How to Help Mom When She Needs a Sick Day
Even moms don’t feel well from time to time and need a down day. Here are heartfelt and practical ways to help mom when she needs a sick day.
CanCan Mom’s creative routines and schedules make motherhood easier and more fun. Interact with love and laughter more often than impatience by incorporating my unique Quick Steps into your daily family life!
-CanCan Mom, Cheryl L. Butler
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You can call out sick to work, but not to your kids. So what to do when Mom or Dad gets sick? Here are 6 tips that will help you occupy your children while you recover:
- Be Prepared and Plan Ahead
- Freeze Meals
- Set Up Camp
- Provide Entertainment
- Have a PJ Day
- Ask for Help
When Mom is Sick
When I had a bout with pneumonia, my husband was traveling. With no one to nurse me back to health, I was glad I had planned ahead.
Tip 1: Be Prepared and Plan Ahead
First, take inventory of your medicine cabinet. Are you stocked up on ibuprofen, cough medicine, Theraflu (my favorite when the flu hits), antacids, and diarrhea medication (stomach bugs are brutal)? Heating pad and ice packs, too. Make a list of anything you might need and stock up while you’re still feeling well.
Don’t forget about the comfort remedies in your pantry that you reach for when you need some comfort. Stock up on herbal teas, chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, ginger ale, and popsicles to help kick the sickness, along with special treats for the kids.
Tip 2: Freeze Meals
Take the time to prepare a few meals ahead of time that you can freeze and have ready to heat and serve.
Lasagna, chicken pot pie, meatballs—anything that is easy to prepare and will keep in your freezer for a month or so. That way, you’ll have a meal ready to serve your family when you’re down for the count. And, if you don’t get sick, you’ll have a few meals ready to serve after a long day!
Tip 3: Set Up Camp
When my kids were younger, and I wasn’t feeling well, I’d set up camp in the family room for the duration of my sickness. When I had toddlers, I’d simply gate off the area so there was no escape route.
The big draw here is that kids love to make forts. Let them take all the cushions (except for the ones you’re lying on) and create hideaways with blankets and pillows. Get it ready as soon as you wake up in the morning—it’s well worth the effort once you’re in your cozy, gated community. Plus, you’ll be able to see them, and they can see you.
– CanCan Mom, Cheryl L. Butler
Make sure to grab the TV remotes, diapers and wipes, their favorite DVDs, juice boxes, and snacks beforehand. That way, you can hang out from early morning until bedtime.
Even though I was feeling rotten, those fort-making days are some of my favorite memories. It was just us, and we got to slow down and break out of our usual busy routines.
Tip 4: Provide Entertainment
Make sure you always have a couple of new items set aside to keep your kids entertained when you’re not 100%. New coloring books, puzzles, maybe a new DVD—keep an eye out for fun items that you can put away for a sick day. Rotate in some toys saved for a rainy day from the holidays or birthdays. Anything unexpected that can engage the kids can give Mom or Dad a little more time than usual to rest.
– CanCan Mom, Cheryl L. Butler
In our house, we love audiobooks. If you don’t have the energy to read to your little ones, let them listen to an audiobook. This allows them some independence and gives you time to lie quietly for a few minutes.
For the budding artists in your family, keep a roll of banner paper on hand. Hang a few sheets of banner paper on the wall, cozy up on the couch, and watch your kids color on their new canvas. This kept my kids busy for a long time. They even made me a “get well” card that was as big as they were!
Tip 5: Have a PJ Day
Another way to get some much-needed rest is to have a “Jammie Day.” Everyone stays in their pajamas and spends a quiet day together at home. That means no going to the playground, running errands, or having play dates.
I like to spread out a big blanket for mealtime and eat PB&J sandwiches and popcorn like it’s an outdoor picnic.
On PJ days, I can always find ways to get our bedtime routine started an hour or so earlier. Since we are lounging in our jammies all day, my kids’ sense of time gets thrown out the window, and they never give me a hard time about going to bed a little earlier.
Tip 6: Ask for Help
If you are really laid up and can’t attend to the kids in any of the ways mentioned above, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Text or call a neighbor, friend, or family member and tell them you are not feeling well. Maybe they can grab a few supplies for you or even take the kids for a few hours—anything helps.
This is when joining a parenting co-op can be a lifesaver. I belong to a parenting co-op, and one of our top priorities is to help out other parents when one of us is sick. Or, if you have young teens in your neighborhood looking to earn some extra money, that’s another way to get some extra help for a few hours.
How do you survive when you need a sick day? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comment selection below or email me at thecancanmom@gmail.com. You can also visit me on Instagram at CanCanMomCB or at Pinterest at theCanCanMom.
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