One night, I looked down and my 1-year-old son was sucking on the toe of my husband’s work shoe. As if that wasn’t bad enough, half of my husband’s office had a bad stomach virus at the time. I felt a sense of impending doom. Sure enough, our family soon went down, one by one, with the most horrendous stomach virus I have ever experienced in my entire life.
Sick season with young kids can be nightmarish. Everyone wants to know how to keep kids healthy during flu season because once one person catches something, you know the rest of family will be close behind. Next, you’re trying to get through to a doctor’s office, dragging sick (and well) kids to the waiting room, canceling plans—probably all while feeling awful yourself. This could happen to your household at any moment, but it’s possible to be prepared. Here are 4 ways to survive sick season with little ones.
1. Know that it’s going to get easier.
I remember having a telehealth appointment several years ago because I was too sick to get myself to a doctor’s office. As I described my symptoms, I mentioned that it was another family-wide illness. “Your kids are all young?” she said. “You are in ‘The Great Tribulation of Health’,” she called it. It’ll get better in a few years.” I needed to hear that. I’m a pretty healthy person, but I was getting worn down wondering how to keep kids healthy during flu season and frustrated by the non-stop colds, pink eye, stomach bugs, and other illnesses I’d never even heard of.
Remember that this is a phase. The older your kids get, the less they will put in their mouths and the more immunities they’ll have. A time will come, sooner than you think, when sickness for one doesn’t mean sickness for all.
2. Go with the flow.
One thing that goes through my head immediately when one of my kids gets sick, is, “What plans will this affect?” Inevitably, there’s a birthday party, activity, or commitment we have to bow out of. I used to hate it, but later I realized that it’s a legitimate excuse to slow down for a minute, and it’s considerate of other people. One Thanksgiving, we were getting over another family-wide stomach virus and stayed home to avoid exposing anyone. It was a beautiful day outside, so I spent most of the day beside my husband in our backyard swing rocking our recovering 7-month-old as the other kids played. While we didn’t enjoy missing Thanksgiving with our extended family, it was lovely to have an unexpected restful day at home with just our crew. Holding plans loosely and being flexible are especially helpful when surprise sicknesses hit.
And for anyone who needs to hear this, sometimes you may need to lovingly set some boundaries with people who come around your family sick. It’s OK to kindly cancel plans at your sister’s if her kids are just getting over strep or the flu. When the kids are small, you’re going to catch plenty of sickness from daily life. It’s understandable if you don’t want to knowingly put yourself in the path of a virus.
3. Balance care between sick and well family members.
When dealing with sickness in the household, everyone will likely be at different stages of getting better. Some family members may even be fortunate enough to stay well—hallelujah! Juggling care for both sick and healthy kids can be challenging. Set up a cozy spot for your sick kids where they can rest that’s out of the path of the well ones. As you bounce between caring for the sick and the healthy, reassure everyone that things will be back to normal soon.
I always keep a stash of fun activities like new sticker books ready for those sick days. Even on cold days, getting some fresh air and Vitamin D can help to reduce the spread of germs and lift everyone’s spirits. And if you end up sick too, don’t hesitate to accept help from friends or family. It can make a big difference!
4. Enjoy the extra snuggles.
I used to dread sickness. It felt like we were always either sick, getting over something, or about to catch something new. My perspective changed when my most energetic child caught a virus and snuggled on my lap for an entire day. We read books. I held him while he slept. It was surreal because when he was well, he never stopped getting into things. Of course, I hated that he felt bad, but that day was sweet time I’ll always cherish. Trying to find the silver lining in a difficult situation, like kids who are extra cuddly, can make these challenging sickness-prone years a whole lot easier.
As moms, we don’t really get sick days. It’s not easy for any of us when a virus is causing the domino effect in our family. Just remember that your kids’ immune systems are growing, and you’ll get through your Great Tribulation of Health. You may even have some unexpected sweet memories to carry on to the next phase of childhood.
Share some ideas for how to keep kids healthy during flu season. What are some supplies you can keep on hand so you’re prepared the next time a family-wide illness hits?
This article was written by Blair Moore.
