When does it get easier - illness edition?

[Anonymous]

I have a 1 yo and 4 yo, and it feels like the past couple months have just been one illness after another.

For the past week, DH has been sick too, which means I've been doing 100% of night duty for my miserable kids. I have a full time job, and am trying to keep us with laundry and some cooking too.

I'm seriously exhausted, and my stress level is through the roof. The 1 year old can't tell me how he feels and I'm just constantly guessing at what he needs. He's crying a lot which just ups my anxiety.

I know this is just normal parenting stuff, and I feel like I'm not handling it with grace and patience. I'm tired and snappy.

Please tell me it gets easier to have sick kids when they get older? And I know I'm lucky that all I'm dealing with is normal illness.

[Anonymous]

Are your kids in daycare/school?

[Anonymous]

Mom of 6, 3 and 1 year old here. Two of them are in school and we have a nanny. They catch things from school, playgrounds, playrooms, but especially, our church nursery. We haven't put our baby in church nursery since December because we just can't have any more sickness right now.

I'd say these things come in big waves. From early December through the end of January, someone was always sick, ear infections, colds and 2 kids and I had the Flu (type A). I was at my wit's end and thought I cannot live like this. Then, it just stopped. No one has been sick at all since end of January.

So just hold on, you will catch a break at some point...it just doesn't seem like it at the time! Winter is the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are your kids in daycare/school?

4 yo is in preschool, 1 yo at home with a nanny

[Anonymous]

It does get easier as they get older. I have a kindergartner, a 4yo and a 1.5 yo. As soon as DS1 started preschool, I feel like we were sick all winter. DS1 is so much easier to deal with when he's sick now. He can get himself to the bathroom to throw up. If he's got a fever, he can just lay in the bed watching shows on the kindle half the day, falls asleep at some point.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 6 and 4. Both in day care full time from about 10 months old. They were sick fairly often until my youngest was about three.

[Anonymous]

I feel like when they are going on 3, the sickness stops (or your third winter) - Mine are all dec/jan babies and it wasn't until that 3rd winter where there wasn't misery. my 2 year old has had a cold, the flu and a norovirus since the new year. I can only assume daylight savings will change my life..

[Anonymous]

When everyone learns to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, frequently.

[Anonymous]

Parent of a 6 and 11 year old. What you are dealing with is normal. Your kids are still little and it will be easier to handle their illness when they get older. Having an ill husband is annoying as heck. Take a deep breath and do the best you can. This too shall pass.

[Anonymous]

Right there with you - 3 year old is on day 4 tomorrow home with the flu and 8 month old was home last week with double ear infection and sinus infection. Order out or pick up prepared foods. Let the house stuff slide or outsource it. Go to sleep as soon as your kids do. Just triage and try not to worry about the stuff outside o f your control.

[Anonymous]

The DH man cold is far worse than the kids' colds.

- wife currently suffering from a man-baby DH with the sniffles

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When everyone learns to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and warm water, frequently.

Kids don’t wash hands before lunch in elementary! K was a nightmare for illness for our DD, who was rarely sick in preschool. First grade has been better.

[Anonymous]

this time of the year SUCKS. Seriously, we have had ongoing sickness between flu, allergies, sinus infections for a couple of months.

[Anonymous]

My kids were sick quite a bit in daycare/preschool, but never sick once they hit Kindergarten. My oldest is currently in 4th grade and has not missed a day of school for illness since he got pneumonia at the beginning of K. I do think daycare builds up their immunity.

[Anonymous]

Ugh, I'm feeling the same. My 2 year old DD threw up this morning. She's been sick on and off for the past couple of months. She doesn't got to daycare but does go to the library and play group and music class with her nanny or her grandma during the week so I figure she's picking up germs there. She also puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. We've been reading the book Yummy Yucky with her but it hasn't worked.