Boarding At My Sister's For A Bit

[jenngolightly]

While in search of my own house, I'm forced to live at my sister's for a while - could be days, could be weeks, hopefully not months! She's great and "gets" Celiac, but no one in her house is gluten-free. She has two kids, and her 4 year old daughter, Em, loves me to pieces (and it's reciprocal).

My kids are staying with their dad, and I'm moving my bed and dresser to her house and am camping out in their basement. Em's playthings are down there, so we're going to section off part of the basement to make it mine.

Of course I'm paranoid of getting sick. Em has no self control and just turned 4, so she can understand, "Don't touch Aunt Jenn's stuff," but only remembers it for 5 minutes. Since her play things are in the basement (jungle gym and jumping toys that can't be moved upstairs, and because of strict hoa rules can't be moved outside -- they are colored plastic and hoa only allows wooden play structures-- omg the burbs!) she'll be down there and near my sleeping area and personal belongings. She also loves to be near me and touch me and crawl on me. We don't kiss because of the gluten thing, but we're very touchy-huggy. Right now, I can visit and then come home to change my cloths. There, I won't have a place to wash up away from her. We'll share the bathroom.

The kitchen is a whole other story, but I can move my kitchen stuff and keep it downstairs. I don't think cooking and food cc will be a problem.

I guess my biggest worry is with Em. We're really close and I don't want to break the bond, but I don't want to get sick. I assume many of you will say that staying healthy is the most important thing, and I agree that I def don't want to get sick! But a 4 year-old's love is fragile.

Any suggestions about how can I survive my stay at my sister's and keep my special bond with Em? I don't have anywhere else to go.

[Jestgar]

Can you start teaching her with play?

"Auntie Jenn can't touch bread. Let's wash out hands after we eat so we wash away the bread." "Did you eat some bread? Let's think what you touched and we'll pretend we have to remove a spell from it by washing it off." That sort of thing. Make it a game for her to keep you well.

[kareng]

Maybe you could share some gluten-free snacks with her. Or maybe, snack only at the kitchen table or patio table. No walking around. This would help. Then have Jess handwashing suggestion.

Keep your stuff in boxes or plastic boxes or up high.

I don't know what size the toys are, but here we can take them out while we are playing.

My son went to a daycare at a home. She was such a neat freak. Crumbs drove her nuts. If the weather was good, the kids ate outside on the patio. Then took turns brooming the crumbs into the yard for the birds. The kids thought it was great fun.

[Takala]

Put a roll of paper towels on a dispenser rack in the bathroom, and a liquid soap dispenser.

I don't know if you will have a microwave, (they do make small and relatively inexpensive ones these days) but here is your opportunity to do some gluten free baking in one, such as bun-in-a-bowl type recipes, converted to be sweeter and more muffin like by adding a bit of sugar, honey, etc, and then sharing the results of the "special" cake with her.