Thursday, February 22, 2007

Sick Kids? Going Bonkers? How About a Sun Bath?


It's time to admit it - I'm a single working mom. Hopefully, you have no preconceived notions of what that means, yet I can tell you it's a lot of hard work.

I'm lucky now because Mr. J, my almost-15 year old brainy child, is older and growing out of his childhood illnesses. In those earlier years, let me tell you how crazy I would get by day five after being stuck indoors with a sick kid, running laundry constantly and not being able to remember when my last bath was. Cabin fever doesn't even come close to describing that nutso feeling a mother gets from lack of sleep and lack of real adult human conversation.

Bless my mother for this jewel...take your child out for a drive in the car for a Vitamin D break, courtesy of the sun. In Houston, we occasionally enjoy a bright sunny winter day in January or February. As Mr. J would start towards the upside of an illness, I would take him for a drive to some of the local parks listed on the side of the page.

What a fun way to get out of the house...drive by the small wildlife zoo at Bear Creek Park, or park your car at Dick Scobee Model Airplane Park and watch the action fly by. How about watching the dogs at Millie Bush Bark Park. If it's a warm day and your child is running a low-grade fever, both of you get out of the car and sit on the park bench and regain your sanity. A 10-minute outdoor break will do you both wonders!

That's a wrap for West Houston today...Happy Parenting! Terre

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