[CrunchyGranolaMom]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> 4 y/o dd finally has them! PM if you want to come for a playdate! We are a few miles North of Boston, one mile from Rt. 93.

 

[caramitch]

Hi,<br>
I am brand new to mothering community, but would love to talk to you about the chicken pox.<br>
I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I live just north of Providence.<br>
Should we talk or email directly? Not sure how this works.<br>
Thanks,<br>
Cara

 

[DaughterOfKali]

FYI: Be aware of brand new mdc members who who want to meet with you about chicken pox. They <i>may</i> be reporters looking for a story (not positive stories.)<br>
(I'm a caring mama who just wants everyone to be safe.) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="innocent">

 

[CrunchyGranolaMom]

Hi Cara,<br><br>
Welcome aboard! If you search the main MDC forums, you'll find lots of info about "wild" chicken pox and why you might want to expose your kids to them.<br><br>
Good luck finding what you're looking for.

 

[caramitch]

Hi Crunchy Granola Mom,<br><br>
I am not a reporter but just a mom who wants to expose her children to naturally occurring chicken pox.<br>
I just do not know how one meets up with someone she does not know to do such a thing. I would like to get to know someone a little bit before bringing my children into her house, etc.<br>
You had written that "PM" could come by and I do not know what that means. I am not familiar with the popular abbreviations, etc. I do not know how to text, etc, and I am assuming that is where this kind of thing is learned.<br>
Anyway, are you interested in conversing the old fashioned way, via telephone? Do people on this site every contact each other that way?<br>
Again, I am new to this and I could really use a community of people who could offer a little guidance.<br>
Thanks,<br>
cara

 

[jessjgh1]

cara,<br><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/Welcome.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="welcome"> to MDC. I'm not sure about the background of the reporter incident, it didn't happen to me, but I remember it happened last year...<br><br>
You have some great questions....<br>
It is tricky with chicken pox because one can't meet in public places if their child is exposed. We had some people over when my dd had the pox that I had never met before but I did check them out through the forum and felt comfortable because other people I knew knew them.... or they simply seemed knowledgeable about the forums and participated. (Ie. they were not just on MDC asking for help with things, but also contributing and answering questions). Of course, that is hard for you just coming in, but maybe the phone is a start. Also, stay with us and if it doesn't work this time there may be more exposures.<br>
BTW, everyone has to figure out what they feel safe with. I tended to have a time when multiple moms were at my house at the same time. The moms I met were wonderful and respectful- both in answering my questions, getting back via email or phone, etc. I wouldn't post my phone on the forum, but did sometimes email it to the person so I could talk to them.<br><br>
If you click on the users names on the left side of the screen it will have a drop down menu where you can pm (private message) the person, send them an email (if they have this enabled, and even see what posts they have written. If a mom had a low post count I'll admit I looked around to see what she was posting about. It just made me feel more comfortable that the mom was indeed a member of this community and shared some of my same values and wasn't someone just coming on for whatever reason. Not that that is a foolsafe method, but we all have to use our judgment at some point. Also, I didn't just feel someone was fine because they had 100's of posts... I did look around a little bit even then if I didn't know them.<br>
Cara- how did you find MDC?? And what general area are you from... some of us know each other through some of the local forums.<br>
Hope that helps!<br><br>
Jessica

 

[jessjgh1]

Oh, wait, I see you said North of Providence... sorry. Jessica

 

[caramitch]

Jessica,<br><br>
Thank you for your thoughtful response.<br><br>
I have been a reader of Mothering Magazine for about 5 1/2 years but am only now discovering the online options.<br>
I am a hypnobirthing educator (trained by a woman named Jessica Porter), had one child at the Alternative Birthing Center in Providence in 2005 and my second at home in 2008 with the help of a wonderful homebirth midwife by the name of Jessica Petrone. "Jessica"s seem to be my guardian angels!<br>
I live in Rehoboth, MA which is a rural community after being in Boston for 10+ years and have found it very difficult to meet like-minded (natural birthing, attachment parenting, organic, sugar-free, you get the idea) people.<br>
My daughter is attending a small nursery school in Providence and I have been introduced to a couple of moms who I hope to be friends with for a long time, but only one has similar vaccs/food views.<br>
We have found a wonderful homeopath/MD in Providence who honors our decision not to vaccs, but he does not know of anyone at the moment who has chix pox.<br>
I am thinking that with my daughter being 5 and my son having just turned 2 that it is time to get some exposure to natural chix pox. I remember so vividly missing out on an important picnic on the last day of kindergarden and I would like to get this over with before my daughter has to experience that. My husband did not get the pox until he was 20 and he said that it was awful. I really think that it's time.<br>
So...that's my story.<br><br>
I didn't realize how late it is and I must get the kids who are jumping on my bed upstairs to the table for dinner.<br>
Thank you, again for your time and your kindness. I will figure out how to edit my profile (am I using the right words??) to show my email if it doesn't already allow for that.<br>
best,<br>
cara

 

[jessjgh1]

Jessica Petrone is wonderful, isn't she! She occasionally posts here, too.<br>
I also have to go and get dinner ready.... I've been enjoying having my kids play together, but have LOTS to do!<br>
There are some moms near Taunton and Raynham (one young mom, another Jessica, has come out to Plymouth a few times)-- we'll have to figure out a way to get you guys connected!<br><br>
Jessica

 

[jessjgh1]

Cara,<br>
Did you see this thread: <a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=1170345" target="_blank">http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1170345</a> post #77<br>
South Shore pox.<br><br>
Jessica

 

[caramitch]

Thank you so much, Jessica.<br>
I had seen this thread but I am so new to this kind of communication that it took me hours to get to the last (and most important, in this case) post. If you hadn't directed, however, I would have given up thinking that I had read all there was to read.<br>
Thank you, kind lady!<br>
Now, I do need to do some investigating on how long I would need to keep my daughter out of school (2wks, I think, after exposure??). And I just found out that they are holding pictures this coming Tuesday. Maybe it would be better for us to wait a bit??? I know that I am taking a chance of missing it being so close to home. What to do? What to do?<br>
I guess there is no real GOOD time.<br>
At any rate, your assistance is GREATLY appreciated.<br>
best,<br>
cara

 

[jessjgh1]

Actually, the policy of our school (through MA policy) was that after 10 days you had to take them out of school for 2 weeks... so you might be good for pictures. There's a 11 day incubation period- or so. I don't remember the exact numbers.<br>
Jessica

 

[CrunchyGranolaMom]

Sorry, everyone, but dd is no longer in "full bloom". For us, it was not even 4 days. She's been fine during the day and fairly miserable at night, even w. a lot of calamine lotion and Bendaryl when things got really rough.<br><br>
Good luck for those of you still looking! We had 5 playdates with people from near and far (pox may even be going 3 hours north to Vermont!), so let's see what happens!

 

[dmcleary17]

Hi Cara,<br>
I don't know if you've seen the thread for June RI playgroup, but if you come to Providence for nursery school & doctor visits, you may want to come to meet some like-minded moms too. we meet on Wednesday mornings at Gladys Potter park (the official name on maps--most of us call it Humboldt) on Humboldt Ave., right near Wayland Square. some people meet at some other times as well--you'll find the info for each month under "June RI playgroup," "July RI playgroup", etc.<br>
hope to see you there!