Sick Survival Mode

Last week I was sick. Not a major illness or anything health threatening — just a bad head cold and flu. Most of the week I was tired, cold and feverish. My head hurt and felt like it weighed 100 pounds.

I’m sure most of you can relate. No matter how much hand sanitizer we slather on, everyone gets sick at some point.

Being sick is incredibly inconvenient as a mom. Whether you are sick or well, everyone else still needs to be fed, bathed, taken to dance practice and helped with homework. Jerseys still have to be washed and ready for practice, and the science fair project board has to be decorated and turned in. In parenting, there are no days off.

Many moms feel the pressure to push through being sick and still do it all like a Wonder Mom while being miserable and likely extending their sick time. As a parent who has endured more than a few cold and flu seasons, I am learning the importance of downshifting into “sick survival mode” when I am under the weather.

It is very simple – your body needs rest to fight the illness, but you cannot pause life while you get better. The magic balance when you are sick is to give yourself permission to only focus on the things that are absolutely necessary and let the little things go. Being ill is temporary and letting a few things slide will not doom your family.

Here are a few examples to consider. When you are sick, it is OK to:

• Serve your kids chicken nuggets and applesauce three meals in a row.

• Allow your toddler to wear jammies all day because the laundry isn’t done (you are allowed to do it too).

• Allow your little one to watch “Frozen” more than once during the day. One week of extra TV watching or video game playing at four years old will not affect ACT test scores.

• Send your child to school in the same outfit he wore yesterday. You won’t be the first mom to do this.

• Take a nap during the day or go to bed on or before 8 p.m. Your body is fighting something off and needs the extra rest.

• Ask for help getting your kids to and from school or practices. Other parents will be happy to help and it will give them permission to ask for help when they are in the same boat.

Sick Day Tricks of the Trade

It is even OK to plan ahead for your sick days — especially if you have little ones. Buy cheap dollar store toys, puzzles, special coloring books or DVDs and save them for a sick day. Kids love anything new and it will keep them occupied for a little while so you can rest.

Keep paper plates and cups on hand. Doing dishes or loading and unloading the dishwasher takes energy. If you’re sick, then definitely use paper products.

Make a few freezer meals and save them for those days that you simply can’t muster the energy to make supper. But avoid the temptation of pulling those meals out of the fridge on a Friday night when you feel like being lazy.

It’s OK for moms to take a break and let their guard down when fighting off a bug. The rest of the family can handle it and they will all be thankful and appreciate you even more when you are back on your feet being that Wonder Mom!