When my kid is sick, I use his sick day as reminder to take care of me.
“Sleep when they sleep.” That’s the advice given to new mommies. Except I’m not a new mommy. And my baby is 11 years old.
It’s taken 11 years for the new mom advice to sink in.
Norrin’s been sick since Thursday night and I had to keep him home from school yesterday.
He’s an active kid. Most days I can’t keep up with him but when he’s sick, I can’t help but miss his hyperactivity. I hate seeing him so weak and helpless.
So while he napped and rested in bed, I did the same.
I take full advantage of a sick day.
I allowed myself to veg on the sofa and binge watch my shows.
I didn’t wash a dish or pair a sock.
I used his sick day as a self-care day for me.
Norrin isn’t the kind of kid who can take care of himself. When he’s sick, he needs more attention and prompting than usual.
I have to ask if he needs to throw up. And then I have to remind him to use the bin beside him or go to the bathroom.
I still remind him to blow his nose or I just do it myself.
He won’t eat or drink. So I have to prompt him to drink, often sitting with him and holding the straw to his lips.
And he’s just getting used to taking medicine.
Taking care of him while he’s sick requires a lot. So I focus my energy on him. But when I’m tending to him, I am taking care of me.
I could’ve caught up on laundry or cleaned but I choose not to. I can’t take care of my kid if I’m feeling run down.
There will always be something to do around the house. It’s ok to put those chores on hold. I promise.
Sometimes putting yourself on the top of the to-do, is the best thing you can do for your family.
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