Well, even for a “super parent” being sick is something that anyone will have to deal with. When you are tired and just need some recovery time, the job of being parent won’t just stop!!!! The dishes in the sink need to be clean and put away. Clothes need to be wash and fold. Kid needs to take a bath and help with changing clothes. Believe or not, you can’t even take a break and call in sick from all those works.
Recently, I had experienced it. I was sick over the weekend. I can’t even take my kid to school and stay home to rest. I took pills as the the the doctor instructed (I laughed when she said that I need to take a lot of rest!) You got the picture. So how can you rest when you are the main and only one caregiver in the house?
1. Stick to your regular schedule:
Even when you feel like a truck just run over you, you have to keep up with your regular routine. If you have to give your little guy/girl a bath before bedtime, stick with it. It will help your child to remain his biological clock. He will fall sleep on the schedule without much fussing. It means more rest for you.
2. Eliminate the unnecessary stress:
When you are sick, your body is trying to let you know that you need to rest and relax. To speed up the recovery process, eliminate all the unnecessary stress is one of the best ways to help your body recovers. If anything that makes you stress out, deal with it later when you feel better. For example, my boy didn’t hang his coat in the closet. I reminded and asked him to do it. He refused. I let him know that I wasn’t happy with his response. But I put his coat in the closet and told him that I would love for him to do it next time. I know that it is not the best way to teach him. But I didn’t want to spend much energy on this matter. I will have plenty of time to teach him later. Not at this moment because I needed to lay down.
3. Tell your kid that you are sick:
Why? Because you want them to know that you need help and you don’t feel well. The single parent always seems to have Superman/woman cape on at all time. Letting your kid know that you are not well at the moment so they can learn to take care of you. It will help them develop sympathy and caring for others. You can ask them to get you a pillow or blanket. My boy loves to play doctor when I am sick. He will check my temperature and give me “medicine -water”. He uses all his doctor tools to give me a checkup.
4. Rest with your kid:
I have a toddler so it is hard to get some rest. So I told him to play doctor with me. I will have a chance to lay on my bed while he is doing a checkup. We also do movies time. It is a great way for me to rest. I lay down and watch a movie with him in bed. How great is that?
5. Eliminate all the unnecessary extra job:
I know that you have to keep up with all the house works. However, trust me, it is will there when you feel better. So just relax!!!! One important point to remember is that your kid needs your 100%. If you are sick, just do little as your strength allowed and get recover quickly. You have to get back to your full strength to take care of your little ones. Therefore, take all the house works lightly. The goal is to get back to your 100% strength as quickly as possible.
Keep on moving forward, single parents!!! You can do it.
picture: http://nadinemuller.org/musings/keep-calm-and-carry-on/
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