Winter Bugs

Nothing depresses me more or faster than seeing one of my kids, or worse, both kids, falling sick.

And this being their very first winter, they are especially susceptible to coughs and colds. It started a couple of weeks ago. The 2 kids just can't stop taking turns catching the colds. Stuffy nose, sore throat, coughs and chills have been our constant companions.

I had anticipated this and stocked up some medication. The medication is effective but just as I thought the kids were on the road to recovery, one of them would start coughing again! Needless to say, they sometimes can't sleep well. And when they can't sleep well, I don't get to sleep too! Gosh, I get so cranky sometimes in the middle of the night.

Apparently, not only new migrants like us get coughing fits during winter. Australian kids who've had many winters too often fall prey to coughs and colds. Yesterday, 9 of Joshua's classmates were absent, mostly due to their being sick. Today, 7 didn't show up. It just goes to show how dreadful the winter bugs really are.

I've tried to keep the kids warm in any way I can think of - getting them to wear thermal undergarments, socks and thicker winter jackets - but they still catch the chill sometimes. Thank goodness we don't have to catch the bus to school anymore. Walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus in the cold, and often rain, will only make things worse. Yes, I'm so very grateful to have finally passed my driving test - and I got that just in time.

The winter school holidays start next week. Hopefully, by staying indoor more often the kids will be able to ward off the winter bugs. We'll see how it goes.