November 2011 | Coombe Mill New

I have a poorly soldier upstairs today. 7 years old but when feeling unwell he looks so much younger.

Doing the right thing

It is hard as parents to get it right when children are unwell. Last night Guy was running a temperature of 103 degrees and finding it hard to breath. I was torn between Googling symptoms, checking for meningitis rashes wondering whether to call the out of hours doctor or just dosing him up and going to bed! In the end I did all the above except call the doctor and rationalised that it was just the nasty cough making his chest hurt! This morning he climbed out of bed and collapsed in a heap as his legs had given way. I would have been most alarmed by this but my other children have had this ‘dead leg’ syndrome with a temperature and virus before now, so I just calmly helped him to the loo and back to bed to sleep it off.

Did I get it Right?

To see him now tucking into his toast and hot chocolate on the sofa with his Care Bear I am happy, that on this occasion, I did the right thing. It is not easy though, even though I have 6 children and the experience of many poorly soldiers through bugs, viruses and infections over the years I still worry with each one if I should be taking them to the doctor. I don’t want to waste the doctor’s time or infect the rest of the surgery, but at the same time they are a tad too precious to take chances. Parenting is no easy business and really does require us to have our wits about us and be a bit of a ‘Jack of all Trades’!

What do you do when faced with a poorly child?

I’d Like to Thank……

The lovely Red Rose Mummy at http://redrosemummy.blogspot.com/ for giving me my Tell Me About Yourself Blog Award! Red Rose Mummy is a fairly new blogger with so much to offer. If you are not already following her on twitter or signed up to her active and well written blog then I can highly recommend it.

I was honoured to receive the above mentioned award, until I realised it came with strings attached!

1. I must tell you seven things that you don’t know about me (gulp).
2. I must pass this on to 15 other bloggers (gulp again, sorry if you have been had before).

Thinking hard on 7 things about me that anyone would want to read, but here goes:

1.I didn’t get into reading books for pleasure until I hit 40, but now have to read every night before I go to sleep and more if I find an opportunity window. All those wasted years!

2. I was a bit of a rebel as a child, being asked to leave both Brownies and Sunday school for being a disruptive influence!

3. I used to have to taste butter, margarine, spreads and lard straight from a spoon at 9am every Tuesday morning in my 20s…… I was the “Fat Buyer” for Tesco. Product tasting was all part of brand development and so I found myself in the kitchens approving or not the latest fats. Things improved for my waistline when I moved into Salads and Health and Beauty. I was also the condom buyer at one time, I could tell some tails from those days!

4. I can’t abide parsley! I was sick on it as a very young child and my mother only confessed that in my 20’s as she was sure I would grow out of my hate for the poor unobtrusive herb.

5. Despite living on the Farm, my husband would say I am no more a natural at farming now than I was 9 years ago! I love the animals and coming out on the daily feed run, especially on a Sunday morning, but I spend all my time chatting to our guests and taking photos and still have to check with Nick which animals have what food when I am in charge (not very often)!

6. I only need 4 or 5 hours sleep a night. I used to curse this and lie awake for hours,now I find I actually work best from 11pm when the house is quiet and I can really concentrate. This is also when I write most of my blogs!

Oh my have I rambled through to 7 already?

7.I am quite incapable of managing twitter on my phone passed the bare basics. I have to blog in the office on my main work PC. I am doing a 2 in 1 with this one and linking this confession to the lovely Clare at emmys_mummy where I was tagged in the “Where do you blog” meme. So here is my (rather messy) office.

and I am now tagging NotMyYearOff and MayfairMum to carry this one forward

I am dutifully passing the prestigous “Your blog is Great award” on: With 15 at a time appologies if you have already been tagged elsewhere for this!

Silent Sunday 27.11.11

A quick reminder about Country Kids

I set up Country Kids as I have a firm belief in the benefit to children of happy healthy outdoor play. Rosy cheeks from running around are good for mind and body. Join in and support outdoor play with a picture or 2 of your children enjoying the freedom of the outdoors from the garden to the park, woods or beach. Whatever is near you that you and the children can enjoy. Post on your blog and link up here. An old picture or post or this weeks’ adventure are all welcome.

Shortlisted 5 for a Coombe Mill Kids Sun Hat from weeks 1 – 5

OK so I can’t count! Too many lovely entries but I will choose one next week for the Coombemill Sun Hat. Keep those pictures coming and thank you to everyone who has linked up so far. I have enjoyed seeing and reading every post.

Country Kids week 7: Our Kids In Charge of the Saturday Animal Feeding