I am a Bad Mommy. When my kids get sick, I never, ever take their temperature. I'm not even sure that there is a kid-friendly thermometer in my house right now.
It's not that I don't care about their health; it's just that I've never found any of the ear or armpit or temple thermometers all that accurate or effective. This CNN piece on how to take a temp might offer some advice for moms like me -- or give a refresher course to moms who like to know exactly how hot their kid is.
It won't change my approach, however. If either of my kids is lethargic enough to hold an oral thermometer under his or her tongue, then the fever is high. And if they'll remain still enough to have it taken rectally, well, we should already be in the car on the way to the ER.
Photo credit: CNN
