I got to know the elementary school nurse well.   The nurse also got to know my kids well and they happen to be very responsible.   Believe me, the responsibility my kids have is a gift from God, I can’t take the credit!!  The elementary nurse happens to be our middle school nurse as well.  My 1st two kids did not start taking their meds independently until they were in middle school.   It worked well for my oldest daughter, Rachel, however, my 2nd daughter, Quinn was forgetting often.  I went over Quinn’s schedule several times with her trying to figure out a good time inbetween classes to take her Cortef.  We tried different times between 1:15 - 2:15p.   Quinn started feeling the consequences of her forgetfullness when she would forget her meds and not feel well.  However, that only happened a few times.  Now Quinn actually takes her meds at 1:55p!!!

The school nurse (the one who knew us), called the high school nurse and talked to her about how Rachel would take her own meds.  I signed all the proper forms, our ped. endo also had to sign a form indicating that it would be OK for Rachel to take her meds on her own (same with Quinn in middle school).

My kids are not the only kids in school that require medications.  It is a responsibility of the school to administer your kids’ medications.  However, the buck stops with me regarding giving my kids the meds they needed.  When in elementary school, most kids who need meds go right after lunch to get their pills.  My kids did not do that because they had to take it at 2:00p.  We talked with my kids’ teachers, school secretaries, nurse & principal and obtained a letter from the doc saying that 2:00p was a crucial time.  It worked out for my kids to take their meds right after the afternoon recess.  My kids would forget often, then the office would call my kids out of class for them to come down to the office and take their meds.  That was embarrassing and disruptive for my kids.  Those uncomfortable feelings helped my kids remember to go to the office right after recess.  I also told them that if they continually did not remember, they would not be allowed to go out to recess the next day.  Recess has always been VERY important to my kids in elementary school.

My last child, Clark is still in elementary school (4th grade) - I don’t know if he will be able to handle himself taking meds on his own when he gets to middle school.  He is the 3rd of birth order and a boy and playing basketball, football, etc (whatever the sport season)  is SOOOOO much more important to him than responsibility!!  We will cross that bridge when we come to it!!

Each kid is different so just do what you can!!  Oh, I also have shown great appreciation and respect to the school secretaries and have thanked them at x-mas & at the end of the year with a little gift for "taking such good care of my kids".  If you ever want to e-mail directly, please feel free to do so! nrechner@new.rr.com