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So I just did my first weekend of call at Emma. I have to be there for meds from 10-12 Sat and Sun and i'm on call for any other issues. We have a wicked GI bug going around so I spent extra time each day with my pukers getting them adequately hydrated to settle in under their house parents. I had to pop in both Sat and Sun evenings for just a bit to respond to some issues. I only live four miles away so I'm fairly quick to pop in becaue it's NBD and DH was off all weekend to watch the kids. 
The youngest kids have major cabin fever manifesting as tantrums and fights in a stream-of-consciousness form. They.never.stop. Everyone at the school was soooooo appreciative of my help and the extra effort I put into their well-being, communicating with worried, distant moms and their comfort. I was home just enough to enjoy my family, eat out with them, snuggle, hang out, but didn't do any meals, cleaning or harping. I pulled in over $600 to be told how awesome I am and feel appreciated and still enjoy all the highlights of my kids' weekend. I could totally get used to this. To be fair, I wasn't called in the middle of the night, but it was…fun. DH was a trooper knowing this was the first time our roles were reversed so completely. I had to be able to leave at any moment. His eyes were glazed over each evening. He was a lot quieter and less playful with the kids. You don't feel like being silly with them after dealing with them all.day.long. It was validating on both ends for me. Staying home is so much harder mentally and emotionally. I realize my call is NOTHING like his. I'm not up all night long with trauma patients or acute abdomens, but it's so nice to be appreciated and paid well for it. You have to reach really deep inside at home to keep breaking up the same fights, cleaning up the same messes, folding the same laundry and cooking the same meals for picky eaters.
The youngest kids have major cabin fever manifesting as tantrums and fights in a stream-of-consciousness form. They.never.stop. Everyone at the school was soooooo appreciative of my help and the extra effort I put into their well-being, communicating with worried, distant moms and their comfort. I was home just enough to enjoy my family, eat out with them, snuggle, hang out, but didn't do any meals, cleaning or harping. I pulled in over $600 to be told how awesome I am and feel appreciated and still enjoy all the highlights of my kids' weekend. I could totally get used to this. To be fair, I wasn't called in the middle of the night, but it was…fun. DH was a trooper knowing this was the first time our roles were reversed so completely. I had to be able to leave at any moment. His eyes were glazed over each evening. He was a lot quieter and less playful with the kids. You don't feel like being silly with them after dealing with them all.day.long. It was validating on both ends for me. Staying home is so much harder mentally and emotionally. I realize my call is NOTHING like his. I'm not up all night long with trauma patients or acute abdomens, but it's so nice to be appreciated and paid well for it. You have to reach really deep inside at home to keep breaking up the same fights, cleaning up the same messes, folding the same laundry and cooking the same meals for picky eaters.
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