When they voluntarily switch off the ever-coveted electronics, then pass up one of Grandma’s desserts saying, “I don’t really feel like it”, you know that something’s up. Last week, as my son just lay on the sofa that he’s normally pole-vaulting over or building forts out of, I knew I had a sick kid on my hands.

Fever at 103.1 I started to get worried. I had to call a friend because I didn’t know what to do. Yes, we’ve had what seem like interminable years of the ‘green elevens’ — that constant runny nose — but whatever bug he’d picked up this time, he wasn’t taking it in his usual stride. Good health is one of those things we tend to take for granted, until it’s gone. It’s tough watching a poorly child, especially one’s own, and feeling powerless to help them. All I could do was be there. I realised I’d been feeling ‘under-the-weather’ all week myself, I’d just been ignoring it: work too busy to stop, life too hectic. But suddenly my child was sick, which I couldn’t ignore. I had no choice but to slam on the brakes. I was reminded of back when I was his age, sick from school once, my father coming home at lunch, having rented me a stack of videos to watch. Not the kind of thing he normally did, and I remember really appreciating that he’d taken the time out — I felt looked after. So I went and did the same. My boy and I lay on the couch with boxes of tissues, orange juice, medicine, blankets and we watched The Goonies, and Annie and Scooby-Doo, played Uno when we felt up to it, cutched with our dog. Apart from feeling pretty miserable … it was really nice.

Lying there, aching and snuffling, I was aware of several silver-lining lessons on those snotty tissues:

1. Life is unpredictable; we just never know what might arise to change our plans.

2. Grown-ups need looking after too. Three days of self-care beats three months of something dragging on, unaddressed.

3. I shouldn’t wait for illness to force me to slow down and spend some time with my boy. He’s growing up fast and there may come a point he no longer wants to hang out and cutch with his mum … even when he’s fluey.

4. My capacity for love and patience is greater than I realise (or than gets demonstrated most of the time when I’m stressed and busy) and my son deserves my best at all times.

In a way, I’m almost glad he got sick — the wake-up call I needed — but I’m ever so grateful he got better. I know how fortunate we are. How long will this little reminder last, to keep appreciating each day, ensuring precious time for my child, keeping both our health top priority? Hopefully at least until next cold season!

Julia Pitt is a trained success coach and certified NLP practitioner on the team at Benedict Associates. For further information contact Julia on 705-7488 or www.juliapittcoaching.com.