Last night I was reminded how hard it is to be a single mother of a toddler. I kept my friend’s three year old over night. I love spending time with this little girl, we played games and watched movies.
In the middle of the night I heard a noise, it was sweet little Ivy, she had thrown up in her bed. Now if there are two parents one of them can clean up the child while the other ones strips the bed. Since there was only me, I cleaned Ivy up and tucked her into my bed. By that time the vomit had soaked through the blankets and sheets.
I stripped the bed and started to take everything down to the laundry room when I heard Ivy throwing up again. Drop the armful of bedclothes on the floor and go tend to Ivy. Once again, clean her up, get her tucked in on the couch.
Back upstairs to strip my bed. Head to the basement one more time and as I walk past the family room, Ivy slaps her hand over her mouth, trying not to throw up again. Drop the bedclothes, pick Ivy up and run to the bathroom. We made it. barely.
Ivy is once again tucked in on the couch, now with a bowl in case she gets sick again. I finally got a load of sheets in the washer.
This was easy compared to what most single parents go through. I didn’t have to get up for work today, I didn’t have other children to take care of, I could totally focus on Ivy.
Something as small as a child with a tummy ache can be overwhelming when you are alone. It’s late, you’re tired, you just finish washing out the bathtub when you hear your child getting sick again.
Little things really, but when you are tired and alone they become very big things. Not to mention its a little scary to have a sick child in the middle of the night and no one to turn to.
Ivy’s tummy seems to have settled down, we made it through the night. I only have to do this one night, there are single mothers who still have some version of middle of the night mess in their lives every night. It’s hard, but remember, this too, shall pass.