Kids, Germs and Mileage Status

On parenting, even in the LA winter

*Today is more of a personal blog post, less civics*

I’ve had lots of time to think these last 6 weeks. When I posted a few weeks ago that I’d been down with the flu, I had no idea my bingo card was only half full.

We’ve officially joined the preschool/winter plague club and even for a Type A overachiever, I’m just stunned at how quickly we got status. I’m waiting for the miles boost or the platinum medallion whatever whatever for having bumped our way to the top in such a wildly short amount of time. The only thing we’re missing is Covid, but having just slogged through the flu, RSV, Norovirus and an ear infection that made me cry, Covid can’t possibly be worse. Right now, it feels like my brain is broken and my immune system is gone. And I start a new job on Monday. But that’s still four days away. Anything can happen between now and Monday.

I’m not good at being sick. No one really is, of course, I know. But as my therapist of 12 years pointed out this week, I almost never get sick and this has been a doozy. My immunity has met its match in this elfish, almost three year old germ magnet that I willingly brought into my home.

How do people do it? I count myself lucky to be in a position to have childcare, a great preschool, the support of neighbors and friends — and yet. Life will be disrupted. The germs don’t know that I start a big new job on Monday and just want to feel like the best version of myself. Will I magically rise to the occasion in four days? I sure hope so. But if the last 33-ish months of parenthood have taught me anything, it’s that I don’t know a single thing and the sooner I learn to go with the flow, the better.

Sending healthy vibes to everyone parenting or caretaking in wintertime.

More soon,

Sarah