I love my granddaughters dearly, but I wish they wouldn’t share their illnesses so freely. Older GD was dx’d with “walking pneumonia” a couple of weeks ago and still has a cough. It was her third time getting sick in the two months since school began. Little GD caught it next, then had ear infections. I seem to have caught it after just getting over the cold she had earlier. For the last week I’ve had little sleep and less energy with coughing fits waking me multiple times a night. Just walking around the house exhausts me. I can’t wait to get over this.
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You may be doing this already…I never share food or drinks with GD, and only kissing her on her head. We all wash our hands as soon as we get in. Last winter I did get sick a few times from GD, even though I was very careful.
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Last year they happened to me, and I lost 7 lbs!! So it’s a diet plan if you want/need that
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I guess the main thing I try to teach is sneezing in their elbow or really any where away from another face. That seems to work about 50% of the time with our 2 year old GD.
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Our grands call that (sneezing into the crook of their elbow) a “sneeze pocket.”
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We don’t share food or drinks either, and try to only kiss on their heads. Both girls, but especially older GD, insist on hugs and I often get pounced on and kissed when least expecting it. They are cuddlers and will climb onto my lap or hang on my neck when I read to them or when we watch a show.
We do remind them about coughing into their elbows, but younger GD rarely does it and older GD sometimes forgets. I’ve had enough trouble getting H to remember. He’s better now that he realizes the GDs notice.
So far I’m down about 5 lbs and would otherwise be delighted. At the moment, I just want some energy and would forgo the weight loss if that could be the trade-off. It doesn’t seem that I get that choice. Oh well. It will end eventually.
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I’ve been basically in bed for the last 4 days with some virus I picked up from my granddaughter. We went up to watch her for 8 days and she got hit by a doozy of a virus at preschool. Maybe I’ll lose a few lbs.
I don’t share food or drink but I was the one constantly wiping her nose and having to dispose of the tissues. I thought I did a decent job hand washing but obviously not good enough. She started going to preschool 2 days a week a month ago. I think she has missed as many days as she has gone.
My local grandkids are big on hand washing. Their mom has always been an obsessive hand washer. She reminds us every time we come over to wash our hands. Even with that the preschooler always seems to have a runny nose.
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The older grands are very good about hand washing and elbow sneezing but still get sick and sometimes bring us a lovely gift of a bug. The 16 month old is getting better at wiping her own nose and blowing into a tissue! We are working on hand washing; she loves water and will happily wash her hands for hours 
! Just babysat her over the weekend while her parents painted their new to them dump. She was recovering from a bad case of something, so fingers crossed we will not get what she had!
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DD1 had been hit more with lower GI bug than everyone else over the past school year - she has 2 in elementary school and 2 in daycare, with the baby in diapers. She might actually need to use a nail brush (and I will be buying one for downstairs and upstairs for her house) - I suspect she possibly is introducing it that way. She washes her hands well and often, and this is the only thing I can think of that can possibly help her.
GDs and GSs have all been pretty healthy, but the lower GI bug has been what has hit their family in the past.
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D serenaded me with Pink Pony Club on the way back to her house today. It was a bit odd to hear a 3 year old joyfully singing about dancing on the stage in her heels at the Pink Pony Club … but she did a great job singing it! What made me laugh is the fact that her momma used to chastise me for not stopping my S from singing “I smell sex and candy” when they were kids. She’s loosened up a bit over the years!!
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@kelsmom - your GD should duet with my 2 year old GD. She likes to sing HOTTOGO.
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Oh, she sang that next! 
They could have quite the duet.
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GD is taking her first flight today. She got to sit in the cockpit, and she got to say, “Have a good flight” over the loudspeaker. She’s having a great day!
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I had my 2 1/2 year old for half day today since he had a school holiday. We made challah, played cars and did puzzles. He was a pleasure. His parent comes and he’s a different child. Pinched his brother, didn’t want to listen. We had similar with another grandchild, absolute easy until the parents came home.
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GD2 is not quite 2 weeks old yet. D1 called me today, “ I have good news for you. I know what would be a great way for you to use your grandparent leave (we get 3 days). I have booked a trip to Cancun for us the first week of December. You should come with us. It’s one of the nicest all inclusive hotels (expensive I am thinking).” Ok, I know I am going to be the de facto babysitter for the kids, but I am thrilled. I thought it was funny that D1 assumed I had nothing better to do but to spend time with them. It’s actually a good time for me to take time off from work.
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That’s great that you have grandparental leave! Have fun. Tiny infants are easy to travel with. Toddlers, OTOH, are a little pain. BTDT for our kids. Do not regret it even though we were exhausted at times.
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GD1 is actually a pro when it comes to travel. She has been traveling 3+ times a year since she was a baby. D1 is a traveler. She doesn’t let kids to slow her down. We are going to Europe next summer again. I was just a bit surprised that she was willing to travel so soon.
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Venting a bit and whining. Well my 27yo daughter that is a single mom and lives with us with her 4 1/2 year old son had her baby on the 26th. She was 6 lb, 11oz and born at 37weeks and 2days.
The dad was there and actually sober and helpful for the delivery and one week after. Now with the baby 1 week and 1 day old he is drinking again! (The reason my daughter lives with me.) He has lost his license, has a court date in a couple of weeks and lives on his Aunt and Uncle’s porch. He is waiting for the DA to approve a deal with the military court so he can go to rehab for 3-6 months and then regain his veterans benefits. Meanwhile he just can’t stay sober.
My daughter suffers from severe depression and anxiety so this plus just having a baby is doing a number on her. She has no job and no degree but hopes to get one when the baby is 8 weeks old.
So I am not as thrilled about this baby as I should be. She lost all her friends due to the guy and didn’t even have a baby shower so everything financially falls on me. I’m tired. My husband helps some but not much. I also work full time in aerospace. I take her son (different dad) to pre-k at the public school every morning, pick him up in the evening, bathe him, play with him, read to him and for now drive him 2 hours to drop him off and pick him up to see his dad the 1, 3 and 5th weekends. It is a lot!
I do see a therapist but needed to vent. I think I’m sad because I had paid a year ago for a trip this weekend to visit my son and have a girl’s weekend. My friends are all there and I’m stuck here in the midst of drama but trying to be as helpful as I can be. Thanks for letting a tired Nana vent!
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Sending you biggest possible virtual hugs. Please feel free to vent away. Wish I could help in any physical way.
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Feel free to vent away. Sending virtual hugs your way
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