Calm, Cosy Routines for Kids on Under The Weather Days

Sick days for your kids can be tough. If you have younger children, it can be hard to know what they want or need, how they’re feeling, or what you need to do to help them. Here are a few small routines and tips to make the day easier. 

Start the Day Right

Firstly, you need to start the day right. No matter what sickness you have, the beginning of the day is almost always when you feel the worst. Because of this, you need to do what you can to make it easier for your child. 

Give them a dose of Blooms The Chemist cough medicine, something to drink, and let them take their time getting up and ready. 

Breakfast & Hydration

Breakfast and hydration are important no matter who is sick. It gives the body the fuel it needs to fight off whatever virus you may have, and gives you some energy so that you don’t feel completely drained the entire day. 

Don’t go overboard with huge portions for your child, but instead, opt for smaller portions of comfort food. Toast is never a bad idea, and if your child has a cold, for example, add some orange slices or a glass of orange juice. 

Moderate Screen Time

While many parents don’t want their kids to spend all day looking at a screen, when your child is sick, it can be a great way to distract them from how they’re feeling. Whether it is their favorite TV show or video games, give them some time to enjoy it. 

Split their screen time into sections, as you still want them to get some fresh air, take a nap, etc. Screen time, in moderation, will help them relax and forget how they feel for a little bit. 

Story Time

Reading your child stories or having them listen to audiobooks is a great way to help them relax and sleep. If they have been struggling to sleep due to their illness, you want to do everything you can to help them relax. 

While it may be easier to use a movie or something on a tablet, rather avoid it, as using screens, no matter what for, will wake up the brain and make falling asleep harder. 

Comfort Checks

It is also important to always do some comfort checks. Children, especially when they are younger, can sometimes struggle to express how they are feeling, such as when they are too hot, too cold, thirsty, or hungry. 

Because of this, do regular check-ins to see how they are doing. If they are a bit sweaty, change their clothes into something cooler, if their water bottles are still full, find out if there is something else they would like to drink. 

Nap Time

Nap time is a crucial part of any sick day routine, especially for kids. While it is often difficult to get your kids to sleep, when they are sick, it does become easier. Depending on how sick they are and what they are sick with will determine how many naps they need. 

Fresh Air & Time Outdoors

Fresh air is never a bad thing when you are sick. Sitting in the same room for hours on end can make you feel worse, and an hour outdoors can reinvigorate you and help you feel a little better. 

To make it more comfortable, set up a blanket and some pillows and let your child relax. Bring them some snacks, a portable gaming console if they have one, some books, etc, all of which will keep them outside for longer, even if they don’t like it at first. 

Regular Check-Ups

When your child is sick, it is important to do regular check-ups. Once again, your child isn’t going to be able to tell you if they have a fever, for instance, so you need to be the one who checks for them. 

This is also important in the event that their sickness gets worse, because the sooner you can get to the doctor, if need be, the better. 

Create a Comfort Zone

Create a separate comfort zone for your child, away from the rest of your family. If you have other kids, you don’t want them to get sick, but they may not fully understand that your sick child needs some quiet time and to stay calm and relaxed. 

If they have their own bedroom, that will clearly work as a comfort zone, but if not, you can set them up in your bedroom, a separate living room, etc. 

Keep the Day Flexible

Finally, be sure to keep your day flexible. You don’t want a schedule like “story time: 12 am, nap time: 1 am” or anything similar. The main goal is to help your child relax and feel better, and if that means 3-hour naps or more screen time than normal, that should happen. 

Additionally, whether you are a child or an adult, no one wants to be met with a set schedule when you are feeling under the weather; it creates the opposite feeling of calm.