CHILD REARING TECHNIQUES THAT WORK.

I'm feeling so much better this morning after sleeping for thirteen and a half hours. There has been something going around in our family. Emma started last Saturday while we were visiting Dan and Gillian in Kentucky (sorry for leaving the bug there guys). She had three days of fevers and runny nose. She kept saying she needed to go to the Doctor because her tongue hurt (it was truly cute how she kept asking to be taken to the doctor). She now has phlegm and it seems like she had a sore throat but seems mostly well. The boys have had also three days of fevers and clingy-ness, runny noses and phlegm as well. Ryan has been sick also, pretty much the same thing, including clingy-ness! So, the valiant soul has been me. The one taking care of everyone. Poor me, do I get a prize for that?

So, yesterday I had a terrible headache and nausea and since I had gone to bed at four thirty the night before, I think I was just plain exhausted. No, not pregnant, I know what you're all thinking!
So, last night, I had the best idea ever! I asked Ryan if I could put the boys down for bed at eight and put myself out at the same time. He gracefully agreed to put Emma down all by himself. We put the boys down and then took my trusty Motrin PM and hopped into bed. I wasn't sure it would work since my brain gets going at night. Well, I don't remember much. I went to sleep and woke up at nine forty five this morning. I think I could have kept going if Emma hadn't been opening my eyes with her little fingers and repeating "es de dia momma".

The boys woke up and they were so clingy and cry babies, well, mostly Alex. I held him, fed him and nothing. He insisted on being a baby today. He did not stop even while I was holding him, so I decided to try my favorite technique. Ignore them. I decided to clean the room and start the vacuum (no kid has been able to outdo my vacuum with their crying, that baby can be noisy!). At first, he chased me and cried. I kept vacuuming and before I knew it, he had found himself something to do. And just as I type this all three of my children are playing in the pen. It's beautiful. It's a good feeling and I think the day will end up a good one.

About my title? Well, I really couldn't come up with anything and I didn't want to brag about how I got to sleep almost fourteen hours! Oh it was great! So, I went with my secret child rearing technique, try it from time to time, it really works, even with the "big" boys! ;)