How To Take a Mom Sick Day

Sharing is caring!

You go to sleep one night a Normal Life Mom and you wake up the next morning a congested mess of snot and ooze. Your head feels the size of a balloon and you can’t keep up with tissues and nose spray. You need relief and you need it fast. 

A nice warm bath, a whole season of your favorite Netflix show, some chicken noodle soup and you will be feeling better in no time.Oh wait, on top of feeling sicker than you’ve ever felt, you are also responsible for three little humans for the rest of the day. There goes your plans to lay in bed all day. How will you ever manage the next 8-10 hours, extremely sick, while also being the main parental unit? The old saying is true, moms don’t get sick days! 

Luckily, here are some easy tips on how to take a mom sick day.

*This post contains affiliate links. Please read my privacy policy and disclosure for more information.

1. Call In Help

This probably seems like a no brainer, but I’ve been really sick before and thought I was was super mom, able to handle both kids and the flu alone. If you have a family member or close friend in town see if they can come over, even if just for an hour to help.

If your partner’s work schedule is flexible see if there is an option for them to work from home or work half the day so you can catch some extra sleep.

2. Grab All Your Mom Sick Day Essentials

Shopping in your PJs on a mom sick day is 100% acceptable. Grab the kids, hop in the car and head to your local store for a quick trip to get all of your sick day essentials. If you are EXTREMLY sick call in some help and ask a friend/neighbor to do a store pick up for you or better yet have it delivered to you via Instacart. 

My go-tos to stock up on when sick:

• Extra tissues
• Natural cough drops
• Over the counter medicine
• Fever reducer
• Hand sanitizer
• Hand wash for each bathroom
• Wipes to wash down surfaces

If you are congested I highly recommend making sure that you have a great humidifier (we have one for every room in the house). This one works great and won’t break the bank.

Hop on over to the Tea and Coffee aisle and grab some soothing Lipton Bedtime Bliss Tea. All of the Lipton wellness teas are made with carefully selected botanicals and are blended with essential oils, which help make wellbeing a part of your everyday routine. This is a delicious tea to sip on at the end of your long day. Also helpful for tip #7

3. Make a Sick Day Caddy

Grab an old shoebox, diaper caddy, or wicker basket you have laying around the house and throw all of your mom sick day essentials in there. With your sick day caddy you can  easily have everything you need in one place. Add all of your medicine, some water to keep you hydrated, facial tissue, thermometer and a plastic bag for all of the garbage.

4. Simplify Lunches

Everyone has heard that chicken noodle soup soothes the soul. Grab some of the pre-made soup for an easily warmed up lunch for you and the kiddos later.  

Also, pick up some fun snacks that the kids will love. Think small bags of pretzels, boxes of raisins or pouches of applesauce.

OR call in food! I don’t think I have ever ordered delivery in the middle of the day, but nothing sounds easier than on a sick day. Order from your favorite sandwich shop or pizza place and make lunchtime easy.

5. Create a Sensory Bin

While you are grabbing your sick day essentials, check out the clearance section. See what kind of fun stuff you can grab to make a fun sensory box later. Noodles and rice would make great bases for any sensory box.

Better yet, use what you already have in your own pantry. If you have cereal that has expired or is ready to go bad use that. Add some fun scoops and cups and let your kids sift through the sensory box, while you watch from the distance snuggled up in a warm blanket. Place a fitted sheet underneath the sensory box for easy cleanup later.

Try this easy coffee bean sensory bin or get some easy inspiration from these toddler sensory bins.

6. Break Out The Rainy Day Toys

I’m one of those moms who don’t let their kids have all the toys they get from holidays and their birthday right away (mean mom I know). I usually have a stash of “rainy day” toys in the basement and pull them out as needed. Those toys are NEVER more needed than on sick days. Head down and see what you have. IF you don’t, check your storage and see what you have packed away. My daughter loves discovering old toys all over again.

7. Have a Tea Party

Brew yourself a warm glass of tea and while you are doing that, microwave some water for about 20 seconds for your kiddos. Have your littles sip their own “pretend tea” alongside of you. You can even have them dress up in their favorite dress up clothes to make the tea party more memorable, while you lounge in your favorite dressy yoga pants.

8. Repurpose old toys

This is a great day to find toys that aren’t toys and turn them into playthings. Have a bunch of cardboard boxes laying around? Have your kids color the inside of them and make “spaceships.” Add pretty stickers or glue on some glitter dots you have laying around. Use playing cards and play a game of memory or make up your own age appropriate game. Take old socks and encourage your children to put on a puppet show for you.

9. Watch A Movie

Disregard every ounce of information you have ever heard of about screen time and kids. That information is not applicable when your sick. In fact, screen time when sick is a necessity.

Find a fun movie from your childhood that you and your kids will love. Flip around and see if you can find some fun educational videos that will get your kids learning while you can spend some time relaxing. My kids love listening to Baby Shark over and over again.

10. Build a Fort

Lay down on the ground and have your children build a fort around you. They will have so much fun grabbing pillows and blankets and pushing chairs together while you can take it easy and “rest”

You Did it!

As soon as your partner walks through the door, declare the day a victory. Everyone is well and it’s now your turn to go lay down while they clean up pillow forts and the sensory bin fun.

 

Sharing is caring!