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Oh, how you HOPE you’re mistaken but you’re pretty sure you just heard…

a cough and then a choking noise in the middle of the night.

Leaping out of bed, you scramble to see which kid it is.

You come upon the culprit, sitting up in bed, amidst a sea of chunky sheets.

The dreaded stomach virus has struck again.

Why is it never during the daytime?!

Washing machine running at 3:00AM, jumping up every 20 minutes to help a kid to the bathroom.

And the term my kids all hated.

The YUCKET BUCKET.

That’s what I called it anyway.

Hubs would grab a trash can, line it with a plastic bag, and set it by the bed.  When the kid started hurling, one of us would help her to the bathroom, the other would check the sheets.

And then, we prayed for morning.

My husband, Jim, is a way better nurse than me.

There are times I’ve been known to sleep during a vomit episode.

(Of course, we’re talking about putting in a full night here – I’d been up 6 times already.)

Thankfully, it’s not always the stomach virus, or the flu – sometimes it’s just a cold.

At any rate, kids get sick.

And guess who gets to be the nurse.

You may be the nurturing type so the nurse role just comes naturally.

And then there are those unlucky kids who get a mom such as myself.

I did improve over the years.  Even hubs now gives me a semi-B+ in this area.

From my humble experience (with four kids who got sick a lot), here’s what not to do:

1.  Don’t take them out.

I don’t care if you’re down to teach Sunday School – call someone and make arrangements.  Give the kid a break – and everyone else.

You kid will get well faster, and all the other parents will love you for not bringing little junior and his hand-foot-and-mouth disease to church.

Yes, it’s a hassle.  You committed to work the concession stands for soccer tonight.

GET. A. SUB.

And stay home with your child.

2. Have any expectations for a schedule

Your baby needs your attention, even if she is 17 years old.  Have a heart, cancel your appointments, get off the computer, and go make her some soup.

Ditch the schedule.  Someday that kid will be out of the house and you’ll wish he were back home sick in bed.

(Ok, not really.  But you will miss him.)

3.  Ignore the symptoms

Pay attention to your kid –  notice when they seem hot.

Have their eating habits changed, are they grouchy or extra sleepy?

Study your child so you’ll know when she’s really sick.

4.  Take junior to the doc the minute he has a sniffle.

Here’s the truth of the matter:  if kids take antibiotics every time they sneeze, they will not build up immunities.

Fact.

I loved my pediatrician, but I got angry a few times when he sent me home saying he couldn’t find a thing wrong with my kid.

But he did me a huge favor.

My kids developed better health as they grew, and didn’t necessarily get sick when everyone else was doing it.

That’s because they didn’t live on antibiotics.

{SOAP BOX TIME}:  This is what I hate about Immediacare facilities today.  Have you noticed?

Everyone comes out with a prescription.

I’ts how they make their money, people.

They want you coming back.

Ok.  I feel better now.

Here’s a few things you should do, nurse-mama (that I may or may not have always done):

1.  Cuddle lots

They need you.  I mentioned this earlier, but really.  Have you ever considered the reason God lets us get sick is to slow us down?

If your kid is sick –

SLOW DOWN.

Trust me.

2.  Make homemade chicken soup.

I’m telling you, chicken noodle soup is a tonic.

Studies show that soup contains anti-inflammatory agents.  It’s believed to actually relieve congestion.

So grandma was right after all.

Stock those pantries, because you never know – the flu and a snowstorm could both strike tomorrow.

Your babies need comfort food when they’re sick.

(Here’s my recipe for home-made chicken noodle soup.  Yes, I have a food blog too.)

3.  Make a “sick tray”.

We have one of these.  It has a monkey on it and a red fire engine.

People were faking illness at our house just to get to use that little red tray.

It’s another one of those little touches that help them feel just a tad bit better because you made the extra effort.

4.  Keep medicines on hand.

This way, you’re stocked when the time comes.

acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or Motrin, for reducing fevers or body aches)

Decongestants

Cough syrup

Anti-nausea meds

Peroxide

Alcohol

Thermometer

And don’t forget the snoopy bandaids.

And anyone who has kids should take a CPR Class.

It could save your child’s life.

I could say a lot more about childhood illnesses.  We’ve had our share of scary episodes.

But we’re keeping this short, so you’ll come back tomorrow!

Just remember – the main thing is to BE THERE for your kid.  Don’t just pooh-pooh the fact that he’s sick AGAIN.

Because only YOU can love him like God intended him to be loved.

{Hey there, mom, I’m so glad you’re here!  This is the first installment in a 31 day series called, “31 Hats Mom Wears”. Be sure to follow along for a humorous look at the different roles mom play, and how to maximize your effectiveness in those roles!  Trust me – I have some experience here.  Be sure to sign up for email (in the box to the right just underneath my picture) to follow along each day for the month of October!}

Click here for Day 2: The Chef’s Hat!