10 Ways to Show Love When Kids are Sick

As a mom of pre-teens and teens, I look for any opportunity I can get to cuddle up with my kids. It’s just not the same as when they were young and would crawl up in my lap for hours. Now I’m literally crushed if they do that.

But when they are sick – that is a prime opportunity to rub their heads just a little longer, and sit with them curled up in a blanket.

Another way I can nurture and care for them well in those sick moments is to keep our house stocked with a few items:

A sick bell – when they are sick they sometimes can’t get out of bed because of a fever, or don’t have a voice to yell. We had an old Christmas bell that I decided we’d use as our sick bell. They love ringing that bell when they are sick.

A heating pad – this comes in handy when they have an earache or an injury.

Mentholatum– one of the biggest jokes ever in my family is my mom used to put Mentholatum on a sock and wrap it around out necks. She swore it helped. I’m not sure if it did or not, but we sure felt cared for and loved. It helps a bad chest cold to rub it on the chest and under the nose.

Keep cough drops and mini packages of Kleenex handy. Know their favorite kinds of cough drops and pack a bag for their backpack if they are headed back to school.

Watch a movie together. They aren’t sick very often. Leave your tasks and use that time as one on one time.

Watch hydration and offer her plenty of drinks, popsicles, and herbal tea with honey. Tea is great because it has a soothing effect as well.

Cool washrags help comfort a fever, as do lukewarm baths. Keep a bowl of ice water next to their bed and continue to ring the washrag in it to keep it cool.

If your child has the flu, water can sometimes upset a stomach more than ginger ale, 7Up, or chicken broth. Try those first at least an hour after throwing up. Then move to bananas, toast, rice, or applesauce when they feel ready.

Give a foot rub or a head rub. This helps them relax.

Put on an audiobook for your child to listen to as he lies in bed or on the sofa.

Showing our children that extra bit of care when they aren’t feeling good is one way we can single them out and make them feel individually loved well.

What are your helpful tips when your kids are sick?