Well, as you can see I have been a little bogged down lately, so my blog has suffered!
Right after my return from a WONDERFUL beach vacation, my daughter and I caught some bug and were sick for the past few days! So, in honor of our illness I decided to do a “Sick Mommy” Blog, all about how to handle YOU sick, but still be a great Wild Mommy!
The first thing we have to do as moms when we’re sick, is ADMIT IT! This has got to be my biggest issues when I am sick. I hate having to say “I’m too sick to do…” Whatever! It’s like taking away my red cape! I am Mommy, I am supposed to stay well so I can keep everyone else well!
Well, that isn’t how it always turns out and unfortunately, being on the front lines between children and cleanliness, Moms are SUPER EXPOSED to all those nasty little germs!! So, now you’re sick. You are sick, and what most people DON’T even THINK about is that you CANNOT CALL IN! There are no real “sick days” as a mom. (Nor holidays, vacations or weekends!) So, sick or not, your little one will still need general to specific care, and you are the care-giver. So, again, like I said, first thing is first, just go ahead and admit you are sick.
Hello, I am Wild Mommy MC, and I am a very sick mommy.
Good, now we can begin!
So, not to sound cliche or anything, but the best thing you can do is start off with rest. As a full-time mom, I find that my personal, alone time tends to come after bedtime! Well, when you’re sick, this personal time should be rest! Don’t stay up late like usual, go ahead a get in bed early. Honestly, sleep is the best thing you can do.
But, once you’ve gotten your sleep and still feel crappy, here’s how we continue.
1- Throw out the rule book
Number one to sick mommy days is throwing out the rule book for the day. I usually will NEVER condone throwing out the rule book because consistency is really all we have with our kiddos, but on sick days, you just can’t handle the rules. I’m not saying your kiddos gets a free pass, but you will need to cut them some MAJOR slack and allow leniency with the rules. Not only will they be more stressed because you are sick, but you will be more likely to OVER STRESS rules if you are sick and tired. So, to keep the peace, just throw the book out for the day!
One of the rules I find I can throw out almost completely is FOOD!
2-Sick Food Ready
Again, realize this is only ONE DAY And that the stress it will relieve is worth the ONE day of bad nutrition. If you feel you are becoming sick and are not pantry ready for illness, stock up! What you’ll want is EASY meals. Something microwaveable (TV Dinner) or instantly “servable” (Lunchable etc.). Also, if you are sick and not your kiddo, another good tip is to treat them more that day. Allow a little ice cream or some cookies. If you include the dessert incentives, you can actually get good behavior out of them all day long just for ice cream! And you’ll be surprised at how much stress it can relieve just to be able to take meals off of your to-do list.
3- Role Reversal
As parents, when we get sick, we often forget that there is someone to take care of us. We get so wrapped up in taking care of THEM, we forget that they can care for us too! One thing I have found VERY helpful when I am sick is allowing Boo to switch roles with me. Instead of me caring for her, I allow her to care for me. Now, obviously you want to begin by telling your child how sick you are, and what to expect of you for the day. Be honest, tell them you do not feel like playing. I know, it sounds like sacrilege to hear me say that here on WildMommyMC.com, but you DON’T feel like playing today, so the best thing you can do is get that on the table! Once they understand your sickness, give them something to do. Like I said, role reversal is great!
So, over the past few days that I have been sick, Boo has helped me clean the kitchen, clean my bedroom, do the daily chores and helped actually CARE FOR ME.
It may sound like she had a bad day, but she actually enjoyed it. Including her in my chores made the chores not so difficult and kept her engaged instead of bored. Because we all know bored kids = annoyed moms. lol
I started by giving her little tasks, like helping me put up the plastic dishes or picking up trash. But as she’s gotten older she’s learned how to do laundry, wash the dishes and she’s pretty good at just caring for me. As I was sick along the way of raising her, I’ve taught her how to care for sick people, too. Watching me, she’s learned to remind me to stay hydrated, rest and take it easy. And that’s the 2nd side to role reversal, letting your babies take care of you. It does wonders for illness to have little baby hands stroking your hair or rubbing your back.
And that leads us to the last tip,
4- LOVINS’
The single most important thing you can do when you are sick is cuddle and love on your kiddos. Now, DON’T EXPOSE THEM IF YOU ARE STILL CONTAGIOUS! lol of course! But, once you aren’t, let them in! When you’re sick, you tend to disengage. and that is NORMAL! The best thing you can do to combat that is physical affection. It will help your child to stay connected to you even though you can’t be involved and it will make you feel a WHOLE LOT BETTER!
So, being a Wild Mommy isn’t all fun and games. Sometimes, it’s about just trying your hardest. And that’s really all we can do when we’re sick. Try hard. Remember, they’re kiddos, and they don’t really have a memory that will allow them to recall what being sick is like. So, when they DO press that last nerve, instead of complaining or yelling try asking for a hug or kiss instead.
And please, please, get better, because tomorrow is ANOTHER day of Motherhood, sick or not…
ALSO, for 40 ways to entertain your kids while lying down check out:
www.babycenter.com/0_40-ways-to-entertain-your-kids-while-lying-down_10350158.bc
Until Next Time,
Wild Mommy MC
@Wildmommymc
WildMommyMC@yahoo.com
Wild Mommy MC 