My Tummy Hurts, Anxiety, & Other Reasons to Call Home

It's easy to call your child on their behaviour when it's the exact same thing you did when you were a kid.  The minions have particular after school activities on certain days of the week and since the beginning of January I've noticed a rising trend.  It seems that these days of the week contain some sort of stomach virus which sends Molly into the office calling me to come pick her up in the early afternoon.  Miraculously by the next day when she has a lunch time activity she adores she's completely cured.

We pay a good chunk of cash to make sure that the kids are well taken care of so we can get work done. I am lucky enough to work from home where I can flex some of my workload into the evening and enjoy numerous days a week where I pick up the kids from school.  Here's the thing: when the kids aren't in my care after school that's when I get stuff done.  I book work meetings, personal appointments, and I get the bulk of my work done.  Since January I have lost two of these days to inclement weather/school closures, one to real a real illness, and I have received three calls about these disappearing tummy aches, two of which required immediate pick up from school.

It didn't take me long to figure out that the cocktail for 'My Tummy Hurts' is long days, not getting along great with another kid or two at after school activities, and winter weather that will not end.  She's worried about some stuff and it's manifesting itself in stomach aches.  It didn't take a lot of detective work to figure out.

I've heard the expression 'little kids, little problems' and it annoys me.  It reminds me when I was younger one of my grandparents would always ask me, "what's new in your little world?".  For whatever reason this always rubbed me the wrong way.  Little kid problems are not little to little kids.  Their stresses, life experiences and such are different than an adults, but that doesn't mean they don't feel them intensely.  Particularly when it comes to stresses and feelings that they may not know how to articulate.

 It's been tempting to scoop the minions up every time there's inclement weather or to go full on mama bear when kids are being mean, feelings are hurt, and days end in tears. I know that none of that helps.  One of my jobs is a parent is to teach Molly and Jack the coping skills that they need no matter what the situation and what to do when anxiety is giving them an upset stomach.

So I'm pulling up Dr. Google, talking to my own parents, other parents, and figuring out next steps all while keeping an open dialogue with Molly.  I'll report back.  Until then, I'm open for suggestions.