Is there anything a stay at home mom can do when she gets sick?
When a Stay at Home Mom Gets Sick
You’re a stay at home mom and you’re feeling sick, but you don’t get sick days. What are you going to do?
It’s inevitable: if you’re a mom with little kiddos, you’re bound to get sick, especially during cold and flu season. If you are a stay at home mom, chances are you have very few people who you can ask to watch the kiddos when you’re sick or to take care of your home as you recover.
I know what it’s like to be sick and to still have to manage a household and take care of the kids. Since I’m basically the designated babysitter for everyone else, I have very few options for help since my family and friends work.
My husband tries to help when he can, but he can only take off so many days every year and doesn’t come home every day until the evening.
What to Do When a Stay at Home Mom Gets Sick
Here’s what I do and you can too:
Be prepared.
Most of the time, it’s a cold or fever that can wipe me out during cold and flu season. It’s hard to want to get out of bed when you feel crummy, let alone function with little kids in the house.
I try to stay prepared with helpful medicines, tea, and honey, among other items that help me to feel better. In my freezer I keep a few containers of my healthy chicken soup, ready to be defrosted and popped in the microwave.
I also have a plan for the kiddos. Since I wouldn’t be able to chase them around all day, I play movies that they haven’t seen in a while or have activities ready that will keep them engaged and not crazy all day so that I can take it easy and recover. Cuddling together while watching a movie definitely helps with the recovery!
And don’t worry about screen time while you’re sick. Since it will only be a day or two, it’s okay to let the kiddos enjoy a little extra screen time so that you can relax a bit and rest if possible.
When you’re feeling better, you can go back to the screen time limits for your kiddos.
Have a plan.
There are times when you absolutely will not be able to care for your kids or your home (think: wicked stomach virus, high fever and chills, etc), so you need a plan.
Who is available to help in a pinch? Is there a family member, friend, or neighbor who can help you for one day? Can your significant other take off at least one day of work to help with the kids?
Plan this out in advance so you don’t struggle to find help when you really need it.
Forget the chores.
While it may be your responsibility to maintain the house, there are some days where you need to forget it all. The laundry and the dishes will still be there when you’re feeling better.
Order some pizza or get takeout for dinner instead of making it, just for once. Get as much rest as you can!
Get Some Rest
Better said than done, right? Rest is essential, and even though you may not get much of it, try to get it when you can.
Is There Anything Else?
I wish there was more too it, like a stay-at-home-mom fairy godmother who can whisk all your worries away, but I promise, you’ll survive. You may feel crummy and nothing will get done that day (or heaven forbid a few days), but remember: your health is very important.
Get well soon!
Do you have any tips? Please share in the comments below!
Also read: When Moms Need a Time Out
Ashley says
Thanks for this. It is so hard especially with a toddler in the home, whom as soon as you get sick throws a party inside her because she knows mommy is sick and will be much slower, hence she can try my patience more lol. I know that my husband works hard, but I think he should also help around the house when I am ill. He works from 3:30 PM – 12 AM. He gets home and stays up until 5 AM and then sleeps all day until work time. The least he can do as I am sick is get a proper sleep schedule to help me out. If I am not able to do anything because I am very ill, the dishes and laundry will pile up like crazy. It makes me so mad, I know my job is to take care of the house but how hard is a little help when I have the flu? The worst part is, in the morning he will tell me to get some sleep while he watches our 3 year old, only problem is with that, I wake up to him snoring and her in the fridge dumping things all over. And this happens every time he says get some rest. He makes me so mad to the point I am just about to get a job and end this SAHM stuff because the lack of help from his end
Marissa says
Ashley, it can be so hard when one parent is sick and the other doesn’t help much! I can only imagine how difficult it must be for you at times. Have you tried talking to him about it and asking for his help? I’m sure he’s really tired from his overnight shift, but sometimes he might just have to get on a better sleep schedule so you can get rest too.