Let's be honest here: Raise your hand if you ever, as the parent of a young child, looked at your dear one and thought (perhaps even said aloud), "Oh, I'd give anything for it to be me rather than my baby."

Have you thought that? Said that? Go ahead... raise your hand.

Just let it be known that my hand is not raised. For I have never said that, never hoped that, never wished I would be the sick one rather than my child.

Sounds harsh, doesn't it?

Before I explain, let me assure you that I'm in no way whatsoever talking about when a child might have a horrendous illness, a chronic state of disability, a disease of any sort. No, I certainly would never, ever wish that upon a child rather than an adult. Ever.

But when the sort of out-of-sorts is along the lines of coughs, colds, stomach bugs or anything generally likely to be over and done with in a relatively short period — despite it feeling like forever — I can honestly say I preferred my young children suffer the sickness rather than me.

Only because if my child was sick, I could care for her. When I was sick, I couldn't care for anyone. At all.

And that can be scary. Scarier than having a sick child whom I can nurse back to health.

I consider this Mom vs. Child vs. Sickness situation because two out of three of my grandsons have been under the weather the last week or so. Mommy Megan — their mom, my daughter — was doing a fine job caring for the stricken.

Monday, the boys started doing better — but Megan got sick. Scarily sick. Worse than the boys. Throbbing head, chest congestion, dizziness kind of sick.

And she had three kiddos to care for in such a state.

"It sucks being a sick mom" was about all I could offer my sick daughter. Because it does suck. Oft times just as much for the kids as it does for Mom.

Despite being sick, Megan still had to get Bubby ready for school, still had to do her share of carpooling, still had to make breakfast, lunch and dinner for the family.

And Megan still had to get Mac to swimming lessons, get Jak his bottles and clean diapers throughout the day, get Bubby's contribution for the school potluck to the school on time.

It would have been so much simpler if one of the boys were sick, Megan were well, and she could cater to and cuddle with the sick little sweetie, whomever that of my grandsons might be.

Plus, if it were one of the boys feeling under the weather instead of Megan, a mommy driving a car filled with children when overcome with a dizzy spell that makes her seriously consider whether she should pull over or plod on to just get the heck home wouldn't have been a danger — to herself or the kiddos in the car.

There's the saying that "If Mama aint happy, aint no one happy." I think that applies doubly so when considered as "If Mama aint healthy, aint no one happy." Not the mom, not the kids, not the dad who can't get off work to help out.

And definitely not the grandma who lives more than 800 miles away and can't hop in the car and head over to give her sick daughter time to take a nap while Grandma cares for the kiddos.

I didn't raise my hand to say YES, that's me! when posing the question regarding moms with young sick ones. I will — and do — say YES, that's me! thoughwhen it comes to the same question regarding older kids, adult kids... adult kids who are mothers and have little children of their own to care for.

So listen up and listen closely, dear Megan, for this is the first time you'll hear me say this: "Oh, I'd give anything for it to be me rather than you, my baby."

My big baby who needs to get back to health so she can care for her little ones.

And so this grandma can get back to being okay with living in the mountains while her adult child who needs a break from mommying so she can rest and recuperate lives in the desert.

Today's question:

What's your vote (and justification): Sick mom or sick child?