Tips for looking after kids when you’re sick

Until recently, I hadn’t realised that one of the hardest parts of parenting is trying to look after kids when you yourself are sick.

It’s hard work but sometimes we have no other option.

The problem is that whenever you’re sick, you’re usually just advised by others to ‘rest’ and ‘take it easy’, which makes sense as resting is essential in order to try and get yourself feeling better again. However, when you’re a parent, I don’t need to tell you that resting is not so simple, whether you’re feeling sick or not. Resting and taking it easy do not go hand in hand with looking after children.

So, I thought I would share with you some of the things that helped me to take care of my child whilst I was sick.

1.) Television. Television distracts kids long enough to give you some time to sit down. Kory likes to watch CBeebies but his favourite movie right now is Frozen, so I stuck that on for him and that gave me an hour or so to try and relax. If you usually have TV boundaries in place (limiting tv time for example) then don’t feel guilty to bend the rules whilst you’re sick. You can always get back into a routine once you’re feeling better again.

2.) Housework. Cleaning the house does not need to be a priority whilst you’re sick. If like me, you’re a tidy person and hate any sort of mess, just try to remind yourself that the housework can wait until you’re feeling better again. When I was sick I tried my best to clean the house but I was just making myself feel worse and in all honesty, I wasn’t even doing that good of a job due to feeling sick anyway. If the nappies are changed and the kids are fed and watered then you’ve already done enough.

3.) Duvet day. Wrap yourself up in a duvet on the couch, put some toys out on the floor and just let the kids play. What I did was I wrapped myself up on the couch and let Kory play with all of his toys on the living room floor. I could easily keep my eye on him and he could see me too. Kory was totally okay with this, he had pretty much every single toy he owned all over the living room and it meant I was also able to lie down and rest at the same time.

4.) Ipad. Okay, so I know not all parents agree with giving their children iPads and that’s fine, I honestly thought I was going to be one of those parents too before I became a mum for the first time. (Laughing at how naive I was LOL) ‘My child will never have an ipad’ were my famous last words. Kory doesn’t spend all day every day on his, he still loves to play with toys, play outside and read books but the iPad is a god send when it comes to keeping him occupied whilst I’m trying to do the housework and the same goes for when I’m feeling sick. Keeping him happy meant that I had a chance to chill and hey, no-one got hurt.

5.) Hibernate. Choose a room that is both comfy and convenient, get all of your medicines, drinks and anything else you may need nearby and don’t move. You’ll need a comfy place to lie and the kids will need toys, books, snacks and anything else to keep them entertained. This will save you from having to keep getting up and hopefully give you some time to relax.

Well, those are all of my tips. I hope you too find them to be helpful. And just try to remember that when you’re feeling sick, looking after yourself and looking after your kids are all that matter.

What’s your top tips for looking after kids when you’re sick?