When Mom is Ill - Helping Your Family Survive
Mom is the mainstay for keeping the family on even keel. She is cook, child care, dishwasher, chauffeur, school teacher, family secretary and the glue that holds everyone together. When flu season hits mom spends hours doing everything from cleaning up from upset stomachs to running up and down stairs with cool drinks. But what happens when mom gets sick? Who takes care of the kids and runs the house? Here are some tips for surviving when mom is not well.
Prepare Ahead
Although sickness can happen any time there are specific times of year when flu and colds are worse. Smart moms will prepare ahead of time for these times. One of the best things you can do for whenever there is a crisis is to have meals, ready to go, in the freezer. Even an eight year old can pull a casserole out of the freezer. Basics like canned soup, crackers and peanut butter are musts for quick meals when mom is unable to cook.
Forget the Housework
Be willing to let certain things go when you are sick. Now is not the time to worry about dusting the furniture. If you have small children who you have to keep with you when you are sick try and stay in one area. This way you are limiting your mess. Wait for hubby to do the dishes when he gets home.
Call in Some Favors
If you have family and friends close to you take advantage of them. Arrange for someone to watch your kids for even just a few hours. Offer to take your friend's kids later in exchange. If you are blessed with family near by ask them to come and help so you can get some rest. Let them bring the family dinner.
Use Your Servants
Today most of us don't have real live servants but we do have tools we can put to use. Now is the time to through hamburger and veggies in the crockpot. Pull out the cartoon videos and allow the kids to watch TV while you rest on the couch. Microwave baked potatoes for dinner. And finally put the video games to some good.
Encourage the Kids to Help
Explaining to the kids that mom is not feeling well may be the best thing you can do. Let them know you need them. Kids between the ages of seven and ten especially enjoy playing nurse to mom. Let them bring you drinks, read to you from their favorite books and fix you canned soup.
Don't Be a Perfectionist
Now is not the time to worry whether your daughter got all the jam off the table. And the family really won't have a health crisis by eating Oreo cookies for dinner. The blocks will get put away and their minds will function again, even after eight straight hours of the cartoon channel. The best thing you can do to help your family cope is to get well.
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