When your child is sick

We are blessed to have our kids taken care of by grandparents while at work. It presents so many perks versus the mainstream childcare experience:

• The kids can be dropped off early, picked up late.
• We don't have to pay for days we don't need childcare.
• They will take our children even when the children are sick.
• And they even take our children if they themselves are sick.

We're downright spoiled.

So, as a working mom who has family members watching the children, there comes an interesting dilemma: What is the right thing to do when one or both of our children are sick? Does one stay home or do we go to work?

I struggle with this every time my children are ill, especially if they have a fever. The grandparents insist they are fine to have the sick one over. But then I think about all the things that need to be done at work, the meetings I must attend, or in this present situation, I just came back from vacation and I can't be out of the office again so soon. The guilt starts to brew: I should be the one cuddling and whispering reassurances to my child.

Max has a fever right now. He's barfed at least once a day since Monday night. All he wants to do is cuddle. And here I am. In between meetings. Wondering. Worrying about my little guy.