I’m pretty sure that somewhere in the certainties of life, the fact that you have children also means that you will experience sick children. Some years will be better than others; during those years, count your blessings. (To be fair, it is beneficial to count your blessings in the “bad years,” as well.) During the first six years of our twins’ lives, we endured at least one stint at Children’s Mercy Hospital every year; these visits were never fun, but I think we learned a lot about parenting through illness from those experiences.
Hopefully your children won’t need to stay in the hospital, but if you do find yourself with a sick child, or maybe even two (or more), here are ten tips for staying sane in sickness:
- Trust your gut. Maybe it’s the way your child was extra-snugly in the morning or just a little sleepier than normal. Maybe your toddler keeps falling or bumping into the wall. If you think your child might be sick, trust your gut and proceed as though you know they are sick. Keep a record of things that are ‘off.’ Maybe it’s an awful smell of the child’s breath or a fever that seems to come and go; jot them down because you might forget if it continues for a few days or if you have multiple children who are off. This is also helpful for your healthcare professional!
- Establish a good relationship with your doctor(s). When you and your child know the physician, some of the anxiety is eased and the appointments are more productive.
- Take inventory of your medicine cabinet. Saline spray, over-the-counter pain medicines, an accurate thermometer, and a humidifier are a few things that are helpful to have on-hand. Tea and chocolate are also helpful (to help YOU feel better).
- Prep the pantry. Having some easy-to-fix meals is sometimes the only way dinner can happen when you are tending to a sick child (or husband ;)). For our family, that means Trader Joe’s Black Bean Soup with shredded cheddar cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. If you make chicken broth (from a time prior to the arrival of the illness-ridden home), it makes a great base for chicken noodle soup. Breakfast for dinner can also come together quickly, especially cereal and yogurt.
- If someone offers help, consider your current situation – specifically, help should ease your mind, not complicate it. Usually it comes as a genuine offer to help – maybe it’s a trip to the grocery store, or being home with other kids if you need to be at the doctor’s office.
- Nighttime preparations are key. If your child is vomiting, changing the sheets is hard to do in the middle of the night. Consider keeping a deep bowl for older kids at their bed and for ‘cribbed’ kids, make the bed twice (mattress pad, sheet, mattress pad, sheet). This will save you one sheet change in the middle of the night.
- Minimize extra duties. This includes knowing when ‘no’ is best for you and your family – something that’s important to remember even when the entire family is healthy.
- Remember to take a break. Take a short walk outside or ask a friend to meet you for a cup of coffee. Being a parent is exhausting, but tending to an ill household is downright draining.
- Stop guilting yourself. For example, when my house is sick, I often find myself feeling guilty for not exercising. I finally accepted the fact that there was not enough time or energy in me and allowed it to let go. I decided either do it or don’t, but accept the decision, stop dwelling on it.
- Breathe, get the best sleep possible, and try to comfort your sick kiddo. The house will not fall into shambles if the laundry pile gets a little higher than normal or the vacuuming is skipped. Of course, some chores (like dishes and trash) are easier if taken care of regularly so set priorities and remember to breathe if the list is left unfinished. If your baby refuses to be left laying down, wearing your baby allows you to hold them and have your hands free.
Motherhood never ends – and it feels like cold and flu season doesn’t, either! I’d love to hear your tips for staying sane in sickness – feel free to share them here or on our Facebook page!
