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After I became a mama, one of the things I realized pretty quickly is that I like a little structure in our daily routine. I try not to be regimented, but I’m definitely a fan of establishing clear guidelines with our son. Nothing fancy or complicated – just simple stuff like making sure that homework is done before afternoon playtime, limiting video games to the weekends, making sure the dirty clothes go into (and not just in the general vicinity of) the laundry basket, and feeding the dog. And when those guidelines get ignored, I’ve been known to offer some gentle reminders and heartfelt encouragement to OBEY THE RULES, POR FAVOR.
But if there’s anything that gets me off of my let’s-stick-to-the-routine game, it’s seeing our little guy when he doesn’t feel so well. There’s something about a sick child that just turns my heart to mush, and the first time our son got really sick – when he was about one and a half – I turned into some sort of domestic genie. HIS WISH WAS MY COMMAND.
These days – now that he’s a great big first grader – I’m really no different when any sort of illness enters our family equation. I stop short of walking around with an order pad and a pen, but I might as well considering that I pepper him with questions about all the possible things that might make him feel better.
Sprite?
Crackers?
Crushed ice?
Cold rag?
Another episode of Phineas and Ferb?
Another 16 episodes of Phineas and Ferb?
Another blanket?
A brand new car on your 16th birthday?
YOU BETCHA.
Last year our little guy was sick for about a week with the flu, and the first few days of it just broke my heart. He was so lethargic, so not-at-all-himself, and all we could do to help him was to give him ibuprofen and lots of liquids. He stayed in one spot on the couch for two solid days, and I couldn’t walk past him without reaching down to feel his little forehead. We just couldn’t get that fever to break.
Bless him.
On the third or fourth day, though, things got tricky. He started feeling pretty good – but that high fever continued to linger. So while he really seemed to think that he could run circles around the house, his temperature indicated otherwise. And we had to find ways to keep him entertained that wouldn’t interfere with getting him well.
We watched “Finding Nemo” about nine times, played cards, battled through some Connect Four marathons and read more books than I could count. I bought the markers that you can use to draw on window panes, then quickly realized that I was going to be scrubbing them off of my windows for THE REST OF MY LIFE and decided to haul out all our coloring books instead. Our little boy loves mazes, and he blazed through every single maze he could get his hands on. We gave the no-Wii-during-the-week rule a temporary hiatus and let him play to his heart’s content (as long as he was sitting down and not imitating all of Mario’s awesome jump moves).
And do you know what? The last part of that week was just the sweetest time. A sick child has a way of putting life back into crystal clear perspective, and I found myself being much more mindful of our blessings as a family. When that fever FINALLY broke on day seven, I was relieved, no doubt about it – and I was also very grateful for the sweet memories that we’d made in the midst of some unexpected circumstances.
So what about you? What are some things you do with the kids in your life when they’re under the weather? How do you make the days a little more fun and bearable for them? Leave a comment with your answer, and you’ll be entered to win a $100 Visa gift card courtesy of BlogHer.
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Chicken soup, crackers, blankets, and laying on the couch watching videos does the trick for us.
we have been blessed to not have had too many illnesses in the last 3 yrs. But when we do, we like to rest while watching favorite movies and reading lots of books.
When my son is sick I am his live-in maid by choice. What he asks for, I get. We watch movies all day. He gets all the ginger ale he wants and popsicles. We usually eat soup with crackers.
Tweet http://twitter.com/rsmstahley/status/26786775917
In bed watching cartoons, lots of soups, liquids, basically whatever sick child asks for.
My son is older so he just knows that he needs to rest until he feels better! When he was little, I would read him lots of stories!
kmassman gmail
I don’t have kids, but when my husband is sick I make him homemade soup and lotion kleenex!
http://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/26810337279
Whenever my daughter is sick, she wants MAMA…and so, she gets my attention! I cook her chicken and rice soup, give her crackers and juice and popsicles! We color, play board games, play on the wii or ps2, or watch movies and snuggle.
thanks
bleatham*at*gmail.com
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bleatham*at*gmail.com
My son has a favorite blanky to hold.Wet washclothes if he feels puky and we put a little table beside him by the couch with things for him to do to keep him happy.Thank you so much.Have a nice weekend.
jacksoncrisman@yahoo.com
We set up camp on the floor in my bedroom: lots of blankets and pillows, movies, a box of kleenex, this cool desk my dad made when I was a kid, and lots of things to do.
SOOO not looking forward to winter :(
Watching tv and we buy a few little presents to cheer up our kids
truthhole@gmail.com
I let the kids cuddle up in my bed and drink whatever they like while they watch TV or I read to them.
lots of sprite, pretzels,cuddles, and blankets everywhere!
