Tag Archives: illness

Coping with Illness and Shared Custody

Sick kids are seldom fun. As parents, we not only have their health to fuss over when one of our children gets sick, but we generally have to rearrange our schedules and make adjustments in order to accommodate and tend to the illness. As single parents, one of the illness realities that we have to contend with is a child who is going from one parents house to the other while sick. Either the child has gotten sick at one house and then has to travel mid-sick, or you might find that the child you sent away healthy has come … Continue reading →

You’ll Always Need Your Mom

In addition to my daughter, I have three sons. The youngest two, ages six and three, still need me quite a bit. The six-year-old is feeling a little insecure about his place in the family and needs reassurance, and the three-year-old is still just enough of a baby that he comes to me for cuddles and kisses, and needs help with almost everything. My nine-year-old son, though, is pretty independent and often goes the whole day without needing my help for anything. On the one hand, it’s pretty nice. On the other, it makes me sad. I remember when he … Continue reading →

What to Do with Others when One Child Gets Sick

I have written occasionally about illness and the single parent because I do think that sickness in a single parent household can be a “bigger deal” than in one where there are two parents ready and available to help. When one child in a family of siblings get sick, it can also be tough figuring out how to make sure the healthy children get enough attention while tending to the ill one… I know that when my children were much younger, the healthy kids tended to act up and either try to get away with things, or do whatever they … Continue reading →

Do You Feel Guilty When You Get Sick?

For some reason, many of us not only try to avoid admitting when we are getting sick or have come down with an illness, but to actually feel guilty when we do. As if it is shows some weakness or is some failing on our part. While it may not feel like there is room for illness in a single parent’s life, illness can be our body’s way of telling us to slow down and take care of ourselves or it can be an opportunity for us to learn how to let go of the guilt and feelings of weakness. … Continue reading →

Getting Help when You’re Sick

I was definitely one of those single parents who tried to save a buck or two in day care costs when I was home sick. Why send the child to day care and pay all that money when I was home and could look after them? Add to that the fact that just getting up and getting everyone ready for day care seemed daunting on a day when I was really sick and it often seemed like the best idea. Alas, it didn’t always turn out that way since there were times when I was too ill to really look … Continue reading →

When The Kids Are Sick with Different Illnesses

Sooner or later it happens—if you are parent to more than one child, eventually (and, perhaps, more often than you’d like) you are going to have to face the adventure of having them sick with different illnesses. Throw on top of that the fact that you might be feeling a little under the weather yourself and it can be hell! How can one (or two) parent(s) play nursemaid to an entire sick ward? I do not really know how we do it—those of us with multiple children have surely had to face having one with a cold, one with an … Continue reading →

If I Can Only Stay Healthy

Thank goodness I am a fairly healthy person by nature, but I know that when I commiserate with other single parents one of the things that always comes up is how we all pray for health. Most of us have figured out how to stay on top of things on a fairly regular basis—or at least hold our worlds together. When we get sick, however, it can make staying on top of things an incredible struggle—if not completely impossible. Staying healthy is key to a single parent’s survival! Of course, it is not always possible. We are as susceptible to … Continue reading →

Some Kids Have Stronger Immune Systems

I was talking with a group of parents recently and we got on the subject of health and immune systems–I had forgotten how I used to fuss over such things when my kids were younger but now have grown very used to their different health styles and immunity levels. It certainly seems like some kids have a perpetual runny nose while others may seldom get sick at all. Instead of worrying, I think there are things that parents can do to understand and help kids develop stronger immune systems… It is fairly common knowledge now that breast-fed babies have a … Continue reading →

The Sickness Season?

The other day, Myra wrote about flu shots and a colleague was talking earlier in the week about how his children were all starting to come down with their “holiday” illnesses. It all reminded me that while this IS the festive, hectic holiday season–it can also be the time of year that kids are most likely to get sick! I don’t know if it is the cold weather, being cooped up inside where germs can spread more easily, all those treats and white sugar, or the fact that kids can get worn out and their immunes systems exhausted–but I do … Continue reading →

Listening to Body Signals in Operating Your Business

Our bodies do tell us all sorts of things—tension headaches when we are trying to wrestle with too much stress, a stomach ache when something is wrong or off-kilter, sore eyes when we are pushing ourselves too hard—what sort of signals is your body sending you when it comes to running your home business and why aren’t you listening to them? Sometimes, our bodies send us signals that our brains somehow miss—this is what intuition and gut instinct are all about. Have you ever been in a situation where you met someone who came highly recommended by a friend, and … Continue reading →