2 1/2 Year Old Who Is Sick. Losing My Mind.

I agree with him being over tired, my oldest daughter is also 2.5 and gets sooooo whiney when sick and tired, she becomes inconsolable. Get all the blankets and pillows you can gather and pretend to have a camp out in the living room. If you make it as comfy as possible you both may just fall asleep. She loves this cause it's out of the norm and a fun distraction from not feeling good. She also loves watching a movie in mommy and daddy's bed because this also is not the norm. Most of all cuddles, lots and lots of cuddles works the best, anything you can do that's comforting to him and relaxing for you. Get rest any chance you can cause as you know us mommy's don't get sick days. Take care and hang in there

If he has been on antibiotics for a day or 2 already you could take him out for a little. A heat pack helps with ear pain and so does gently massaging around the ear (ear up so it can drain).

Whenever my son gets on my last nerve I picture him dead. Lifeless little broken body... no more smiles, no more silliness, no more love. Just. Gone.

And patience wells up with tears.

I'll take a whole day of temper tanturms if that's the only day, the last day, that I get with him.

What's amaaaaaaaazing about your daughter? What do you love the most? Makes you laugh?

When you were a kid and were sick... what made you feel better? When you were in uncontrollable pain/fear as an adult, what soothes you?

We ALL wanna put our heads through drywall from time to time. Those are the times, I've learned, I have to pretend things are MUCH worse, and to remember all the GREAT things, in order to really see and deal with what's going on.

Tired and sick. Love on 'em. Give pain meds / ease their suffering. Set them up to get some sleep. Take some grownup time while they're sleeping. If they DON'T sleep... take some grownup time anyway. Snuggled them up close while they watch cartoons and you read a book, or watch a movie with earphones on, or work on the computer. Or a little distance, and step outside for a few minutes, or go make something to eat. Have an extended trip to the bathroom.

I always like to read to my kids when they were home sick and your 2 1/2 year old could color, play with small toys while he sits by your or just anything to be near you while he's not feeling well. Hope he's better soon.

Go for a car ride. Go to a drive-thru for lunch. Take him to the book store For a quick trip to get something like new CDs or books or audio books, or Target to pick out a few new activity books or small toys to keep him occupied.

Make play dough from scratch at home and make something with him.

If you're looking for music, The Bare Naked Ladies and They Might Be Giants make kid music that is very appealing to adults. There are also compliations of Bob Marley's reggae tunes for kids and the Putumayo folk music series has lots of great kid music that is pleasant too. See: http://www.putumayo.com/kids/home . Check them out.

Read him some short stories or buy him the Scholastic Treasury and both of you sit back and have the stories read to you. (see: www.newkideo.com) YOu can find this series at Barnes and Noble, Costco, Marshall's, or perhaps your local library carries them.

Ear infections are horrible. The pain is in the head area and that could make anyone cranky. Can he have baby Tylenol? If so, give it to him. He might feel so much better, enough to take a nap. A warm afternoon bath might be soothing too. Maybe a warm compress on his temple? Check with doc about that one, but if it's okay that might help alot too. Usually the antibiotics start doing their magic by now, so hang in there.

Only solution I ever found: Give in to it. Cancel all your obligations. Let him play on the computer all day, find some shows you can watch together. Read to him and then read to him some more, or lie next to him while reading a good book of your own. Get him outside in the stroller -- there's alot of research that shows fresh air (cold air doesn't hurt anything, that's a myth) really helps with health. Remind yourself: these moments of focused time together DON'T LAST. My kids are 14 & 16 now, and they very rarely want to be with me--and I MISS them! Good luck!

Honestly? TV and lots of it! We usually have a very strict handle on TV, but when DD is sick she can watch as much as she wants... only happens about twice a year though, so I think it won't hurt.

He is probably tired. Tired due to lack of sleep. Lack of sleep because he is sick and uncomfortable. And this makes for a fussy whiney child. Because they are over-tired.

Have him nap.
Then you nap too.
That is the only quiet you will get.
That and when he goes to bed at night, in between the wakings.

Ear infections can hurt. Hence they fuss/whine because at that age they do not have succinct nor articulate communication ability. And their emotions are not even fully developed yet, at this age.

Can someone you know, babysit for you? Even if for an hour?

If its any consolation... he has no one to take care of him, and you are his "comfy" item. ;) One day when he is older, and you are sick... he will take care of you. His Mommy.

Its a hard age.
But Mommies are not magic.

Has he been to the Doctor? On medication for the ear?

Or think about it this way: at least, he does not have the Stomach Flu. My 9 year old daughter had that... and that was hard. She was sick for several days. AND yes, even at that age, she whined.... and fussed... because she was so uncomfortable and had bad stomach pains and bad headaches, and fever and throwing up and diarrhea. And I was up with her day and night with no sleep, just monitoring her and cleaning up the bodily fluids.

I feel your pain!! I know it's still screen time, but when my son was 2.5 we spent a lot of time listening to nursery songs on this website: http://www.breastfeeding.com/while_breastfeeding_nursery_...

We also bake cookies or muffins. If you get sugar cookies there is a lot of time rolling the dough and decorating. Just don't eat them yourself afterwards!

Also, try to ignore the whining a little if you can, where you truly are not internalizing it. You gotta get in a zone to do it, but you are in survival mode!

Is that any different than days he's not sick?

Just do the things you'd do on a regular day and give him some pain reliever med. for the ear infection.

Get out if weather is not a factor.
I think kids get whiny when they're cooped up--and moms do too!

Certainly he can go for a little trip to the park, store, get some lunch, etc?

Get in the car and drive. The car doesn't ask why, does exactly what you ask it to when you ask and provides some distraction. Its a win-win situation.

My kids used to like going to the pet store (cheaper than the zoo), looking for a new park to explore, library, Jamba Juice, driving down country roads to look for livestock, feeding the ducks at the park, stuff like that. Just get out of the house and you'll feel 100% better.

movies with popcorn and ice cream.
pajama day with late breakfast

Poor little guy and poor Mama! I hear you, I just survived 7 days of my son having pneumonia, during the last 4 days of which I got his cold or whatever had caused his infection. My son doesn't do sick well. He is miserable, cranky, cries endlessly and wants only to be attached to my side, 24-7. The only difference was that he was really sick and kept spiking really high fevers. I thought I was going to lose my mind! Some of the Mamas suggestions on here about going out or going to stores - that would be the worst thing I could do with him when he doesn't feel well. On top of everything else he couldn't sleep because his coughing fits would wake him, so my own sleep deprivation was making me all the more looney. The only thing I can tell you is hang in there... he'll be better soon! And make sure you have a ton of movies that you enjoy, not just kid stuff. My son was content to watch anything as long as I was cuddling with him. If your son isn't too sick and the weather is decent, you might also want to go for some walks in the stroller. Normally my son likes to walk, but when he isn't feeling well we go in the stroller and at least get fresh air. Unfortunately that wasn't an option this last week because the weather was too cold and it would irritate his lungs. You will survive and when he's better, you'll both feel like you have a new lease on life!

When my kids are sick, I give them some pain medication and take them outside. I try to stick to softball or soccer fields or a nature center where they won't come in contact with other kids. We might bring a ball or our stomp rockets, or just walk around and look at trees and plants. A change of scenery will do wonders for you both! And if they weren't tired before, well, the fresh air seems to help them fall asleep better at nap and bedtimes.

Good luck, and hope your little guy feels better soon!!

I read stories, do quiet crafts (play dough) and games (like build a fort to "camp" in).