We set up in the family room in the day time and in the chair-and-a-half in my room at night. Anything their little hearts desire is what I will make them to help them feel a little better. We shave ice, eat homemade chicken noodle soup, and have ginger ale to settle yucky stomachs. Family movies and movies they enjoyed as young children are always a hit.
tea, soup, homemade bread, and TV. And I don’t make them do school. :)
Like you, I lighten up about rules and schedules a little more and serve them Sprite or 7-up, Gatorade, soup, and let them rule the TV!
While I don’t have kids, my man is probably WORSE than most kids when it comes to being sick! Luckily he is pretty satisfied with some past episodes of Deadwood or Top Gear! I also make him some chicken noodle soup–homemade! :)
A few movies and video games never hurt anyone when they’re sick. :)
Movies and soup are the best! Or a good book in front of the fireplace.
Like most others, I do the soup, movies, lots of liquids, books, etc. I also have clipboards for them… the kinds that you can open and store things in. I give them crayons and pencils and lots of paper and they draw and write stories. It give them something else to do without getting out of bed.
Phone calls with Grandmas help kill the time, too! :)
I give the kiddo lots of undivided attention. Lots of cuddle time and all the movies he can ask for!
The sick child gets to watch way more TV than usual. And she gets to choose the programming. And, of course, whatever food she wants that she can eat with her illness.
My daughter is grown, but now when my grandson gets sick or has to come home from school he comes to my house. When he feels that bad we usually pile up in my bed (with the dogs of course) and watch cartoons until he goes to sleep.
We watch a movie or tv show together, and they are required to spend at least part of the day in their own bed resting.
http://twitter.com/#!/fostertam/status/26880136832
We get out books or other things that we haven’t played with in a while — like the circa 1972 Fisher-Price record player my mother-in-law gave us. The kids have all loved listening to The Rescuers, the Jungle Book, Sleeping Beauty, etc. And they get to watch more television than normal too. :)
My little guy is actually sick today, and I’ve just been giving him lots of TLC. Cuddles and being held can go a long way for an 11 month old. :)
Whenever my kids were sick and i asked them what they wanted they always said “peanut butter toast cut in little squares”. I remember my mother doing it for me as well. There was just something so special about it and you also got to eat in on the couch or even in bed!
Gatorade or Pedialyte if they’ll drink it, lots of movies, lots of playing PBS Kids games on the laptop and lots of snuggles. :)
Red Box movies … lots of ’em.
When either of my daughters is sick, I suggest they get in their jammies (if they already aren’t) and get all comfy in Mama’s bed underneath the comfoters and all snuggly with lots of pillows. Of course I cater to them too and make sure a drink and a box of tissues are within reach.(along with the the TV remote!) My youngest gets a kick out of being able to eat her meals served on a tray in bed!
I let them lie in bed and watch cartoons or a good movie and serve them in bed
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
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tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
snuggles and “magic blankey” which is a very old white matelasse’ coverlet that I stole from my mom who inherited it from her aunt.
also, for minor boo-boos, we are serious believers in the power of chap-stick and wet washcloths.
My incredibly busy three year old had his tonsils out in August. He literally woke up from the anesthesia and wanted to start running around. It was a tricky couple of days, which involved lots of new movies/books and popsicles. When we went in for our two week check up the doctor said he could resume normal activity and I laughed out loud.
It kills me when they are sick, especially because they don’t want to eat anything and all I want to do is feed a sick chicken.
But I do cherish the endless cuddle time, which is usually all they want other than sleep when they are sick.
Since we homeschool, when our kids are sick we take a break from school, cuddle on the couch and watch a movie. We all enjoy the break from learning.
lots of cuddling and popsicles.
Annie gets all the PBS Kids she can watch and lot of “schepel treats” (that’s “special treats” to you and me).
When one of my kids is sick, they usually spend most of the day on the couch and catered to. “What ya need, Honey? Oh, a snack? Dinner, perhaps? The video game controller? Oh, a new car? How ’bout a hug and a swig of gatorade?”
ginger ale, saltines, soup, movies and tlc!
1. After you have dropped the siblings off at their respective schools, put on your pajamas, too. Face it! You’re not going anywhere.
2. Cuddle on the couch with some popcorn and a favorite movie. Enjoy!
3. When it comes time for a “bland” snack, add food coloring to vanilla pudding and let the child pudding paint before he/she eats.
4. For lunch, drive to the child’s favorite fast-food restaurant and go through the drive-thru. Find a nice shady spot to park your car, crawl into the back seat and eat lunch while you read a book or two.
5. Take a nap together. Really enjoy!
6. Let the child pick his/her favorite board game and play it as many times as they want without any sibling interruption.
7. While you are cooking dinner, have your little one nearby coloring and talking.
8. Use your imagination!
Of course, I’m not talking about stomach viruses or high fever kind of illnesses. You could do these things on the last day the child stays home after having a virus for two or more days. They still aren’t well enough for school, but they aren’t really sick either.
