I’m probably setting myself up here but this is a good question. Who’s a bigger baby when they’re sick? Men or women?
I’ll admit that I pampered my boys when they were sick. Sorry Sue. Sorry Nikki. But I can honestly say that it had nothing to do with the fact that they were male. I would have done the same thing had I had girls. I think it’s just in my nature to take care of people.
I pretty much waited on my kids hand and foot when they were sick. Is there anything you need? Are you hungry? Are you cold? On and on. I hate complaining on the other hand so I know that sounds strange that I would be nurturing on one hand and then to hate to hear about every bodily function on the other hand. I like to take care but hate to hear all the grizzly details of how the body is “getting rid” of things. Does that make sense?
I on the other hand, hate to be fussed over when I don’t feel good. Just leave me alone and I’ll be fine. I hate someone asking me every 13 minutes how I feel. Half the time I’m not feeling quite up to par, I don’t even say anything to anyone. We all don’t feel our best on some days so I just keep the little aches and pains to myself. Don’t we hate those folks who when asked, “how are you today,” to really find out? Do we just say that out of politeness? Because when I ask someone how they are, I don’t really mean I want to hear they have diarrhea, didn’t sleep well, have a sore back or have indigestion. Because I feel we all have those “off” days. It doesn’t mean I don’t care. It just means some things are better left unsaid to a well meaning person in the store.
I also find that some people always say something is wrong. Some people, and believe me, I don’t understand this but some people I feel like to be sick and use every little excuse from a sore hand to a sore throat or stomach ache in order to just say they’re sick. What is up with that? Why would anyone want to be sick? I always feel if I say I don’t feel good, I’ll really get sick and there’s nothing I hate more than not feeling good. I hate those damn virus’s invading my body.
I also don’t take anything when I get sick. I don’t take cold medications or any of those kinds of things. I know I have a very high tolerance to pain but don’t know if I’m different than other people or if I’ve just been lucky. I’ve had two kids and had wisdom teeth pulled out and 3 years ago I had very serious dental work done but yet I’ve never taken a pain pill in my life. I take advil when needed but I don’t feel that “changes” me in any way.
So what are you? Are you a “wimp” or are you a “tough guy?” Did one of your parents wait on you when sick? Do you know more women or men who are babies when sick?
Us Girls..Our Views 
I think that it’s only natural for parents to pamper their children when they’re sick! I mean, it’s extremely understandable why you did.
I’m not sure who the bigger complainers are, though. My brother and boyfriend are both guys who never complain when they’re sick, they just curl into a ball and emerge from their tangle of blankets when they’re all better.
I, on the other hand, used to be a great complainer when I got sick – mostly because I got sick so rarely that I could no stand it once I was sick.
Nowadays however, I catch myself thinking “I want to be sick for a couple days…” but it’s not for the attention of it, it’s mostly because it would be an escape from real life for a few days. Does that make any sense?
I don’t know to be honest, I’ve known some pretty strong women and some men who, when contracted with “Man flue”, are dying. I’m like you in the sense that if I am sick I don’t really pay much attention to it – I mean yeah I’ve got the flu but will it destroy my mood? Hell no
I will be brave here and SAY MEN, for sure!!!!!!!Sorry guys.
Men are the biggest babies when they get sick! My father, my brother and my husband are/were all wimps when they are sick!
I pamper my girls when they are sick but they are pretty much like me and don’t admit to being sick unless I catch them with a fever over 100 degrees.
Men are the BIGGEST babies ever….
I would be on my death bed and no one would ever know it… not even my best friends… its happened MANY times.
I am not really sure. I do think it has something to do with whether or not you were coddled as a child. I have an ex who acted like the world should come to a screeching halt because he had the sniffles. He wouldn’t even ask how I felt, but then, he was raised in a very “traditional” Asian family where the “son” was second only to God. On the other hand, my brother nearly died of peritonitis because he wouldn’t complain. My dad heard him groaning from his bedroom and investigated because he’d never groaned before in his life. But, as he got older he seemed to get more wimpy, so I don’t know.
