No, Mommy! You can't be sick.

On our way home from Publix today morning, my daughter, Aanya, asked me if we can stop by at the park, so that she can play. I agreed. There were many kids around her age playing, so I asked her to join them while I sit on the bench and watch. She wanted me to play with her. I said, ''Aanya, I am not well today and I need to take it easy because if my health gets worse, who's going to take care of her". After some thinking she replied " Its OK if you are not well Mom, you can still play, we can call daddy to take care of you later"

I had this conversation with her today and it suddenly made me wonder, what does a sick day look like for a stay-at-home mother? Exactly like any other day - kids need to be fed, taken to school, play with them, run errands, if important. Any answer?

When I woke up one morning, couple of days back with a tickle in my throat, I pushed it to the back of my mind. No, no, it's nothing, I'm not sick, I told myself. Later that day, I started having slight headache. Ignore it; you're fine, I said. Yesterday morning I woke up with a scratchy throat and sinus pain and I ignored it again as there were lot of things to be done yesterday. Eventually, by the evening I had to admit, that yes, I was sick.

In a perfect world, I would call in sick and take to my bed. I'd surround myself with quilts, tissues, hot tea, and Amazon videos while I rested in a quiet house. In a slightly less perfect world, I'd have my husband not go to work today or come home from work early while I recuperate. In my actual world, neither of those things are available to me, so I am just surviving the best way I know how. Here are a few things that seem to help me hang on:

1. Make things easy for Aanya to help herself: I cut lots of fruits and kept in a bowl on the table. Along with it, a basket is full of her snacks. She can have whatever she wants without disturbing me.

2. Be Ok with entertaining herself, in whatever form: Today is not an ideal day to be picky about what she's doing for fun. As long as she's occupied. I am happy. Even if that means lots of Amazon instant videos.

3. Let everything wait for a while: Laundry will have to wait, the dishes, the clutter pile, they all have to wait while I rest for sometime.
 
How do you deal with being sick while managing a household? Share your tips and advice below!