It’s hard to plan an eight-hour date, so when one happens to fall in your lap, ALWAYS take advantage of it!
The usual -popsicles, juice, 7-Up, chicken soup – all depending on the ailment. When my boys were little I kept a stash in my closet of everything from coloring books to videos – just cheap stuff I’d pick up on sale and save for a rainy day. Without fail, whether it was fever or an owiw “BooBoo Bunny” made everything better. He was a weird kind of plastic ice cube that was covered in soft, fuzzy material and had a bunny face and ears on one end. He lived in the freezer and came out to soothe bumps, bruises, and fevered brows. My kids are now 22 and 25 and he’s still in the freezer. Empty nest issues, who me?
A bath always helps…and popsicles. And good dvds. :)
Movies, Sprite, and crossword puzzles or brand new coloring books.
I am very indulgent when the kids are sick. I put them in my bed and prop them up with tons of pillows. I cater to them, waitress for them, hand them custom-made windows, indulge them in foot baths, back rubs, and basically any other thing I can think of to make them feel nurtured.
My little one has been sick all weekend. We’ve watched a lot of sports, shrek, the sandlot, basically whatever will keep him still. I’m with you, I can’t walk past him without putting my hand on his hot little head. Honey, do you want some orange kool-aid, jello, chicken soup? Pretty much anything goes, and you know it’s bad when he’s too sick to take advantage.
Gatorade, tv, and lots of cuddles.
lots of extra hugs and kisses, warm baths, lots of movies, gingerale, and smoothies.
Sprite, ramen noodles, crackers.
And their favorite pillow and blanket on the COUCH…they don’t stay in their bedrooms ’cause there is no TV there. And who can endure illness without a little tv to break up your sick sleep?
On the sofa with pillow and blanket, plus all the movies and TV they can handle. We’ve been lucky so far in that we’ve not had any illnesses that have lasted longer than a day or two…knock on wood!
Chicken Noodle soup, laying on the couch with ALL The pillows, and eating in the LIVING ROOM. :)
Besides waiting on them hand and foot we let them have ice cream for breakfast if they want, let them sleep in our bed if they so desire and they get a “sick toy”.
I think it really makes them want to stay sick!
Major snuggles and the baby blanket I used when I was a kid (which is approaching 40 years old!) and the illness always seems more manageable…
Chicken noodle soup, new movies, cuddling on the couch watching said new movies, Gatorade, and my son’s new favorite is a hotty toddy (non-alcoholic, of course). Hot tea with honey and lemon – he even asks for it when he’s not sick!
Sprite or Ginger Ale, saltine crackers, and lots of TV. I almost pulled a ‘sick’ day myself today–doesn’t that sound great, a day at home alone in the quiet!–but managed to pull through, and here it is lunch time! :)
THE WHOLE THING IS ACTUALLY REALLY FUNNY. THEY WILL BE “SICK” IN THE MORNINGS AND NOT GO TO SCHOOL, AND THEN MIRACULOUSLY FEEL BETTER LATER ON THAT DAY. SADLY IT’S HARD TO TELL WHEN THEY’RE FAKING OR NOT. THANK GOD FOR THERMOMETERS! LOL kytah00@yahoo.com
SECOND ENTRY TWEET http://twitter.com/#!/kytah00/status/27050500602 kytah00@yahoo.com
We homeschool, and we don’t usually take the usual days off that the public schools in our area do. My kids have no idea that the rest of our county is at home for President’s Day, for example… just another day at school for us! So, when one of my boys is sick -with more than just the sniffles – it’s nice to have a “sick day” to rest and relax and feel better. Usually it involves the couch with a comfy blanket, Sprite with a straw, the t.v. with remote control privileges, and lots of snuggling.
We’ve been blessed with kids that seem to stay pretty healthy (of course, no ones old enough for school, yet, so I’m sure we’ll get our fair share!), but hanging out on the couch with some movies and books has worked for us! And it’s so true – I often wish my kids would calm down just a little, but then when one is sick and lethargic, I can’t stand it!
I don’t have kids but when I was younger I always liked hot soup, grilled cheese, a movie or being read to.
Lots of fluids, special videos (lots of I Love Lucy marathons), extended video game time.
My girl is always so sweet when she’s under the weather, which makes it even more pitiful to see her not feeling well. We always have ginger ale and saltine crackers on a pretty tray, lots of blankets, and best of all, visits from friends who bring popsicles, ice cream and big smiles!
my daughter is grown now but whenever she was sick, I stayed home from work to take care of her and I would always let her watch whatever movies she wanted
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Lots of liquids (whatever kind is requested) and lots of tv snuggle time!
