The Butcher, The Baker, The Candlestick Maker. . .

Leave it to Little Zo Peep.

When I got news of my job loss on Monday, I realized that my very intuitive, very smart six year old would deduce that something was changing and begin asking questions soon.

She figured it all out just yesterday.

I had decided to keep both girls home from Daycare/Summer Camp on Wednesday. As I emerge from the fog of my own sickness and continue to recover from my pneumonia, I noticed that each of the girls was beginning to exhibit signs of infections themselves. Although their spirits were high and they hadn't had any fevers, Libby Doodle Doo had been having thick, opaque drainage and Little Zo Peep had been complaining of a sore throat. I wanted to get them both in to see their Pediatrician. As I waited for the Dr. appt at 2:30 PM, Zo Peep followed me around as I did some light chores and worked on the computer.

As I was reading an email from a friend, I quickly found Zo Peep at my left shoulder reading along with me.

"Why does she say, 'Sorry about your job?' " my First Born probed.

The jig was up. I needed to face this conversation with Little Zo Peep already.  I had thought a little about how to handle the job loss situation with Little Zo Peep.  I wanted to be honest with her, but did not want her to fret or worry.    I had decided to make my reply short and sweet to answer her questions and allay any fears.

"Mommy is going to go find a new place to work soon and isn't going to work at the old place anymore."

"I don't want to move," she retorted with a tear catching in her throat. Little Zo Peep has already lost playmates in daycare, pre-school and kindergarten to job relocation.

"Sweetie, mommy doesn't want to move either. Do you think I should look for a job here first?

"Yes."

"Then that's what I'll do."

"Maybe you can work in the Bakery?" Less than a minute after this news was delivered, Sweet Little Zo Peep had already switched to an Outplacement Counselor.

"The Bakery?"

"Yes. Or Day Care, or Church, or my School."

"Good suggestions. I'll put all of those on my list."

That was the end of the conversation. I'm sure we'll have many more discussions in the weeks and months to follow. I decided from this brief encounter that I probably need to get some help to handle this transition for the girls -- especially the Peep. When I was at the Pediatrician's office later I picked up a card for a parental/family therapist who is affiliated with the practice. I'm going to give her a call today.



BTW my intuition about the girls was correct. Libby Doodle Doo has a middle ear infection. Little Zo Peep has Strep throat. So now the entire family is on a course of 3 different anti-biotics. The Doodle can go back to Day Care tomorrow, but Zo Peep needs to stay home until she is no longer infectious. I had a follow-up visit with my own Doctor on Tuesday. I'm making improvements, but its slow going. She put me on some more steroids for my bronchial inflammation and switched my anti-biotic to a more powerful one. I also need to go for a follow-up chest x-ray on Friday.

Taking each day at a time.