interaction, I am often left sitting there (on their level so they don't feel threatened) still feeling exasperated while my kid skips off happily, the last two tears still making their way down her cheeks. Just like that, she's ready to move on and love life and love me. Shaking.my.head. What.in.the.world. Kids.are.resilient.

If you have a kid in your life and you're concerned about their health - physical, emotional, or other - take comfort in this: Kids Are Resilient! It's probably bothering you more than them.