I don’t have children, but I remember the best part about being sick when I was a child was staying in my parents’ bed.
When my boys are sick we just lasy around all day watching movies and drinking gatorade.
They like me to rub their backs, and play with their hair. We spend time coloring, watching movies and munching on saltimes and white soda.
Oh, if they are under the weather. We shut down. Snuggle time.TV time. Read a book time. Whatever.
My little girl was sick last week with a virus that caused her to run a high fever, but no other symptoms. She wanted to be up and around so much. That on Tuesday when I took off work to stay home with her, I literally took her in mommy’s room and stayed in the bed reading books and watching kids movies all day. Granted so much went undone at the house that day that I had to spend extra time on Satureday in the cleaning mode, but I would not take that day back for anything. I do not like for my children to get sick, but I have to say that I loved having my 6 year old willing to cuddle up with mommy for a day.
Since our kids have very limited TV time, that’s when they are allowed to watch as much as they want, when they’re sick.
Play cards, read books, draw/color and watch whatever they want.
What the sick child wants, the sick child usually gets!
a real coke with ice, saltine crackers and a soft blanket
When my daughter had a sore throat I gave her a popsicles to soothe the soreness. Now she thinks that anytime she is sick, she gets to have a popsicle. When she had a stomach ache a few months ago, she came to me asking for a popsicle to make it feel better. I had to tell her that popsicles don’t help tummyaches, only sore throats.
no kids of my own, but my mom would always give me some soup, saltine crackers and lemon lime soda pop and let me watch a movie or listen to a cd.
My little one is only 18 months old, and is at the age that cuddling is NOT AN OPTION. Unless she’s sick. When she’s not feeling well, we spend the day on the couch watching princess movies, eating oyster crackers, and snuggling with each other. I don’t like it when my girl feels sick, but my consolation is a good cuddle buddy for a few hours.
Jello, cartoons, and a nice cuddle on the couch!
If they are truely sick and home from school I also give up the no TV/Wii rules. Usually they play a bit, but do more sleeping than anything. I also give them more Sprite and fun snacks than usual to keep them going.
When my girlie is home sick, I let her watch DVDs in her room, in bed. I check on her every hour on the dot and ask if she needs anything. Every visit I bring something new whether it be a magazine, a glass of juice, a hershey’s kiss..etc.
My girls were both sick last week and they got plenty of orange gatorade, green jello, cinnamon sugar toast, homemade chicken noodle soup and homemade rice pudding. We watched a LOT of movies on Netflix (streaming) and did a lot of Charlie Brown puzzles (their favorite).
If they feel up to it we do arts and crafts or a puzzle, if not than it is cuddling under a blanket in our jammies and vegging out on Spongebob.
ape2016(at)aol(dot)com
I let them lay in my bed and watch a little TV or a movie and give them ginger ale, soup crackers, blankets.
http://twitter.com/susan1215/status/27574802554
My 3 yr old son hasn’t been sick too often but when he is puny I love the cuddle time it brings and don’t forget popsicles.
My daughter had a badly infected toenail that she ended up having to have removed and afterwards she was just miserable. So I babied her hard all the rest of that day–she got to pick the movie, I sent her brothers to the corner store for a Coke, I made her cookies, she picked supper. Even though she was in pain, I could see how it cheered her up to be the center of attention for a day or so :)
Since my little one is still a baby it is mainly cuddles and lots of attention and fluids.
Kiddo has only been prescribed antibiotics once in his 14 years thanks to Similasan.
The “allergy” eyedrops clear the head of congestion when he has the common cold.
The ear remedy clears ear aches before they reach the ear infection stage.
When kiddo is under the weather? yellow dock root, ginger tea, lots of vitamin C and love ~
We watch lots of Curious George and eat goldfish and drink water with a shot of 7-Up in it.
By the way, I love the Similasan ear drops – I think they work great!
Lots of warm blankets, DVD’s, and attention!
sprite, crackers, chicken soup and watching movies on the couch. just what the dr. ordered.
We usually spend all day on the couch with books or tv. Coloring books work too. Her favorite is probably that she gets to nap with one of us on the couch instead of in her own bed, and if it’s really bad she gets to sleep in our bed at night too.
Always have plenty of popsicles and chicken noodle soup. Warm pillow and blanket to snuggle with.
We read lots of books and play lots of games.
I would go around her room and choose small toys and put them in a bag. I would let her choose one from the bag – no peeking – and then I would make up a story about the item or character she chose. We had more fun and it was silly and goofy but very entertaining!
Quiet time in bed with books or puzzles. No TV or video games. Staying home from school sick shouldn’t be rewarded. It teaches kids as they go through life that being sick has perks. So lots of loving care, but no way should sickness be made into a fun time.
Tweeted.
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