There is no reason for your to say yes to a request that undermines your strength. If you do not wish to disclose that you have fibro, than just politely decline and tell her you are very sorry but you are unable to.

Fibro IS A REAL ILLNESS. There is no reason you have to try and pretend otherwise or give up recovery time to a neighbor looking for a free babysitter.

Oh, I wish you had told her no. I agree with letitbe that you really don't even have to give a reason....that was a lot to ask a "normal" person, let alone one with fibro.

Maybe if you want to give a reason, then say you have a chronic pain disease (yes, disease...that's what I'm calling it now!), and you're unable to do it.

As a retired teacher, I remember how precious those weather days were! Teaching takes so much out of you, that you really needed that day to recover.

Take care!
Elizabeth

It is learning to say no and that is a hard one for me. But, you deserve to do whatever you want on a snow day even if it is sleeping.

However, you may have to disclose to your neighbors that you like being there for them, but currently you are dealing with a chronic illness and working is difficult enough.

Like Letitbe said you need your recovery time and if you are fortunate to get a free day off of work then use it the best way you can for yourself.

I think that is one of the hardest words to deal with...No.... but we have to learn how to say it because we end up hurting ourselves. You are entitled to have time to YOURSELF, don't you agree? WE have enough trouble just dealing with ourselves with Fibro, but how do you tell children that you have Fibro and what you go through? My answer to your neighbor would have been... " I really wish I could but I'm in a lot of pain today and what I need is an epsom salt bath or a heating pad on my pain, whatever you decide to say. You are number 1. Always... Hugs GB P.S. If you have trouble dealing with people that don't understand, keep the book "Fibromyalgia for Dummies" on your coffee table. It's a good book for us, and those that have no clue.

"No" is such a little word but so hard to say.

Can't improve on the good advice here.

Id say next time, you know not to answer the phone or the door. Nothing wrong with hiding out inside your house!

Hand her a bill, as if she had to put them in daycare or hire a babysitter. Its not right for her to take advantage of you, whether you are sick, hurting or not.

Just tell her you have other plans and wont be able to and keep it short and sweet. There is a difference between watching them when they get off the bus for a hour or so, compared to all day.

There are tons of parents that have to deal with the same circumstances during snowdays and I am sure they cant push them off on some neighbor.

Or, if you want to scare them from sending the kids over all together, just say you have 'something wrong' with your auto immune system."

I've gotten tired of tiptoeing around the subject of Fibromyalgia. If people ask, I tell them. If a situation comes up that I feel I simply cannot participate in them, I simply decline. If asked why, I tell them.

My worry is that no one gets the impression from my words or actions that I doubt the seriousness of the condition. I'm not faking, lying, lazy, or a hypochondriac. If they want to think it's all in my head... may God bless them to find out they're wrong the easy way.

Thanks so much for the advice. I know I need to build a better backbone and sometimes it is hard to admit I can't do what i used to do. Thanks for the support I needed it!!!