Parenting When You’re Sick

No one likes to be sick. Some people are able to deal with sickness better than others; some are big babies when they’re sick, like me. It’s even harder to be sick when you have to be a mom to your kids.

Taking Care of Yourself

When you’re sick, the best thing you can do for your family is to take care of yourself so you can get better. You’re no use to your kids if you end up in the hospital (sometimes that’s necessary and unavoidable. But that’s not what I’m talking about here).

Whether it’s a cold, the flu, an ear infection, a stomachache, or some other temporary malady that has you feeling under the weather, you need to make sure you don’t overextend yourself. Trying to do everything as if you are the picture of perfect health will only wear down your defenses more. You may make yourself sicker if you’re trying to be the perfect wife, mom, and housekeeper instead of resting and recuperating.

As I write this, I am speaking from experience. I ignored cold and flu symptoms last week; I ignored the fact that my ears have been bothered me for 10 days, and that my over-the-counter ear drops weren’t working. I didn’t go to the doctor until this morning. Now I’m on a nasty antibiotic that has wrecked my digestive tract, and I slept for three hours when I should have been at work because I was up half of last night hugging the toilet.

So when you’re sick, do what you need to do. Go to bed early to get your rest. Drink plenty of fluids. Eat dry toast. Go to the doctor if it’s warranted. Take medication as directed. Get yourself better, or you’ll find yourself in worse shape than you started.

Taking Care of Your Family

As long as you aren’t bedridden with illness, you still have to face your kids. If you’re lucky enough to have a husband, boyfriend, or partner to help out with child care, take advantage of that. In my case, my husband is there to back me up. He’s great with our son on a daily basis, so I didn’t have much to worry about. If your significant other usually leaves the parenting up to you, you may need to give him the remedial version of what you do every day. It’s okay if he’s not perfect.

But you’re a good mom, and you don’t want to ignore your kids either, no matter how terrible you feel. If you’re like me, you’re going to feel guilty when the little one begs you to dance around the living room with him and you have to say no because it’s taking all of your energy just to sit upright.

It’s easier when your kids are older; they understand what it’s like to be sick. But when they’re little, you’re going to have to keep telling them that, “Mommy’s not feeling well,” probably multiple times per day. Tell them it’s not their fault when you’re in a bad mood. You can’t run up and down the stairs after them, but you can ask for extra hugs and kisses, and read an extra story or two (as long as you don’t have a sore throat and cough). If they’re in that phase where they like to be helpful, you can ask them to help you feel better by handing you a tissue for your nose.

When You Get Better

Life can get back to normal once you get better. Your kids will forget about what you didn’t do when you were sick, so you can get over the guilt. You may have to make it up to your significant other by covering for him when he gets sick. You may have an extra load of laundry or dishes to do, but that’s not so bad, right?

Christina Gleason is 30 years old, wife to Tom and mother to TJ.  Read her blogs at Cutest Kid Ever and Uncharted Island, follow her on Twitter @cutestkidever or @ChristinaGayle, or connect with her on LinkedIn!

Photo of sick woman © Julia Freeman-Woolpert

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2. Caring For Your Sick Teens
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4. Perfect Parenting and Negative Thinking
5. Communication in Co Parenting