So it’s the last week of school before Christmas break, and my kids have been home sick. Poor things, I know. And for me it means three full days being trapped at home with sputtering, wheezing, sneezing little ones who are miserable and bored silly. I have a lengthy to-do list this week, with several important tasks to tick off before relatives start arriving on the weekend and an impending trip to the grandparents’, but what exactly am I doing?

I’m playing balloon volleyball
in the living room, of course!

My kids have never, ever been great sleepers. As babies they would only sleep under perfect conditions -in their cribs in a quiet, dark room. Never would you see me in public with a peacefully dozing newborn! Rather, you’d notice the big red-lined eyes of my baby as she pays close attention to what is happening outside her seat or stroller. My darling baby son was the same way. I’m (mostly) at peace with it now, and over the years I’ve worked hard to create bedtime routines that, for the most part, work. But as all parents know, the gloves come off when kids get sick.

So, in order to ensure my kids get some rest to feel better when they’re sick, I tuck them into bed with books & comics and ply them with soup, smoothies, and healthy snacks as their appetite allows. And if they can’t keep from jumping out of bed, I clear out the furniture for some balloon volleyball to tucker them out! We all end up sweating with efforts to keep the balloon from touching the ground as we pass back and forth around the room. Today, we even made an ad hock centre line with string for passing the balloon over with only 3 hits. Soon they both flopped to the ground (well, me too) and I suggested we all go lie down in our beds.

Do you have ways to cope with your kids at home sick?

I hope your Christmas list is getting tackled, please wish me luck on mine!