This blog post has been in the works for a while… I wanted to write a post that would help you to cope when you or someone in your family got sick.
But the day I wanted to write it, I took my son to hospital.
And then the next week, I got sick too. (Just colds that triggered asthma attacks and wiped us all out, nothing too serious! I know some of you have dealt with much worse!)
So, here we are three weeks later, and I’ve tested the practicality of all of these ideas of what to do if you or your family are sick. Here are my top tips to keep life going even when all you can do is limp along with a box of tissues:
Nourish yourself
When looking after sick children or when you are sick yourself, remember that you need to put in good food that will help your body to heal. As well as taking the medications or supplements that you need to take, try and stick to real food that will nourish and benefit you and your family. And drink lots of water!
Rest
Again, whether you are the one who is sick, or if it’s your family, you need to think about getting more rest. You might have been up all night, so try and take a nap if you can. If that means snuggles with your children, or letting them watch a DVD so that you can nap, don’t feel guilty: this is important for everyone that you get some good rest.
Minimise and simplify
apply this advice to everything you can – from your calendar to your meal planning. Try and minimise the appointments and errands you need to do while someone is sick, so that you can really focus on getting better! Don’t worry if clothes aren’t ironed or the dust settles for another week: give yourself time to do the minimum you need to get by.
Ask for assistance
Yes, back to this really difficult thing of asking for and accepting help! I know it’s hard, but sometimes it’s the best thing to do to speed up recovery. Ask for help with shopping or food preparation; maybe see if someone else can do a school drop off so that you don’t need to take sick people out of bed. There might be a chance that someone could care for other children while you focus on the sick people (always being cautious of spreading the germs!). People are usually quite happy to help if they are able, and sometimes having someone who can pick up milk and bread will make your whole day feel more in control while you rest or care for others.
Illness is never fun, but it’s such a common part of family life. I’ve noticed that I often catch the same type of cold or sickness that my children have had, and it’s never much fun to try and keep life moving along when you’re feeling unwell. So remember to adjust your expectations of yourself when you aren’t feeling 100%, and to create an environment where you are better able to heal and recover.
I’d love to hear if you have any other tips to survive when someone in your house is unwell! Share your wisdom in a comment below!
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