Moms Don’t Have Sick Days!

    It’s that time of the year when the season is changing, and the temperature outside is fluctuating. In the south it’s cold in the morning, at midday it feel like summer, and at night you’re debating whether to turn on the heater or not. Many of us have our little ones entering in our homes with snotty noses while barking with a faint cough . We as mothers rush to do our usual home remedies, and we tend to our children regardless of their age with the care of when they first came home out of womb. We lovingly care for our spouse or partner if they are ill. We treat them as king of the castle faithfully tending to their needs cooking warm soup, loading them up with energy drinks, giving them medicine, and tucking them into bed as if they were one of our very own to give them a restful pass for the day while we tend to the other house responsibilities. Well what happens when mom is down?

  My mother jokes with me saying as a child growing up”I was tough as nails,”and that I never really got sick. Things changed when I became a mother, and whatever my children brought home from playing with their friends or at school I was next in line for the big kick of germs. I was usually so busy caring for my children or my spouse who battles a chronic illness that I rarely had  the time to stop to say ” Girl you’re sick, go sit down somewhere.” My  responsibilities at home and my personality as the friendly,bubbly, warm, and socially butterfly to others didn’t seem to stop the energy zapping phone calls, invites, or the sell pitch of an acquiescence’s new found marketing gig when I was under the weather.

I learned to speak up, and share if I was down or sick without guilt . The first time I told my son that I wasn’t feeling well he looked at me with puzzling eyes as if saying ” Moms don’t get sick! ” Every family structure is different. Many families don’t have the support of family for whatever the circumstances or friends to pitch in due their circumstances of being moms with young children themselves to aid when they or a family member is ill. You learn how to navigate the best of your knowledge when you’re sick as a mother with what resources you have to work with.

We learn as mothers to work with what we got in those down moments while balancing taking care of ourselves. I wish I could share with you the magic of everything falling into place with a red carpet dialogue of how everyone will tend to us with the same care and affection of a mother’s love. However, the reality is there is no love in comparison of what a mother gives in caring for her family when they are ill. The hope isn’t lost for our families to reciprocate the care and concern when we are ill, but in reality it’s not the same nurturing care that we pour to our spouse and children.

I made the decision on those rare sick days to not save the world. I made the decision to sleep in a little longer if needed.I made the decision on those sick days to make a quick meal or let it be a leftover night. I made the decision to delegate rather than secretly vent on how my spouse and the older two children can be of service in helping out around the house if I am down. I also take those moments to take a break from anyone that zaps the little energy that I have at the time. Each moms has to figure out how to navigate the ship when the captain is down to best manage her home .Take care of yourself because moms do get sick. We all know when mom isn’t right nothing else is right as well.