1 Mother 2 Another

Sunday night Maddie woke up at 3 a.m. with
a fever; I loved on her, told her she couldn’t go to school
the next day, and sent her back to sleep. She spent all Monday with
no fever and just slight stuffiness, but at bedtime the fever
showed back up. Sigh.


Home from school again on Tuesday, and I have to tell you,
I’m pretty sure this thing is allergies. I’ve taken
Cora to the doctor before for exactly the same symptoms – low
to moderate fever, sore throat, slight stuffiness – and she
guaranteed me it was allergies. Apparently in addition to causing
EVERY OTHER SYMPTOM in the book, allergies can also run a low
fever. Which, of course, is not contagious.


But without knowing for certain that it’s allergies, Maddie
has to stay home until she’s fever-free. Which means I have
one very bored kiddo around the house.

I have a small stash of chapter books
I’ve been buying at the used bookstore in anticipation of
Christmas, and the pile is dwindling rapidly as I hand them to
Maddie in a desperate attempt at staving off the boredom. Wind in
the Willows – gone. Huck Finn – gone. Two Ramona books
– gone. My mom’s got an iPad so we’ve been
downloading library books onto that for Maddie as well, but
it’s still not keeping up.


Maddie’s done a book report for school that is due in THREE
WEEKS. She’s done all her computer homework for the week.
She’s worked several pages of math, helped me with chores,
colored pages – you name it, she’s patiently done it.
She’s just really ready to go back to school.


I love, of course, spending time with my daughter. I’m glad
she’s not feeling too bad, so I don’t worry about her
being in pain. But I have had a glimpse these past couple of days
into homeschooling, and I can tell you – it is not for me. I
would never be able to keep up with her brain. Her teacher sent
home the past two days’ class work and Maddie finished it
– two DAYS of class work – in a couple hours and said,
“Now what can I do?”


That child needs to be in school.


Unfortunately, another fever spike last night guarantees
she’s staying home today.


Help me.