Last night I got hit hard with the stomach flu. I feel like crap. I can't even keep water down and I feel so weak that it's a struggle to lift my son into his crib or high chair. I ended up giving him cheerios and graham crackers for breakfast, lunch, and snacks so he could eat it in the living room. He's such a good boy, but he's only 16 months and he doesn't understand that mommy feels awful today.
Now, I've been mildly sick a few times and we've been sick together a few times, but this is the worst. I let him fuss for about an hour because he got up from his nap before I was ready to get up from mine. Then I realized -- I've got no family around here to count on for stuff like this. Our nearest relative is 4 hours away. My husband can't take time off work because he just started a new job last week.
What do you guys do when you're sick and not feeling up to caring for a child properly?
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I hate to say this, but TV and books saved me in those situations.
"Here, honey, let's watch some Blue's Clues. Daddy will help you sing along. He'll sound like a froggy. Can you hop like a froggy?"
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yep. Lay on the bed and watch tv if I've got a toddler; once I ended up feeding her ice cream sandwiches for lunch because I wasn't up to even getting her a bowl of cereal. (Hey, it's got milk in it, right?) (She didn't mind in the least.)
Now that I've got a younger baby it's a little tougher. Luckily she is good in the play pen, and Emma will get things for her and entertain her. Sometimes I just stick them in the bedroom together and put the baby gate up instead. I feed them graham crackers and cheerios all day myself, in that situation, or cheese and yogurt for Ems if we've got it (we don't always.) I have even been known when sick to plop Bridey in the Exersaucer, put a bib on, hand Emma an open jar of baby food and a spoon, and let her feed Bridey while I lay on the couch and supervise. (She loves to feed her sister and rarely gets to because she tends to get bored and start making a mess.)
But those times when I can't even lift a baby, or sit up, for that matter, KPC usually stays home to care for the kids.
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Ugh. I am a mom, and I have a severely disabled husband (like, on life support. Really.), and when I am sick, I just have to soldier on.
Stinks.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I'm lucky enough to have a friend who was able to come over and help out during the day the last time I got a serious stomach ailment.
At 16 months? Oof, that's a toughy. I'm afraid I don't have any better advice than that's already been given. If you have friends who could help out in a time like this, call in favors.
Posted by Goody Scrivener (Member # 6742) on :
When the kids were younger, so long as they seemed healthy, I'd call in reinforcements, or better yet, send the kids out to Gramma's. Cause heaven knows their father wasn't capable of doing as much healthy as I could sick. And yes, there were several times I considered the likelihood that it was intentional sabotage on his part.
If they were sick too, then we'd all sort of veg out on the couch or the living room floor with movies and bland food and drink till we were better. He'd wander around whining about how nobody was taking care of him... eventually he'd leave to go to his mother's or get himself fast food.
I wish I was able to help. I couldn't imagine how I'd have survived without my family near enough to assist.
Posted by Christine (Member # 8594) on :
I feel a little better today...at least well enough that I gave him a proper breakfast.
TV was our friend yesterday. Guess I shouldn't feel too guilty about that. Sometimes you just have to.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
That's exactly it-- you do what you have to to get through. Hope you feel better soon!
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