What can I get for you....

With "Flu season" in full swing, I would've liked to have been one house that it passed by, but like many of us....wishful thinking on my part. How silly of me to even have hoped. I've been left here to fend this horrible illness off as, one by one, each of my children have had their turn. I've spent enough to have anything I could use on hand so that midnight visits to the store were not necessary. BUT, as each child has had their turn, each one had different symptoms. If only it were the same for all. I don't know about you, but with 5 children residing here....they all prefer their own way of taking whatever medicine is needed. The younger they get, the tougher they are to please. Or for that matter...something that would be easy for ME to give to them. The older ones quickly and gladly take their dosage while the last two have been a battle in itself. As a parent we tend to go for the quickest, cleanest method possible and at first it was going well. After having gone a few weeks of taking the nasty stuff (Yes, we have had it here for that long!)...I was finding myself having to be more creative and rely on whatever clever new way of administering the F.D.A. had come up with. I must say that my new favorite is Triaminic's desolving thin strips. Pop one in the child's mouth and it disolves in seconds. No mess to wipe up! My only request is that they make one for fever/pain reducer. I'd stock my storage with that stuff! BUT...they don't so I have had to go with the Tylenol meltaways. Those worked great at first cause they look like 'candy' and the kids eagerly consumed. Now that it's been presented A LOT lately...they aren't so thrilled to pop one in their mouth and I have to result to physical restraint (e.i. my most effective wrestling hold while trying to squirt the syrup in the water tight, closed lips. To only have it dribbled, or spat out. Of course having a rag on hand is a requirement for this inevitable response, but then hope and prayers follow suit, that enough made it in the system to do SOMETHING good.)

Eli was prescribed amoxicylin, (sp?) that horrible pepto pink looking stuff, and so he HAS to take it. I requested the chewable tablets (thinking of less messy method, of course) but have wondered if that was the best decision. The first dose went well, jared and I got him all excited to take it, but then after chewing it he realized that it wasn't worth all the hype. The next time he needed it he objected and found myself bribing him. After that, I included all the kids in on it and they knew before hand what I was up to and asked who wanted a treat. Like the perfect little puppets they are, they acted right on cue and Eli took the bait. The next time...he surprisingly took it, no problem. BUT, now I am to the point of begging, "PLEASE take this for mommy, please. (Insert sad eyes here.) I now spend the day thinking of a new creative way to get him to take it for the 7 more days he has left! :o/ Any suggestions would be MOST welcomed.

Now here's a question for you

What method have you found to be most effective when it comes to giving stubborn children their "feel good medicine?"