Monday, September 21, 2009

Mom...I'm Sick.


As autumn approaches, I think of Halloween, fall leaves, crisp weather. I love this time of year. Well...it also ushers in cold and flu season, so you are bound to deal with illness soon, or at least some time this year. My sons just got over the flu and a cold a couple of weeks ago. I immediately resorted to taking care of my boys like my mother did for me. Having them sip hot jello and ginger ale for upset stomachs. Setting up a "bed" on the couch from them to camp out on while they watch TV and nap. I can still remember laying on the couch watching Cinderella over and over again, like it was yesterday.

I have also added new traditions/remedies through the years. I had a friend whose mom insisted she eat a LOT of fruit when she felt a cold coming on. I do this with my boys. If I can tell they are getting sick I load them up on fruit smoothies and fresh fruit as much as they will let me.

It got me thinking that all of you probably have some traditions that you perpetuate when your kids get sick too. I would love to hear about them and possibly make them my own.

Please share!
So what did you your moms do for you when you got sick?

What comforting traditions do you uphold for your kids when they become ill?

5 comments:

Alyssa Harper said...

Chicken noodle soup and/or plain chicken broth with Sprite to drink. We did the TV thing too. Useful tool, the TV. Gets kids to stay in one spot for...more than 10 minutes.

Universitybabe said...

Soda crackers and sprite to test the tummy yuckies. My bro was in the ICU as a toddler and the only thing they could get him to eat/drink were popsicles (otter pops) I have resorted to making sure I have a handfull in my feezer at all times (If I can help it) so that when a fever comes on or a mouth injury happens they have something they enjoy that will numb/assist in bringing a fever down. (My own son nearly bit through his tongue about a year ago and still has marks to prove it.)Some may think it is crazy but I push the popsicles when they have already gotten sick because it helps me make sure that they are getting fluids which as long as they are getting enough of helps me keep my kids out of urgent care and the ER. I have found popsicles help a lot with sore throuts too as my kids are a lot more willing to suck on a popsicle than to drink anything.

Jes said...

We did the vitamin C chewables (id eat them like candy though lol) warm jello water, sprite, and chicken noodle soup or the broth.

We cuddle and watch movies as a family and just kinda have lazy days. I know that my mom would also always let us pick what we wanted for dinner when we were sick because if we picked our favorite meals she was more likely able to get us to eat some food

Laura said...

The foods already mentioned were the same things that my mom did when we were sick, so I won't get into that. One thing I do remember, though, was using my dad's pillow and wearing my dad's shirt. I don't know where that tradition came from, but when we were sick, we would get to lay on my dad's pillow--I will say, though, that I now actually think that's kind of gross. It really doesn't seem like a good idea for all the sickness in the house to be compiled all on one pillow...

I did like wearing my dad's huge t-shirts (they're always huge when you're little, right?). It was definitely a mental comfort thing. Wearing Dad's shirt made it seem like he was there the whole time you were sick, like you were getting a hug or something. I remember that being quite comforting many times when I was sick. I'm sure it could work with mom's t-shirt, too, if the sick child prefers.

With how many different sicknesses are out there now, it's hard to say what will help and what will not. I think making the child comfortable can make a huge difference in getting them to relax and allow their bodies to heal.

~Sherry (Bear) and Stephen (Wolf) said...

When the use of a humidifier became nessesary for more than one of us,(which was often) she would hang sheets from the celing in the basment to make a room around the tv and couches. (Our basement wasn't finished at that time.) We all had our spot, and we would nap, watch tv, eat chicken noodle soup, 7up and do our missed homework.