Quarantined to my house: The flu edition
As I write this, I’m currently going on Day Three of self-imposed quarantine, due to my toddler having the flu. Thankfully, this time it didn’t include fire-hose vomit all over my beautiful knit throw blanket - that was two weeks ago.
And before that? My baby was congested with a gnarly cough.
And before that? My toddler had the cough and was also mouth-breathing.
And before that? Teething, like hardcore. Yeah, this is how our winter’s gone. Never. Ending. Sick days. And as a mom, that means being quarantined to our homes, stuck inside our four walls with sick, miserable children who have a tantrum loud enough to shake the house all because… “the red… the red… bus… under the.. couchhhhh!!” Ah yes, out of all of your toys, you must have the tiny, cheap, made-in-China bus that you got for free from the dentist. Absolutely. Excuse me while I get on my hands and knees to retrieve said bus from under our massive couch so that you STOP YELLING AT ME, child. Anyone else? Yeah, if you have a toddler, you know what’s up.
We are freaking warriors, mamas.
Well, now that I’ve had a lot of practice with this whole trapped-in-my-house-with-a-sick-child thing over the last few months, I thought I’d share some of my hard-earned wisdom with you, as we all battle the storms together. If the flu, the cough, or the stomach bug hasn’t hit your house yet— well, woman, YOU HOLD THE SECRET TO LIFE and please please share it.
For the rest of us, here’s a little something to help a sister out.
Dust off that yoga mat, put on a chill coffeehouse playlist, and stretch your little heart out— maybe even do some ab-work?! This will get your blood pumping and make you feel less puffy from the lack of movement. Take some deep breaths to clear your head and remind yourself that you’re still a human, despite the fact that you feel more like you’ve become an inanimate part of the house these days.
Embrace the cuddles that your kiddo needs. Get on the floor and play with them, cozy up on the couch and watch a kid-movie that you’ve been secretly wanting to watch for a while. More than anything, they just need to feel nurtured, and by sitting with them in their misery, you’re doing just that. Stop cleaning for a sec, k?
Eat clean foods! I know, I’m so annoying for saying that right now. I know that when we’re stuck at home all day, we all want to go for that comfort food— frozen pizza, Mac and cheese, a big bowl of cereal (I literally ate all of these things yesterday, so I’m not judging). But DON’T DO IT. You will feel like sh*t because you’re putting sh*t in your body. Think high protein, tons of veggies, and fresh fruit. Your body will thank you.
Drink so much water. Like a ridiculous amount.
Set up one of those SuperMom crafts for your kid. It'll help them from turning into a total zombie in front of the TV all day. Check out @busytoddler on Instagram for some inspiration!
Same you, new mood. This wisdom came from the goddess that is Rachel Hollis. Essentially, the idea is that you can’t change your current situation, but you can change the way that you react to it. Instead of letting frustration or cabin fever get the best of you, make a choice to remain positive and to sprinkle those positive vibes all over your home.
Boost your immunity so you don’t get sick too.Mama, you need to be on your A-game!
If you’re into essential oils (like every other “basic b*tch” in America… I’m one of them too!), then diffuse that stuff like there’s no tomorrow! Personally, I usually diffuse Thieves, Raven, Lemon, and Purification on days like this.
You can also ingest a “flu bomb”— put 2 drops each of Thieves, Lemon, Oregano, Copaiba, and Frankincense in a vegetable capsule (thanks for the tip, Riley Barker!!).
Take a serving or two of Elderberry syrup— tastes amazing, too!
Lastly, do not - I repeat - DO NOT allow yourself to get sucked into the Instagram vortex. Once you start scrolling, you won’t be able to stop, and before you know it, you’ll start feeling like your day and life is such a failure. My recommendation is to set a “screen time” limit on your social media apps for the day, so that you don’t get out of control. Save your sanity, woman. Maybe even pick up a book during naptime.
We’ve got this, mamas. Remember, that this too shall pass. Embrace this season of life because they grow up so fast.
Whatever cliche you need to get through the day, say it over and over. Personally, those cliches make me want to scream sometimes, so maybe just stick with the tips I listed above instead. It’s hard to be a mom. But you’re doing the best that you can do, and for that, I’m sending you a virtual squeeze with arms wrapped tight. Let’s do this thing!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rachel Klein is a born-and-raised Midwesterner who is equal parts homebody and traveling nomad. Rachel has a heart for motherhood, exploring the world, creativity, and dancing in the kitchen while making vegan mac n’ cheese. She is going on 5 years of marriage with her hunk of a husband, and together they are both living that #entrepreneurlife. Rachel is the CEO and founder of Revival Food Co., a plant-based food company that specializes in making the most amazing almond butter ever (chai-spiced, anyone!?). Along with her business-baby, Rachel has two real life babies, Jonathan and Ben, and a dog-baby, Champ. For a look into their daily life, you can tune into Instagram where there are sure to be way too many photos of chubby babies, puppies, yoga poses, and traveling.
