Yay for sick kids! I just love it when my kids are sick! It’s just so great, so much fun, such a nice change of pace. I so look forward to my kids being sick. Said no parent ever.
In general, it sucks when kids are sick. It sucks for everyone: the kid, the parents, the siblings, friends, work colleagues, everyone. It also sucks for the people anywhere you may have to unfortunately take said sick child in order to find food/medicine/sanity. Most would agree it sucks.
In our house, with a family of twins, sickness rarely just hits just one of them, it usually works it’s way through them and then tries to attack us.
Last week, we had the pleasure of some nasty little virus working it’s way through the entire family. Fevers, snotty noses, and crankiness was on the menu for the entire week. They couldn’t sleep, didn’t want to eat, and just wanted to be held.
The biggest part of sick kids that sucks is that inability to fix it NOW for your child. Sometimes the fever/cold/flu can take a day to get over or sometimes it takes more time. For a total control freak dad like myself, this is tough. When I’m totally out of control, I try to go to a place of gratitude to find my peace (thanks Oprah).
As I spent days holding and comforting my kiddos, I thought of my top 9 Reasons Why I Cherish When My Kids Are Sick:
- House is trashed and I have a legit excuse – It is one of the few reasons I don’t feel guilty when the house is a complete mess. Laundry piling up, dishes in the sink, living room in disarray – I just don’t care because I need to get these kids on the mend.
- Boosting the Immune System – Imagine, when we get over this thing our immune systems will be that much stronger! And maybe we won’t get sick for another 6 months. Or maybe I’ll be having to think of ways to be grateful for my infected home again next month.
- Middle of the Night Wake Up Calls! – Maybe I am super alone in this feeling, but I love when my kids wake up in the middle of the night, calling out for me. Oh you need me, you really need me! It gives me the chance to rock them back to sleep (ahhhh newborn baby nostalgia).
- Minimal cooking – Serious cooking is almost completely out of the question. One big ol’ batch of chicken soup, pray it will last, and that’s it. Nine times out of ten, they probably won’t eat a lot of it anyway. #SickKidWinning
- The Spoiling – Once kids are independent and want to do everything by themselves, it can be hard find one’s natural parenting desire to serve or be of service. When my kids are sick, they need me for EVERYTHING and I happily oblige. And as a Dad who hates being sick (I’m the worst patient ever), I get it. So I will do anything to alleviate that discomfort. Need ice, of course. Special treat, already making it, Something to drink, no problem! Read a story, getting the book now!
- Being Anti-Social – I’m so not antisocial, but it’s sometimes great to be antisocial. Between the birthday parties, the family gatherings, the school function, it is just too much. I have a sick kid to take care of and I just can’t. Once people hear your kids are sick, they avoid you like the plague anyway.
- Teaching Sick Manners – Cover your mouth! Get a tissue and blow your nose! Say excuse me! Talk about intense manner training while sick. What I find after every intense manner training, is that those manners tend to stick in more everyday situations! OMG, I think my child just covered her mouth while yawning. #SickKidWinning
- Health – With my crazy schedule and the juggling of activities, I get caught up in the day-to-day and checking things off of my to-do list. There’s nothing like a week with sick kids to help you appreciate health: mine, my partner’s, theirs, and everyone else’s.
- The Cuddling – Once kids full develop their mobility and desire to play all the time, true cuddling becomes fewer and far between. But when they are sick, they yearn for the cuddles. Sometimes my kid cuddle meter feels neglected, but after a couple of days with my sick kids, my cuddle tank gets filled up.
When our kids are sick there’s really not much we can do about it except take it for what it is and try to get over it as soon as possible. There really isn’t too much fun about the experience, but hey, it can help to just embrace these moments and cherish them.
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