Control the spread of germs
Cold and flu season is in full swing and all around you has begun to sound like a symphony of sniffles and coughs. Moms don’t get sick days, so it is up to you to control the spread of germs and keep yourself healthy and ready for the season ahead.
Wash your hands consistently and correctly as the first defense against a sickness that could take you down. Be sure to use warm water and lather up with soap for at least 20 seconds. When using a public restroom, use the towel you grabbed to dry your hands to turn sink handles and doorknobs.
Carry travel tissues wherever you go to stop sneezes in their tracks. Make sure to cover your sneezes and teach little ones this practice as well.
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Surviving Sick Days
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f you do come down with a cold or the flu this season, make sure to give yourself the time to get better. Stay home from work and settle in for a long winter’s nap. Hydration and healthy foods are a huge part of fueling yourself back to full potential so make sure you are giving your body what it needs.
Most moms know how hard it is to carve out the time needed to get yourself better. The kids still need food and entertainment, the household still needs to run and so on… While days spent at home recouping with children might seem like they last forever take a deep breath, give yourself a huge break and refocus what is most important, like keeping them fed and changed. Everything else can be let go for now. Here are some tips for surviving a mom sick day:
Call in reinforcements
Now is not the time to be too proud to call family or friends for help. You can ask a neighbor to put the kids on the bus or a grandparent to stop by with fluids and a meal. If family and friends aren’t around for a quick favor see if there is a teenager in the neighborhood you can pay a small amount to for a few hours of PB & J Sandwiches and entertainment while you get a warm shower and a nap.
READ MORE: How to know if your child is too sick for school
Simple meals
Taking a sick day unfortunately doesn’t mean all responsibilities are out the window. It does however mean that you are allowed to cut corners. Let the kids grab their own cereal for breakfast, dry, right out of the box (no one’s judging!) The old standby- PB &J is a quick and easy lunch (or dinner) and don’t be afraid to call the pizza delivery guy for dinner! You’re off the hook from cooking! Keep it simple.
Have tricks up your sleeve
One of the hardest parts of having the kids home when you just want to lay on the couch and binge Netflix all day is keeping them entertained. Digging out some old toys sometimes makes them feel like new. Ask the kids to put on a puppet show for you, read stories, make a playdoh mess and it’s okay to let your usual ‘tablet time’ rules go for the day. The idea is to keep them busy and quiet while you rest. Here are 7 great ways to entertain a sick kid when you are sick too!
Flexibility is key
Let your ‘normal’ fly right out the window. Tight schedules, limited TV time, cooked dinners (or whatever your normal may be)… that’s all great if you can swing it but when you are sick you will stress yourself out trying to do it all. Hang your super mom cape on the bathroom door for the day and give yourself a break. The goal is to get better and keep those tiny humans alive if that means a few extra hours of cartoons for the day it will be alright. I promise.