Recently in School Category

We stood in line for more than an hour, with Noah alternately hollering in my arms and running away as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Sam wandered, playing with the belt from my jean jacket and trying to make friends with the unsociable kids in front of and behind us.

It was hot, it was cramped and it was hugely unfair that other people came and went within 10 minutes because their last names didn't start with any letter between F and L.

But in the end, Sam was vaccinated against swine flu.

Well, halfway vaccinated. She has to get a second shot in a month. At the same place. Probably with the same divisions of last names, meaning I'll be in line for a long time again because I chose to marry a Gulli.

I've gotta say, though, once we were inside, it all went smoothly. And all the folks who were involved were wonderfully patient and calm -- an amazing feat considering they were all volunteers.

Anyway, we're part of the way to safety. I'm celebrating it as a small victory.

I'll admit that, even in one of my recent posts, I've been a little snarky about swine flu.

I mean, it's a flu. People get the flu all the time. My household even had a collective bout of flu last month.

But the news today that a Littlestown kindergartner died because of complications from swine flu scared the bejesus out of me.

The other three people in my house have the flu. And I think the cat has a urinary-tract infection.

So much for my mental anguish over whether to get the seasonal flu and H1N1 vaccines, huh?

No school for Sam today. She told me seven kids were absent (or, as she spells it, "absit") from her class one day last week.

This morning, she wanted to know why I kept her home. I said, "Because your fever is almost 102 degrees when you don't take medicine."

She said, "So I don't have to go back until FRIday??"

Not sure how she got that out of what I said, but heck, at this point it could be true.

Anybody else dealing with flu already in your house? Any tips for keeping the kids -- and, let's face the truth here, husbands -- comfortable?

Because I'm a member of the media, I'm required to type or speak the words "SWINE FLU" at least twice an hour to ensure the public is sufficiently terrified.

I think they even added that requirement to the Journalists Handbook of Topics You're Required To Overreact About and Overreport On.

But here's what I really want to know: Are you going to get your kids regular flu vaccines and H1N1 vaccines this fall? Have you previously gotten them flu vaccines?

I'm on the fence about this -- which, as you all can guess, is pretty unusual for me.

If there's a shot or nasal mist that will be uncomfortable for Sam and Noah for just a minute but will prevent their being sick for 7 to 10 days, then it seems like common sense to get it.

But I've got this nagging concern about the H1N1 vaccine. It was created awfully quickly, wasn't it? I'm not worried about the actual H1N1 part to it, but I am worried that we'll be running stories in a year that say the vaccine "accidentally" contained some sort of hazardous substance and that all the people who got it are at a higher risk for some worse kind of disease.

I'm not saying I think the H1N1 vaccine will give my kids cancer. I'm just saying I'd rather be overly cautious with this one, especially since swine flu isn't as deadly as experts predicted in the beginning.

And hey, since my last poll turned out so well, I thought we'd try it again!

Sam's got a little cold, with a sore throat and a slightly stuffy nose and an occasional headache.

On Monday, she tried to pull the "Mo-om, I don't feel good. I don't think I can go to school" act. I didn't buy it, especially when I said, "How about if we give you some medicine before you go so your throat doesn't hurt today?" and she said, "Nah, I don't feel bad enough to take medicine."

But, we agreed, I'd send the Triaminic along to school so that if she felt worse, she could go to the nurse's office and take a dose.

Who knew an ordeal would follow?

I was a little out of it when I packed Sam's lunch this morning.

I work Sunday nights until about midnight, then I drive 45 minutes home, try to get to sleep within about an hour, and then get back up again about 7 a.m. So I'm naturally a little sleepier on Monday mornings.

But I forced myself to get up today, get Sam's breakfast, get Noah out of bed, get him breakfast, pack Sam's lunch, double-check her folder to make sure we didn't miss any homework, write out a note to the school nurse so Sam could take some Triaminic for her cold if she needs it (that's another post coming shortly), make sure Sam got dressed in something that matched and didn't have feathers or other princess-esque accessories, and get her out the door to the bus.

Only now did I consider the fact that I packed her three peanut butter cracker sandwiches (she won't eat bread right now), applesauce and -- uh, well, apples.

I remember I had an apple and a bag of pretzels on the counter side-by-side, and I remember thinking, "Why would I give her pretzels if I can give her a fresh apple slices?"

Duh.

$10 says she doesn't notice. Or at least that's what I'm telling myself.

Sam seems to be doing great in first grade.

Computer lab? Loves it.
Reading? Loves it.
New teacher? Loves her.
Recess? Double loves it.
Lunchtime? Eh.