My mom instincts are always on high alert. They’re ready to protect my son from stuff like meanies at school, kids unwilling to share playground swings, and pesky germs. I’ll admit that when my 9-year-old was a toddler, I managed to navigate the pitfalls and germ-ridden ball pits of his life. Now that he’s growing up, protecting him from all the things feels impossible.
One particular night, when I stopped by to give him his nighttime kiss, my lips landed on a hot, rosy cheek. It was only a few hours earlier I’d been explaining to my son why it was time to put his fresh dance moves on hold to get ready for bed. Now something was up, and it was more than just his temperature.
When my son has the slightest of fevers, I can’t sleep. So I made myself useful and took his temperature every hour. I’ve become pretty stealthy at nighttime temperature taking, so my grade-schooler stayed asleep while I stayed awake. Then my son’s fever jumped to 102 degrees after breakfast, and when he said, “Mom, my throat hurts,” my protective parenting instincts cranked up to full volume.
Strep throat was making its way around my son’s school, and I’d just spoken to a friend who told me about her family’s experience. She’d listed some symptoms of this bacterial infection: red, sore throat, fever, and a headache. When my kiddo first woke, he complained about his head hurting. Then I looked at his throat and it was red. So I called his pediatrician to make an appointment that day.
Sitting in the exam room, my son’s doctor did a rapid test for strep, which involved using a swab to take a sample of the fluids in the back of his throat. He passed that test with flying streptococcus colors. The good news: Strep throat was treatable with an antibiotic. The bad news: My kid would be feeling icky for a bit longer. How would we pass the time?
“Mom, can I just rest in bed,” was the question that echoed through the bedroom for the next five days. We spent that time working through high fevers, a sore throat, and congestion that had him sitting in a steamy bathroom when his fever was low. We used soup, teas, fever reducers, popsicles, and even lollipops to ease his discomfort. His favorite tea was any herbal one, and chicken noodle soup was a must-have. Since throat lozenges weren’t his jam, we opted for sugar-free suckers, which helped coat his red, raw throat.
I worried about the time I’d have to explain that his fresh dance moves would have to wait until he fully recovered, but that didn’t happen. Cuddling was a new pastime, and to pass the time, I brought out all the low-key games I could think of, including card games and smaller puzzles. Since screen time led to a headache, we found podcasts that my kid loved. To my surprise, he enjoyed listening, and (sometimes) we’d combine the podcast with puzzle-solving.
Watching my son fall asleep listening to a podcast, I hoped all this was helping. Even though he still asked me to sit with him, it was clear a kiss on the cheek didn’t hold the same magical healing power it once did. I know I can’t protect my kid from what life brings forever, but I’ll always be ready to help, offer guidance, and hand out a lot of Kleenex whenever he may need it.
