SteelyKid is now in day care five days a week. This is good for us, in that it lets Kate and I both go back to work full-time, and good for her, in that she gets to meet new people, and spend the whole day playing with interesting toys.
Of course, it has its bad sides, too. The norovirus that laid me and Kate out two weekends ago was something that is going around the day care center. And as I type this, I can hear SteelyKid upstairs coughing, with the cold virus that's also going around the day care center.
Whee!
More like this
[Scene: Dinner at Chateau SteelyPips. DADDY is starting to say something about his day at work, when STEELYKID interrupts.]
STEELYKID: If you eat too many hot dogs, you'll turn into a hot dog!
Long-time readers will remember that I used to do weekly kid-blogging, posting pictures of SteelyKid with a reference animal, Appa the sky-bison from the Avatar cartoon.
In the car, on the way from day care to campus to watch a softball game
DADDY: So, what did you do at school today?
STEELYKID: Daddy, I'm a superhero. They call me Strong Ninja Girl. Strong World-Saving Ninja Girl.
DADDY: Because you save the world?
SteelyKid was born five years ago today. I'd try to be clever and schedule this for exactly five years to the minute of her time of birth, but I've mercifully forgotten exactly when the delivery was, only that it was early in the morning after a very, very long night.
Yes, but imagine the workout her little immune system is getting!
Kids are the most potent bioweapons available. I can attest from personal experience, as I've got whatever my daughter had last week.
Periodic check for head lice.
Edward Kennedy was all giggles when Irish-American children in South Boston were forcibly bused into Roxbury High School while Black slum children reciprocally filled newly emptied desks in Southie. He exulted in others'children bleeding for probity. Alas, certain aspects of the blurred social interface refused to be contained.
depp=true
Your kid's first year in day care is going to include lots of illnesses, trips to the doctor, learning about the side effects of various antibiotics, and so on. After that, based on my experience, she will never get sick again. OK, that's a mild exaggeration, but still -- now every bug that knocks me or my 6yo son's mom out completely might give him sniffles for half a day. The first year of pain is inevitable, whether it comes when she starts day care or when she starts school -- you can delay it, but you can't prevent it. It might as well be at a time she won't remember in another year.
School's actually worse. Kindergarten will be this all over again, and then some. It's a larger population sample with more interaction to draw from.
Yeah, my little boy started daycare at the end of November and that week he got his first cold. Then the death-Norovirus over Christmas. It lets up a bit, but never really stops. What's funny is what Alex R talked about - what absolutely beats the hell out of you is barely noticed by your kid. But believe me, you would MUCH MUCH rather be sick than have your kid sick. This is not altruism or even love - it's just that when your kid is sick they make everyone miserable and it's impossible to get a decent night of sleep.
If you're refrigerator door has ice and water, add a third spigot for Amoxocillin......
It does get better after 1 year of this. Then someday they learn to drive....aieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
To be fair, the norovirus was also going around my work at the same time, and I came down with it first (by a matter of hours).
That's okay. Steelykid will have her turn to come down with something first. Just as long as everybody shares . . .
"This is good for us, in that it lets Kate and I both go back to work full-time"
Shouldn't that be "... it lets Kate and me ..."?
I think declensions are a total pain and a waste of breath, but until English finishes them off once and for all, it gives us grammar morons something to do.