How do you survive sick days?

[twinergy]

I’m exhausted from being up nights with 2 sick toddlers then having to go all day too. The kids DH and I have all been sick for several weeks now and I just don’t have any more energy reserves. The kids are unusually cranky and fighting all the time so I have resorted to using videos to make it through the day. After 4 weeks we have watched way too much TV. Anyone have other ideas for getting through sick days?

[azdesertrn]

We've been passing around an illness here too.

My older one can sit and read. I usually have some new books stashed away.

Besides videos, my toddler will sit with washable markers and paper or coloring books from the dollar store for quite awhile. (Sometimes in her high chair)

She also loves to play with a big pan of water and some spoons & a dishrag on the kitchen floor. When she is done I take a couple old beach towels, wipe them around the floor, toss them in the washing machine and consider the floor mopped LOL.

Fruit juice popsicles are a big hit since we rarely have them and will keep her in her high chair if I need a few minutes to relax.

We're lucky the weather is nice here so we can still go outside - I think the sun helps everyone feel better.

Hope you guys are feeling better.

I don't feel too bad about a few more videos when sick- or video game time for the older one. We have DS's old leapster which DD is still too young for but likes to randomly push buttons- I just keep her in a carpeted area so its less likely to break if she drops it. We only pull it out on sick days or long car rides.

[twinergy]

Thank you for the great ideas azdesertrn. Today went so much better because they actually got a decent amount of sleep last night. They didn't ask to watch videos until they had been up for 2 hours today. They watched yoga kids for an hour then I distracted them with a shower. That was exactly what I needed, the kids were distracted and I got to relax. After that we went to their room and read books until nap time.

The problem with the videos is that they don't want to stop once they are started, and I just don't have the energy to deal with the double meltdowns. I think the key is to get them out of the TV room. The markers are a great idea I have to try. DD eats crayons and glue sticks so we have been at a loss for crafts for her. Our typical craft, play dough, is just gross when the kids have a cold.

I'm not necessarily feeling bad about them watching videos when sick as much as I'm feeling bad about the amount of videos it has become. I don't think this will continue after they are well because we spend much of our time out of the house.

[azdesertrn]

I'm glad everyone is sleeping better.

For markers, I like the crayola pip-squeaks markers because they are shorter than regular markers (so not as useful for oh, say, poking a cat LOL) They are also washable and nontoxic. She did chew the tip off one. I walked her to the bathroom and showed her her colorful tongue and lips and she hasn't done it again.

I forgot to mention post-it notes. DD loves to put these on the kitchen cabinets and then go around coloring them with markers. Clean up is really quick since they peel right off - and she is also happy to walk around with a rag wiping up any stray marker spots afterwards. (and even happier if I give her a spray bottle of water to clean with- however the cats hate it because she will spray anyone who wanders by...)

[twinergy]

Thank you again. I was just coming back here to post again to ask for marker recommendations. I looked up the reviews on the pipsqueaks and they sound very washable. Sounds like just what we need. I'm going to go get a set tonight.

[aikigypsy]

DD and I were both sick all of last week. We watched "My neighbor Totoro" 5 times in 3 days, plus bunches of other videos, like Winnie the Pooh, etc. She is now a complete TV/video adict, and breaking her of the habit is proving difficult, but I don't know how else I could have gotten through those days, especially when she wasn't sleeping well at night.

DH escaped the illness and was some help, but he was at work a lot and still isn't so great on housework (but he's learning!!). The place was a total sty.

So, yeah, no recommendations here. When DD had a low-grade fever, baths worked wonders for her mood -- I think it helped bring the fever down a bit. I think that's the only thing I can think of that might help! She also drew all over herself with washable markers.