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I know mothers aren’t supposed to get sick, but I confess, I was as sick as a dog and with seven little ones I had no idea how I was going to make life work.

“I’m too sick to send the kids to school tomorrow” I confided in my husband… “You’re to sick to keep them at home” he replied

I couldn’t argue with his logic

Realistically by sending our little ones off to school I’d only have three at home – sure I’d still be outnumbered… but not as badly.

Do What I Do!

“I want you to do what I do” my husband instructed

“Just jump into bed, put the kids favorite movies on, and snuggle up with them- they will even rub your back!”

This sounded AMAZING!! A little like child labour, but I would deal with the guilt once I was better!

I did precisely what the man said…

Laying down on my tummy with two of my girls on either side of me I shut my eyes… only to feel my four year old tug tug tugging at my jumper to get me to open them

She did this each time I closed my eyes, and her giggle whilst doing it was infectious.

What’s Up With Kids Shoving Their Feet In Mum’s Mouth?

Then it was my two year olds turn…

I want to know what the obsession is with little ones of that age group to shove their feet in their parent’s mouths!

Do they think it makes us feel better? Is it to comfort us? Or is it from memories ingrained into their little minds of their feet constantly being kissed when they were babies?!

Either way, I bet all two year olds do it!

Those two played steamrollers all over me, which admittedly was almost like a massage… as long as you don’t mind having to gasp for air to breathe.

What’s Happening Here?

What happened to the glorious image my husband had painted for me?! Why wasn’t the experience as magical as what they give him?!

…and I know he wasn’t exaggerating because I’ve seen the way our children fuss over him whether he’s sick or otherwise.

It’s Because I’m The Mum!

It’s because I’m the mother isn’t it… and mums never get sick, we never stop, and if or when we do, our little ones don’t quite know how to react.

I love it though, and just look what came of it… I got to write this piece whilst suffocating under two little girls who have decided to make me their bed… and their baby brother has just woken up.

….send help!

What do you do when you’re unwell? Tell us in the comments below.

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  • I was feeling rather unwell one day. Hot and cold flushes and dizzy. I put myself to bed. My family clearly wondered where I was as I found my husband and all three children (including the baby in daddy’s arm) standing in the door way no more than 5 minutes later. I think I uttered “I guess I’m all better now” and got up! My husband is more than capable and will continue to be hands on with the kids when he is sick… but only if the kids are sick too! So it seemed only fair that I do the same.
    There was another occasion when it was just me and the baby. I went from dizzy to wanting to throw up whenever there was white light. I emailed my husband to let him know I wasn’t feeling well in case he would need to leave work. The light from the iPad screen sent me running for the toilet where I did NOT throw up. I couldn’t leave the baby unsupervised on the off chance I was going to be sick so got a bucket, lay down on the sofa and replied to my husbands email. Then I threw up. The baby found this hilarious! More so than that she began to demand her lunch! Luckily for me, I spend all of a few minutes throwing up and them I’m pretty much 85% better. So I took the bucket to the laundry, rinsed my mouth, fed the baby and emailed my husband back to say I was all good now!

    So long story short we can take a sick day… so long as it doesn’t exceed 5 minutes

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  • Unwell or well – no time off :D that’s the crux. phew…wish it was simpler!

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  • It’s that old adage, ‘a woman’s work is never done.’ Mums don’t get time off unless they have someone who can step into their shoes which is rare.

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  • mums don’t get a moment off often, even when I am sick nothing much changes and I have to soldier on

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  • Take it easy and rest the doctor told me on Tuesday after hurting my back quiet badly. Rest? I’m a mum of two; a very energetic 2 year old and a 4 month old. How am I meant to rest exactly? Here I am on the couch with a heat pack on my back whilst singing rock a bye baby and rocking my 2 year old as my 4 month old plays on her play mate quietly. As was once famously said; The show must go on.

    Reply

  • Rest up!
    Yeh right. As mums that is hard.
    I work as a cleaner in houses and generally push through with common colds as cleaning anyway! I find I’m mentally stronger because I have to be as a single mum. But funnily when kids go to dads for a week I am so so weary. I think my body goesYeeees now I can collapse and I’m in bed by 8.

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  • If my sickie is on a weekend then yes I get a sickie. I take a day off works and the kids go to child care and school. Weekends are a different story.

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  • This is when we need our village. If husband can’t stay at home the extended support network is needed at times like this.

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  • I had a really bad head cold last month. So did my husband. I joked that man flu is that he sneezed once three days ago and is still in bed. Mum flu is that she died three days ago but just has one more load of washing to do and then a quick vac. Mums do not get sick days.

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  • it is real hard for us mums

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  • Everyone gets sick at times and everyone needs to rest.

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  • I keep going and rest when I can.

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  • I keep going as there is no one else to care for the kids

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  • Ahhh! It’s just not a good situation when you get sick. I need the extra help and require all in the house to be patient and supportive until I gain the strength and energy to cope with everything again. Mums need to recover properly :)

    Reply

  • It sure is hard, especially when you’re doing it alone with no one to help at all. Can’t say I’ve had the feet in mouth thing though lol.

    Reply

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