Once again, I received some helpful parenting advice, this time about causes of tummy aches. I thought this was a great list in a rather obvious sort of way. I have a couple of additions.
• What causes tummy trouble in children?
• 1. Gastroenteritis or “stomach flu”
• 2. Milk allergy or lactose intolerance
• 3. Constipation and changes in diet
• 4. Upper respiratory illness
• 5. Appendicitis
• 6. Gas
While the above outline may apply to some common triggers, the following tummy ache culprits appear a lot more often in my house.
1. Music lessons, practising for music lessons, driving to music lessons, discussing past, present or future music lessons, music lesson re-enrolment form, the sound of a piano, The Sound Of Music, an ampersand that might be confused for a treble clef, anything to do with music lessons.
2. Foods they have never tried before based on sight and sometimes smell alone.
3. Dead batteries in the ipad forcing them to play with humans.
4. Foods introduced as “healthy” or “nutritious.”
5. School boredom coinciding with a stacked afternoon t.v. line-up.
6. When bedtime is called before a t.v. show and/or movie is over.
7. Homework—can escalate to severe ulcers if said homework is for music class.
8. Anytime someone is dangerously close to being tagged “it” in any game.
9. Hair brushing time and/or tidy-up time.
10. Notice of head lice in the classroom—this one applies more to Mommy’s tummy aches.
