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Angel
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 7:25am | IP Logged
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I've probably already spent too much time at the computer this morning when I should have been getting a headstart on things, but...
Does anyone have any tips on how to keep up with the house, cooking, etc. when everyone in the house is sick?
We have had such a rough winter so far. Someone has been sick in this house since the beginning of November, minus about 3 (nonconsecutive) weeks. This latest gunk has been the worst, though, because all the kids have really been hit hard by it at the same time, and it won't let up. My babies have both been running fevers for the past 6 days. They don't sleep, they're crying all day and don't want me to put them down *or* hold them at the same time, they can't breathe, nothing seems to help... They don't have infections either(although we're going back to the doctor today to make sure nothing's changed...). Usually at least one of the two older kids will be feeling well enough to help with dishes or picking up, but this virus has laid them *all* out *all* week. To make matters worse, I was sick over the weekend, and with no sleep, I get run down pretty quickly.
The house is a disaster. Dh and I are valiantly attempting to keep up with laundry and the dishwasher, but it seems like when we all most need the house to be sort of in order and meals to be homecooked and nutritious, is the very time when I can't do any of those things. Considering also that we barely recover from one thing only to be hit by another -- and that my dh is gearing up to spend almost the entire month of February on the road -- we can never get the house in the shape it needs to be in just to maintain it, and whenever I try to declutter or organize, another crisis hits and the house is left looking *worse* than it did when I started, because now my "project" is left half-done all over the place.
Help?
--Angela
Three Plus Two
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guitarnan
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 8:14am | IP Logged
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Angela,
Do you live at my house?
We're chronically in this state (dh gone, sick family members ill, not enough sleep).
I wish I had some tips to offer, but, frankly, my house looks like Hurricane Andrew hit it.
I've decided that one thing that will help is to get rid of stuff I, personally, am not using, and to store seasonal items in the attic where they belong. Now that ds is old enough to help me put things up there, it's easier to store things. (It used to be very hard to do that job alone.)
I've tried some of the FlyLady ideas but just don't seem to have time to stick to them.
I'm glad you started this thread, Angela!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Lisbet
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 8:42am | IP Logged
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Angela, Having just been through this ourselves, all I can say is ROLL WITH IT!! All of my children had the flu for two weeks, then it hit me. With all of my bigs down and my littles very clingly, it took me all day to wash a sinkful of dishes and do one load of laundry. Then on top of that I discovered I was pregnant, had many bleeding episodes, then I got hit with the flu myself. My darling husband, bless his heart, worked his tail off over the weekend to catch up on laundry and pull the house out of disgusting. All that before begining his new job on Monday.  He's the only one who was not knocked off his feet with the nasty virus.
We are still trying to dig ourselves out, I get tired SO easy. I wish I had some sage advise, but I don't, only sympathy. I hope your kiddos get better soon. It's rough. You will all be in my prayers.
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Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
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Theresa
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 8:55am | IP Logged
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One thing that worked for us during a season of chaos last year was for me to do bulk cooking or once a month cooking. While I will occassionally make a double of a meal and freeze it, during this period of our life meals needed to be the last thing on my mind and so I checked out some books on once a month cooking and with the encouragement from a friend at church I gave it a go.
I am no longer doing this, but it was my saving grace during those months when we were busy with Dr.'s and appointments last year.
I know it isn't a solution that you could implement "right now" but, you could easily start building a stock of meals by making double when you do have some time and that way on days when chaos seems to reign you could pull out a meal and know that you are still serving a home cooked dinner for your family.
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Theresa
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doris
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 11:42am | IP Logged
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So much sympathy! I've just had flu myself (thankfully no-one else got it) and it was awful. Dh was great about keeping the children entertained and fed, and also keeping basic housework done, but other than that nothing was done.
What I learnt -- guard your own health. Rest. Don't do too much too soon if you've been ill.
Gratefully accept all offers of help. If no-one offers, ask! If you can pay for help of whatever sort, do so. Even if it's just a teenager to cuddle some babies during their fractious times while you whizz round doing stuff your way.
Bulk cook if you can. If you can't, some ready meals won't kill anyone, especially if you combine them with easy to prepare salads, fruits, whatever people will eat that is good for them! Keep some paper plates and juice cartons handy for a picnic type meal when the dishwasher is already overflowing and you're really not coping.
Get your healthy and/or older kids to help in any way they can. Something I've just realised (Doh!) is that children get bigger and can suddenly do things you didn't realise they could! eg helping get dinner ready, doing really good tidying up (as opposed to a token effort).
If you've got your routines already in place then it's much easier. Of course, everyone needs help keeping on task and that's hard if you can't do much. Also as others have said it's easier if you're already pretty decluttered.
I can't follow Flylady -- all those emails drive me bonkers -- but I really like some of the principles esp baby steps, doing 15 mins of something, decluttering, having basic routines that help keep things ticking along.
Oh, and the other thing -- don't be too fussy about how clean your kids' clothes are. Of course if they've just rolled in mud, or spilt all their food down themselves, they need clean clothes. But if the clothes are just a little bit grubby, they can be worn again. Don't be a perfectionist. A friend whispered this in my ear and it has really cut my workload. Oh, and don't iron children's clothes unless it's for Mass!
Hope I haven't gone on too long. I'm just a novice with a mere three kids!
Even if all that's no use, I'm praying for you.
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Home educating in London, UK with dd (2000) ds (2002), dd (2004), ds (2008) and dd (2011).
Frabjous Days
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Sarah
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| Posted: Jan 19 2007 at 4:08pm | IP Logged
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I have learned that I cannot do it all at times when things are trying, the children are needy, and Mom is struggling with her health. While this may not be for everyone, we have hired a hs girl to come daily and help. She is the oldest of 8 and a ton of help. She understands chaos since her house looks like ours!
Anyway, hang in there. It will get easier when you all feel better. Maybe ask for someone to come in and help. Its humilating at first but if you have the right gal, she should understand. I know its costly but I figured it was cheaper than the insane asylum  . I now see as things run semi-smoothly here that it was more than one person ever could have handled and that's why I couldn't do it.
OTOH, if its not an option to hire help, throw all the clutter in baskets (as someone smart suggested to me recently) and deal with it when you feel better. Just do the basics, which I know is even a struggle. Try not to look at the things that don't really matter right now like vacuuming, etc. . .
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Home management when everybody's sick
