I'm a scared mom?

Question

I have a big phobia about illness and seeing/hearing people be sick and the same goes for diarreah. I am dreading the time when my daughter goes off to school and starts catching sickness bugs that are going to make her ill. I was just wondering if any other moms out there also feel/felt like this, and also wondering how to cope with it. My daughter is 15 months at the moment, but I know the time will come when she has to go to nursery and school, and I'm terrified. Advice please?

Answer 1

I used get sick to my stomach when ever someone vomited or even sounded like they were, I still do. But I have raised 5 kids and I just did what a mom has to do.

Answer 2

Take a deep breath, don't worry about tomorrow. Enjoy her while she is young. As for the illnesses they catch from school, it isn't as bad as you think. And it helps them build immunities for their adult life. If it really bothers you you can just clean an extra bit after she starts school, teach her to wash her hands often and especially before she eats. Teach her not to eat or drink after other kids and not to share hair brushes and hats. These are the basic hygiene elements that all people should follow. Along with eating right, and being active. And if she should catch a bug or two, you can always talk to the pediatrician. But remmber that it will happen and it is ok. I was so afriad when my kids whent to school too but you get over it quickly. Oh and make sure that all of her shots are current.

Answer 3

You will have to prepare yourself for some common illnesses, because that is just a part of growing up.
Your child will encounter different "bugs" that she will only develop an immunity to by actually being sick once and awhile.
The words you use...
phobia
dreading
terrified
scared

suggest to me that you really could benefit from some therapy, because your fear seems a little over the top. I'm not callying you crazy, I just think that your life, and your child's will be much better and happier if you have someone to talk to and help you through these fears.
All moms hate for their kids to get sick, but worrying so much like that is unhealthy.
Good luck.

Answer 4

I thought I would be like this when I was a new mom. The funny thing is, my mother got me through a near fatal illness and was always a rock when it came to that. The minute the boys were born, she was so different. She couldn't stand to hear my eldest one (now 4) cry. She couldn't take us to the doctor because if he needed shots, she'd get hysterical.

Meanwhile, even though it was killing me inside, I had to be the brave one to help both children be brave and get through it.

It's natural to want to protect them from all the bad things in the world, including illness...but you can't, no matter how hard you try. Of course you don't like seeing her miserable and ill and suffering. However, catching some of those things are going to make her immune system stronger. Playing in dirt will, too.

You may surprise yourself, once you find yourself in the situation, you may react very differently than how you think you are going to. She's going to look to you for comfort and understanding, and you'll have to be the strong one, and my money says you will.

Answer 5

well, i understand your phobia about illnesses because there are many drug resistant "bugs" out there. please also understand that an ounce of prevention is better than a gallon of a cure. teach your daughter to wash her hands after playing (getting messy), before she eats, and after she uses the bathroom. teach her not to pick up "yucky" things from the street, floor..etc. sometimes a cold is actually good for a child because it will help build up the immune system. my daughter is only 8 months old, but i am already teaching her these things. i don't want her sick, but i know that sometimes even with preventative measures she will pick something up eventually. i try not to worry about the future, and focus on the now, and what i can do to help her not get sick in the present.

Answer 6

she'll be fine as long as you let her play in the dirt,I know this sounds crazy but children have a very good immune system and their bodies can produce and fight off germs like you would'nt believe,providing they are exposed to normal germs,in my sisters case she never let her kids get dirty or exposed them around other kids that may have the sniffles,all she has to do now is take them out to the car once in the cold and instantly they are sick and have a hard time fighting off the germs because their bodies were'nt exposed when the immunities were higher.I believe a clean child is an unhappy child,no one is saying you cant bathe them after they've had fun.

Answer 7

To begin with you cant hide your child out the only way for her to get immune is to face the world you will hurt more then help if you keep her away. Just make sure she has all her shots and dress her well for the different weathers. DOnt stress the issue so they are children and will play with dirt and get sick its your job to be the parent and get her well :)

Answer 8

Don't feel like you're a nut case or anything, it's a natural protective feeling that all moms have.

Uhh... where's Dad in all this?

Part of Dad's job is to counteract these feelings with his natural gung-ho attitude, and get the kid outside to roughhouse and play and get sick and get a skinned knee, to get toughened up a bit.

Answer 9

hey hun....i know how ya feel...last year when my little girl busted pre-k wide open i was a nervous wreck!...but the truth is not only do they make friends at school they get to catch all those little things that just naturally go around....but tha good news is it's not any worse then if they get sick as little babies at home...and it helps us to grow and learn how to deal with these problems as they arise...did i mention that kids aren't the only ones who gain stuff from this?....there are plenty of other parents with the same fears and concerns as you so you as a mom gain a support group!....remember hun...we always make things out worse then they really are and doubt our parenting ability when we shouldn't....we have got our kids this far and we will keep on truckin' through life with band aids and tissues in hand.....i hope this helps....love daisy

Answer 10

if this is your first child, then you are perfectly normal for feeling a little scared about this stuff. it will wear off as your child grows up, and even more so when you have more kids. just relax, the world isn't perfect and the best thing you can do for your child is to let nature take its course, our immune system is built on being subjected to natural bacteria, colds and flus. we can prevent many illnesses by simple hygiene and schools with do their best to promote good habits. just make sure that her immunization records are kept up to date and when she is ill, keep her home, and insist that others do the same. regular check ups and daily routines to help promote good health with be easier as she grows up. you have plenty of time to adjust, just relax.