Our family just endured a two-week stint of illness. A nasty cold hit all three of us: mom, dad, and baby. This was the first time our daughter had ever been sick (she’s nine months old), and being sick myself, I felt incredibly overwhelmed.
Now that we’ve all returned to full health, I want to share some things I did to speed up our recoveries and to reduce the stress of caring for sick family members while also feeling sick myself.
Tips for Taking Care of Sick Kids and Family Members
Here are my tips for taking care of sick children and family members, even if you’re sick too (because parents don’t get sick days!):
1. Stay hydrated and encourage your child to sip on water throughout the day.
It’s easier to get dehydrated when you’re sick, which will only worsen your cold. Drink plenty of fluids so your body can replenish the water it loses due to fever and other cold symptoms. Proper hydration also loosens mucus so you can expel it more easily. Keep your water bottle and the kids’ sippy cups close by.
2. Use a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room.
After seeing the suggestion on another mommy blog, I tried a humidifier in my daughter’s room during her naps and at night. I wasn’t sure how much it would help, but it ended up making a big difference in her sleep. The moisture it added to the air made it easier for her to breathe through a stuffy nose. We use this cool mist humidifier from Frida-Baby.
3. Sanitize to get rid of germs, but take it easy on additional housework.
I was adamant about giving my daughter enough fluids, nutrition, and sleep, but I let those things slip for myself, which only lengthened my cold. Remember that your body is trying to recover too, so take it easy on the housework if you can. While sick, I find it’s best to focus on minimizing the spread of germs by sanitizing toys and countertops with Seventh Generation Disinfecting Spray, and letting other chores wait until later when they can.
4. When sleepless night after sleepless night has you at your wits’ end, remind yourself that this is temporary.
Perhaps I’m prone to dramatics or am experiencing symptoms of sleep deprivation, but when a cold has dragged on for too long, I think things like, “Will I ever feel well again?” “Is my nose always going to be this stuffy?” “Is my throat always going to hurt this bad?” It helps to be reminded that with enough rest and hydration, most people recover from a cold within 7 – 10 days. So when you’re starting to feel like you just can’t take another day of it, know that the cold’s days are numbered! My general protocol is to see a doc if my symptoms last more than two weeks.
5. Be comforted with the wisdom that to serve our children and spouse is to serve Jesus – It’s our job as parents to care for our children when they are sick. We also vow to be there for our spouse “in sickness and in health.” This can be difficult when we ourselves are not feeling well. I didn’t feel like waking up in the middle of the night with the baby or heating up the chicken noodle soup my husband asked for, but I did it anyway with the comfort of Jesus’ words, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.”
“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
Matthew 25: 34-40
Wishing You Good Health in Body and Soul
With Corona Virus spreading in the U.S., I’ve been thinking about my health more. My husband and I have had discussions about putting together an emergency-preparedness kit and what we would do if there was a viral outbreak near us.
It seems bizarre to me to have to discuss this sort of thing in a developed country, but this is the world we live in. Vulnerability to illness is a part of our humanity, and even the slightest ailment can serve to remind us of our meekness before God. As a Christian people, we wait for the redemption of our bodies and freedom from the suffering of this present time.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us…We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
Romans 8: 18, 22 – 23
I did not realize how much I rely on my health to get me through the day until I was recently sick and trying to uphold my responsibilities as a wife and mother. I realized that I need to stop taking my health for granted, that I want to be prepared for future situations in which I may not have my health, and last but not least that I want to give God more thanks for my good health.
On that note friends, I’ll wrap this up by wishing you good health in body and soul! Let me know if any of the tips in this article have helped you 🙂