by Sabrina Garibian posted in Parenting

"I can't believe I decided to get my tonsils out instead of taking that chalky medicine. I'm nervous," my 6-year-old son Raffi said just a few seconds before they took him back for his tonsillectomy. He looked so small yet so big and brave, carrying the teddy he's had since birth, and wearing too small Christmas pajamas, the ones he loves the most.
I sat in the waiting room, 27 weeks pregnant and desperately trying not to burst into tears, less because I'd be embarrassed and more because there were other little kids in the waiting room, about to follow the same path my son just did. I didn't want to frighten them.
Raffi has had several cases of strep over the last few years, and the taste of the chalky antibiotics make him get sick. Getting him to take his medicine is a horrible struggle, and when he has strep he misses at least a week of school. He hates missing school and hates that medicine even more. We collectively agreed a tonsillectomy was the best choice and not to wait any longer, but man was I losing it on the day of surgery. We are now on the other side and well into recovery. And I have plenty of tonsillectomy recovery tips to share with you. Here are the ones I found most valuable.

9 tonsillectomy recovery tips for your little one:
1. Stay on top of your child's pain medication. Even if your child doesn't seem to be in pain, give him his medicine at every interval to stay ahead of the pain.
2. Set alar...