Sick Rules

D4 (our 14 year old daughter) was throwing up when I woke up this morning. Her dad had gotten up to take her to school and instead of finding her waiting for him at the front door like usual he instead found her kneeling and somewhat unforgivingly genuflecting at the porcelain alter. He then did what apparently he considered his next responsibility. He came in and made sure I was awake and knew she was sick so he could go back to snoresville where he had come from. Is that like an automatic Dad thing or what? It's like they have this idea they are in a relay race and just made the all important hand-off?

Of course I felt horrible for D4. So, I got up, gave her a warm wash rag, a hug, told her I loved her and asked if she needed anything. She didn't--well, nothing beyond a new stomach and a better tasting mouth. So, I somewhat grudgingly--OK, that's not true. I mean I did feel bad--but I shamelessly climbed cozily back into my warm bed beside my cute snoring hubby and fell comfortably back into slumberland. Is that bad? I mean, I did leave the bedroom door open--which is right next to the bathroom and the throne and all so I could hear if there were any serious crashes or 911 needed to be called. Luckily no such medical emergencies arose.

When I got up later D4 had finished paying homage to the throne and managed to make it as far as the couch in the living room--but she looked like something the dog dragged in that the cat spat up. So, I sent her back to bed and she slept the entire day away. D4 joined us for dinner and is feeling much better. Does anyone know where that rule came from? You know, the one where the Dad can alert the mom the children are sick but he can't actually take care of them? Just wondering . . .

P.S. Okay, Okay in fairness to my cute hubby. He did give her some medicine to settle her stomach--it's just that she couldn't take it until she stopped throwing up.