This has been a rather eventful week for a couple of my students. I had one come in on Thursday who felt fine until math class and then he complained that his head hurt. I told him to rest his head on the desk and we'll see how he feels at lunch time. Now, this child normally eats the entire lunch time (and, no, he's no slow at eating, his mom packs him a good size lunch and he enjoys it). This time, he didn't even crack open his lunchbox. Uh-oh. I brought my emergency contact info folder with me so I could call. I tried his mom's cell...no answer. I tried the work number...it was wrong. The older brother said his teacher has a number, so I went to that teacher and asked if he would get me that number. He did and I finally got through to mom. I told her that her child was not himself. She came and got him and I guess on the way out, he vomited all over the place. Poor kid! When his mom came to pick up the older brother during dismissal, she told me that he had started to feel better, but then vomited yet again. She told me she was going to keep in home the next day.
Then, Karyn asked me if I could watch her kids (one of which was sick with a fever) and I did. It was an interesting night. The fever went as high as 103.2. We gave her Motrin and put a cold-pack on her head. She had a popscicle, and after a while, her temp dropped to 99.9. Meanwhile, I am also watching 3 of the other kids as well. The middle boy gave me such trouble about doing his homework and ignored me. When he finally did work on his homework, he threw these hissy fits about not being able to smush the entire definition on one line. I told him to continue it on the next line and he said he couldn't because he already numbered it. After a few more outbursts, I grabbed his homework, wadded it up, and threw it away and told him to start over and do it right. He looked at me in a way that said "I can't believe you did that." I told him that if he even thought about throwing another fit, I'd take that paper and toss it out as well. He didn't like that either, but he did get it done without the fit.
Friday, my recess aide came in asking for the another number to call for a student who got injured while playing. This child is not a "crier" and he was crying that his wrist hurt. I guess he fell and landed on his wrist. I had to remind the aide that his mom had just left for a missions trip and that she should try dad's number. Dad came and got him. I stopped by their house on my home after school/day care to check up (I didn't get an answer when I had called). He had a clean break and is now in a cast up to his elbow of his writing hand. I told him that I'll accept some sloppy writing for a little while, but not for too long (of course, I was just joking!) and dad thanked me for stopping by (I dropped off the forgotten lunchbox and an accident report).
Then, this morning, I get a phone call at 6:45 am. I groggily answer it and on the other end is a frantic Karyn who needs to take one of her girls to the hospital (the same one who was sick and who I watched) and that she needs someone to watch the two kids who were home. I drove over. The poor sick child had another fever, a rash had developed, and her thumb was swollen. We found out that it was a viral infection that she just hasn't gotten over yet and that her thumb had an infection in it (I guess it was a different one that affected the rest of her body). Tough stuff for a 4 year old.
I did get to go to a Stampin' Up workshop today (only after I brought the two kids I was watching home with me and leave them with my roommates). I had a good time with all the ladies who showed up and I was invited to another party that'll be in a couple of weeks. I'm going to try to attend, but its on a Friday night and that's the night I work later in the day care. We'll see what happens.