That's Fit

I don't know about you but I've never worried more about health issues than I do now that I'm a mom. My own health concerns cause me some worry but my kids' health issues -- they really cause me some worry. I remember freaking out the day my oldest child went to the doctor as a toddler and his pediatrician spotted blood in his urine. I wouldn't have been so bonkers about it all had the doctor not told me it could be a sign of kidney disease. It wasn't. But for a few days, I was sure my baby would face a life-threatening disease. I felt the same way when my youngest guy was sent through the tube of an MRI because trouble with his eye raised a brain tumor red flag. No tumor was found.

So I've established that I'm a worrier. Makes sense to me then to minimize as much worry as possible -- hey, worry isn't good for my health -- by taking appropriate action in the interest of my kids' health whenever possible. There are so many areas out of my control -- like kidney problems and brain tumors -- but for the areas I can influence, by golly, I'm going to take charge.

I'll be brief here -- believe me, I could go on and on -- but these are some of the health duties for which I've charged myself when it comes to the two little boys whose lives are in my hands: Feeding them well, making sure they exercise well, taking them to recommended well doctor visits, taking them for occasional sick doctor visits, ensuring their vaccinations are up to date, making sure they brush, floss, and see a dentist twice a year, keeping all household medications out of reach, teaching proper hand-washing and hygiene habits, slathering them with sunscreen, harnessing them in proper car safety seats, keeping our windows and doors locked at all times, even when we're home, and watching them at all times when they play at a park or in the front of our house -- our backyard is fenced and secure.

The list continues, I assure you, and that makes me happy -- because part of my mommy job is to arm my boys with the skills necessary for taking care of themselves as they grow up, and I want to cover as many bases as possible. My kids won't be able to control everything -- and I suspect they too will worry about a thing or two -- but I'll equip them as best as I can so that their times spent worrying are not as plenty as the times spent marveling at just how much they can influence when it comes to their health and well-being.