The Unforeseen Consequences of Working with Kids

In a previous blog, I mentioned that the favorite part of my day is when I head off to the Tutt branch of the Boys & Girls Club to hang out with my kids for a couple of hours every afternoon. Like most things in life, however, nothing comes without cost.

In the past couple of months, I have gotten the stomach flu and two colds (I'm currently battling my latest cold). Since I normally get sick once every six months, I can't help but see a direct correlation between being around kids and illness! I'm starting to see my kids like Charles Schultz's Pigpen character, only surrounded by a cloud of viruses instead of dirt. Like Pigpen and the rest of the Peanuts gang (with the obvious exception of that bratty Lucy), however, my kids are so completely lovable that I can't help but return to them, despite the risk to my immune system.

In the meantime, I am keeping the training light and at a low intensity while I get rid of my delightfully phlegmy cough. I'm also getting a bit of a kick out of my new husky, laryngitis voice (though it is not so great for getting heard over rowdy children). With only a few weeks of training left until the end of the season, it is difficult to sit back and wait to be healthy before resuming my training. I do know from experience, however, that the easier that I take it, the sooner I get healthy and that the sooner that I am healthy, the sooner I can train. I do admit, however, that I find myself nostalgic for the days when I could take any old OTC medication to clear up my symptoms. Oh NyQuil and Robitussin, how I miss thee...