Flu Season: Surviving When the Whole Family Is Sick

Illnesses like the flu are rampant this time of year, and it seems there is no end in sight. For a family it can be especially tough when everyone gets sick at once. As a mother, it can be really hard to care for your husband and children when you are also ill.

Unfortunately, I experienced this first hand when I became sick with bronchitis a few years ago. The infection lasted over a month and then we ended with a strong bout of flu for my whole family. The first thing everyone, myself included, figured out is that mom did a lot more than anyone thought around the house. Since no one is immune to getting sick, even if you had the vaccine, I will share a few tips on things you can do before, during, and after your family becomes ill.

Keep up supplies

Winter brings a lot of fun things, Christmas, snow, vacations, but it also brings not so fun things like illness. Having your pantry and medicine cabinet stocked with items you know your family may need is important. Having the proper medicines for each person is a good idea. When taken as directed, a bottle of children's acetaminophen can disappear quickly. There is no worse time to have to go to the store than when you are sick, not only for you, but for the fellow shoppers as well. Many stores are now selling generic versions of these medicines at a fraction of the cost. Start stocking up in early October. Try to buy one or two items every time you are in the store to help spread out the cost.
Having comfort foods on hand is also a great idea. No one in my family likes chicken noodle soup, so we don't even bother with it, but having ice cream for a sore throat or Sprite for an upset tummy is always okay when our kids get sick. This may sound like junk food to some, but when you're not feeling well, anything to boost your spirits also boosts your immune system.

Prioritize chores and accept help

During the month before my family got the flu, I had bronchitis. This meant that any time I got up to do anything, it felt like an 18-wheeler was sitting on my chest which brought on coughing fits. As a stay-at-home mom, it is normally my job to keep the house in order, care for the children, and care for the farm animals. During the month that I was sick, and then the week that we were all sick, all the household chores had to be prioritized by necessity. Laundry was done in order of importance: My husband had to have work clothes, the towels needed to be clean, and pajamas had to be washed. Everything else could wait.

I am blessed to have my mom live nearby. She was able to come over several times during the month and help out with cleaning and straightening. While I am normally the kind of person who prefers to do my own cleaning, my own way, I was grateful for the help. Always remember that priority number one is getting better.

Entertaining the children

Unlike most adults, children aren't generally always down when they are sick. Medicine can bring on several hours of play time. As a homeschooler, I have had to come up with different ways to entertain my toddler when I need to spend more time with my kindergartner. The activities I use during these times worked great when I wasn't feeling up to entertaining them.

Another great idea, especially for older children, is to collect small toys or movies throughout the year to keep in a secret "sick box." You could also rotate toys through the box that your child has become bored with, but you aren't ready to throw out yet. Pull out one or two items when your child is feeling well enough to be out of bed, but not enough to do regular play-time activities.

Getting all the sick out

We have all been taught by our mothers how to clean and disinfect our homes. However, sometimes it is easy to overlook small areas of our lives that can make a big impact on our health. One thing I can say for sure, I wanted all the germs out of my house as soon as possible! Remember to throw out all the toothbrushes and start fresh. If a member of your household has the bad habit of scraping the toothpaste across their brush, throw out the toothpaste, too. Lysol everything hands can touch, door knobs, cabinet handles, toys, remotes, phones, keypads, the interior of your car, basically anything you can see that has the potential of being touched. It is also a good idea to Lysol soft surfaces like mattresses, couches, chairs, and pillows.

Several people were really surprised that my family got sick, we are homeschoolers afterall, we never leave the house, right? Wrong, my husband works; I had to visit the doctor; we go to the store for groceries just like everyone else. The important thing is to teach your children to wash their hands with soap and water whenever possible or use hand sanitizer. No matter how many precautions we take, eventually we will all get sick. Being prepared for the inevitable is good parenting at its best.