Quiet Time

My Son is poorly. He has been awake half the night, and so were we. He just couldn't settle, and so I have been feeling like doing nothing, today. But that wasn't possible. I was reminded by my daughter's incredulity at my not having planned or provided an endless stream of entertainment for her benefit for today, that I am in fact here to make sure that she has a Good Summer Holiday. I tried reasoning with her. "You can go and do something by yourself, you know. Why don't you draw? Read? Play with your toys? Listen to your talking books? Do some writing?" Each suggestion was met with a squeal and a cross face. OK, I thought. It's going to be A Long Day. In the end, we went to the post office, and then ran a few errands in town before going back home because my son was asleep and I needed to sit down for 5 minutes' rest. My daughter was good, actually. She played on her games console and then tried to teach me how to play one of the games.
I arranged for the two of them to lie on the sofa, watching a bit of CBeebies whilst I made some lunch, allowing them a bit of chilling out time together.
 I asked my daughter to look after her little brother and make sure that he was OK. They gave eachother a big hug, a kiss, then snuggled down on the sofa to watch Something Special. Then we watched Shrek. I don't feel guilty anymore when I use TV for chilling out time, although I used to. We do so much other stuff, including a very healthy dose of running about in fresh air and sunshine, that to have a half day on the sofa for poorly and tired time is just what's needed, once in a while! I know I did well today, because by 8pm I could still hold a conversation, see straight, and felt fairly human and intact. There have been days when I'm so tired I see the world in a parental haze!