By Marci Lutsky
I spent a lot of time on my couch during the past two weeks, not because I’m hiding from crowds in stores. My daughter was sick and it lasted for days and days. We haven’t had an illness like that in years and I learned a lot from the experience, mostly how to be prepared for the unexpected so that you are not scrambling when sickness hits. I hope your little ones stay healthy this winter but it’s always good to be prepared with these tips.
Keep your medicine and supplies stocked! I can’t tell you how many times I have rummaged through drawers looking for a thermometer that works. Keep them stocked and in a place that is easily accessible. Make sure to clean it well between each use, a simple swab off with alcohol will do the trick. Make sure you have medicine on hand and know how much your child weighs as the dosage will be dependent on their weight. I always keep both Motrin and Tylenol in the house because sometimes I need to alternate between the two. Check the expiration dates on the bottles to make sure they are still okay to administer.
Buy tissues in bulk in the beginning of the season because no mater how many you have, it won’t be enough. It’s also good to keep a supply of cough drops on hand as well as a diffuser. If your child has is congested, chest rub in a must. Growing up I remember using Vick’s Vapor Rub. I use a more natural version these days for my kids as well as Do Terra Breathe essential oil. A little bit of that on the chest does wonders for clogged nasal passages.
Let’s talk about how to nourish your kids when they are sick. No matter how hard I tried, my daughter refused to drink tea with honey during this recent sickness. If your kids are more open to drinking tea, keep a soothing caffeine free tea in the pantry. The single most important food to keep in your freezer is soup! Even though I’m a vegetarian blogger, my children are not vegetarians and love a good cup of chicken noodle soup when they are sick. Though I didn’t have any on hand, I had all the ingredients to make some and now my freezer is stocked. I made it in the Instant Pot which could not have been easier or more delicious. When my kids are sick they also love cinnamon toast which is just a piece of whole wheat bread toasted with melted butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Keep a good supply of games in the house for sick days. Once my daughter started to feel a little better, we passed long hours playing Scrabble and Monoploy. I also knew my daughter was on the mend when she asked to bake cookies. She chose gingerbread cookies and luckily I had all of the ingredients in my pantry, including molasses.
Keep your pediatrician’s office number in your phone favorites so you can easily access it. We ended up needing to make two trips to the doctor. One of the most important things to have when your kids are sick is a good tribe. What does that mean? It means having friends to call on to pick your non-sick kids up from school and just to remind you that this will pass. I would be lost without my tribe. I hope your holidays are filled with healthy kids and happy memories but just to be on the safe side, stock your house and freezer just in case someone falls ill.
Marci Lutsky is a local mom of eight year-old twins and can be reached at veggingattheshore@gmail.com.