When I was a kid, my siblings and I all had the flu at the same time every year. Depending on what year it was, there were either four or five of us back then. My mom used to lay sheets down in the (non-carpeted) hallway in front of the bathroom door and that is where we would sleep until we got over it. If anyone threw up anywhere but the toilet, that person had to clean it up (or help). This all seemed to make perfect sense and we didn’t know others did it differently. Hence, it never occurred to me to be whiny or demanding when sick. My only desire is to look convincing enough to justify a little time off work.
Both my wasband and my son are the biggest babies when they are sick. It makes me sick just watching them.
Once my daughter was in the back seat of a car when she was about 16 years old with friends. The owner of the car worked for a glass company and a razor blade had gotten wedged in the seat. She cut her finger badly on the blade and didn’t tell anyone. She managed to get her sock off and wrap it around the finger and hide her hand so no one would see it. When she walked in the door she went straight to the bathroom without saying a word to me. She finally came out and told me after she had cleaned and bandaged it herself. If that had happened to her brother he would have gone to the ER.
My son-in-law is good though. When he is sick he never complains. But he grew up with a very cold mother. I babied both my kids but Sarah has always had a strong personality.
I myself am in a lot of pain constantly because of my knees and back but I don’t think I complain about it around the house. Though I do groan sometimes when I get up to walk.
Very interesting question and comments.
My husband was in a car wreck in May. He was one giant bruise, had a badly dislocated leg, cuts, scratches, hypothermia, you name it. And he didn’t complain.
But last week, he got a cold, and I swear, I’ve NEVER heard anyone whine so much. I just don’t get it.
Another pet peeve? When someone always has to be worse than you. If you say you have a headache, they have a migrane. If you are feeling under the weather, they’re miserable. I’ve stopped answering those questions, because it’s usually the person asking that feels worse than any answer you can give!!!
I think men whine more when it comes to colds/stomach flu than women. We are expected to get up and continue doing all the dishes, laundry, cooking and cleaning that we normally do, but if the guys get one sniffle it’s like the world ends and they can’t do anything!!!!! Oh, and they always get it worse than you do!
Let me be the TENTH to admit that we men are the biggest babbies.
I like it that way. I rarely… I mean very rarely get ill. When I do I want EVERYONE to take good care of me. 🙂
For me I think it depends on my stress level at the time. The story from JoanHarvest about the razor blade reminded me of myself as a kid. I was about 6 and in the backseat of our car I cut my arm badly on a piece of rusty wire that we had put through a tin can to make a handle (I was holding the can full of blackberries at the time). I never said a word or cried at all. It wasn’t until my mother was putting me in my pjs when we got home and saw all the blood that she asked me what had happened. I still have the scar.
I often have a high pain tolerance IF I’m not already stressed out or tired. I have learned since becoming a mom (and giving birth) that I do not like other people around me if I’m uncomfortable. I get embarrassed very easily and feel the need to keep myself together. I like to be in control of my body and all it’s functions and feelings at all times.
I DO like attention though when it comes to things like someone else dealing with the kids, cooking dinner or otherwise making decisions for the day. And of course if someone wanted to buy me flowers or something to make me feel better I wouldn’t be opposed to that either…so I guess in that regard I am a bit of a baby.
My husband on the other hand. He never complains…so I can’t say he’s a bigger whiner….BUT what I find INFURIATING is if he has the slightest case of sniffles he considers himself ‘off duty.’ Without even so much as saying a word to me he’ll put himself in bed for the entire day and I’ll chase the kids, cook, clean etc. Now, to be fair I don’t mind this when he’s REALLY sick…then I feel bad…BUT I’ve noticed that when I’m sick it never happens. Even if I try to lay down in the bedroom and close the door the kids are in there five minutes later demanding something and I end up getting up and find him sitting on the computer or reading a book oblivious to the whole thing.
Times that we’re BOTH sick??? That’s the worst!
Just thought I would add something to this. I have a wicked toothache today. I can’t have it pulled for three days because I take aspirin. Yes, I’ve come her to whine. Ha! Ha!
Joan, I’m so sorry about your toothache. I can sure relate to those. There is nothing as bad as that. I hope these 3 days go by quickly for you. You can whine here any time.