Caring for Sick Kids Without Losing Yourself: The Honest Reality
This one is for the moms who have more than one kid.
The moms in the thick of it, caring for sick babies.
If it feels impossible, if you feel depleted, and it feels endless it’s because that is all true.
Caring for children without family nearby and a partner who works full time is absolutely exhausting. Even if you are fortunate enough to “rest” and watch tv with them. Are you ever really resting?
Fighting all the scenarios of what you may be missing.
Is the fever too high? Have they had a fever for too many days? Is the diarrhea going to turn into something more serious? Now there’s a cough, is this something more serious? The cough gets deeper and raspier. Could it be pneumonia? RSV? COVID? The flu? Is it just allergies?
The list is fucking endless.
You do all the things. Check the temperatures, make sure they aren’t too bundled up, get them drinking plenty of fluids, watch to see they are peeing and pooping even though the poop isn’t normal and that’s stressful.
Then when night time comes the coughs get worse. You put on the humidifier, put on the chest rub, hopefully get some kind of tea with honey or cough syrup in and pray you’ll get a little sleep.
You don’t.
You wake up to check their foreheads and feel their arms to be sure the fever doesn’t get too high.
You listen to them breathe while you hold your breath praying it’s just a cough and nothing worse.
You monitor their energy level and wonder when your little bundle of energy will return.
As their energy returns one of your other kids gets sick. To make matters worse, it’s the toddler!
Oh god, toddlers are hard enough on their own when they feel good. Then add a sick sibling and them not feeling good and the entire house is flipped upside down.
Yet you remain offering drinks and food that gets turned down. Looking up remedies, texting friends, and searching for a better way to deal with the coughs.
You do all of this and more.
You are tired for good reason.
You have been giving endlessly, thanklessly, and at some point it all feels impossible.
Yet you keep going.
You keep taking those needed deep breaths and long trips to the bathroom to hide out.
You keep showing up as imperfect as you are and giving your very best.
And that’s why those children are lucky.
They are blessed to have you caring for them, standing guard for them, creating safety for them, and doing your best.
Here’s a hilarious audiobook I’ll Have What She’s Having to get you through the endless dishes that don’t stop when your kids are sick.
Chelsea Handler! is a powerhouse of a woman, she’s independent, a phenomenal story teller, entertaining, and will have you laughing instead of falling into a pile of tears.
Here’s a funny Netflix movie to get you through being nap-trapped.
~Baby Mama
Here’s a Netflix series to get you through being stuck at home. It’s leaving Netflix soon, watch it!
~Insecure
Here’s a meditation to remind you to be kind to yourself:
We’ve got this 🙋♀️
Love Always,
Danielle Mallett
