Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

  • Home
  • About
  • Best Of
  • Recipes
  • PR & Advertising
  • Contact

January 28, 2013 by: Shell

The Mom Cold

You’ve probably heard of and had to deal with the man cold. Men turn into such babies when they are sick. They act like they’re dying and use being sick as an excuse to do absolutely nothing.

But the mom cold?

When do moms actually get to do nothing but rest? We tend to have to keep doing the parenting thing even if we are sick.

But I think we need to take some tips from the man cold and actually get some rest.

To help with this, here are some mom cold essentials:

1. Earplugs. You need your rest and earplugs will help block out the demands of “Mo-om! I’m hungry/thirsty/bored/fighting with my brother/etc.” If you can’t hear them, you won’t feel bad about ignoring them. You shouldn’t feel bad anyway: you’re sick. Time for the hubster to step up and toss some frozen waffles into the toaster.

2. Nyquil or whatever knock-you-out meds happen to float your boat. Forced rest for the mom who thinks she should still be doing everything.

3. Strong lock for the bedroom door. All the better to not be bothered.

4. Cough drops. Even if you don’t have a sore throat to start with, you’ll probably get one from yelling out reminders to leave mama alone, she’s sick.

5. Take-out numbers on speed dial. No cooking for you, sick mama. But you still need to eat.

6. A housekeeper: so when mom is finally feeling better, she doesn’t leave her bedroom sanctuary to find that the house is in total shambles and wear herself out again trying to catch up from the 5 days of destruction her family managed in the one day she took for to get herself better. Btw, if you figure out how to get this kind of help, other than capturing a cleaning fairy, let me know.

 

Things They Can’t Say: Farewell Stranger
Online Safety for Kids: CocoonKids for KlaasKids

Comments

  1. Single Mom in the South says

    January 28, 2013 at 7:09 am

    Except then there really wouldn’t be anyone watching the kids while I was sick! Sort of fortunately, I got my mom cold over the holidays while the kids were with their dad and I had my mom to take care of me and make me chicken soup!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:36 am

      That was good timing! 

  2. Southern Angel says

    January 28, 2013 at 8:04 am

    I am blessed in that my kids are much older and can for the most part fend for themselves. Such is the joys of having a foreman grill which is the only way to make warmed sandwiches and chips. Gene is really good about jumping in and doing stuff like dishes, shoot he even let me FILM hm doing them for my Palmolive review.. I know right..

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:37 am

      I think if Hubs did the dishes, I’d film it to document the moment! LOL

  3. Strugglingforeverafter says

    January 28, 2013 at 8:09 am

    Well…As a newly single mom, I have one word….Grandma!  (Of course, when she is sick too…then you are really on your own… :-).  ). Just before the holidays, I had to call her at 6am on a school morning because I was throwing up… Ug! I was laying in bed trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do…

    i am so lucky she lives nearby and is healthy.

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:37 am

      So nice that she lives close! 

  4. Kim@Co-Pilot Mom says

    January 28, 2013 at 8:25 am

    I am fortunate that I don’t get sick very often. (Of course now that I have just said that, I am sure to get sick tomorrow! 🙂 ) When I do get sick, I haven’t figured out #6 on your list, for sure. There is always a pile of stuff waiting for me when I am feeling better.

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:38 am

      I hadn’t been sick for a while and then I’ve gotten hit several times this fall/winter. 

  5. Galit Breen says

    January 28, 2013 at 8:39 am

    Le sigh.

    Such good tips, and I’m totally in – especially for the housekeeper! 🙂

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:38 am

      I wish I could make the housekeeper happen- even when I’m not sick! 

  6. Tracie says

    January 28, 2013 at 8:44 am

    I had the mom flu a couple of weeks ago. My daughter had the flu, too. So we helped take care of each other. Sometimes I got up to fetch things, and sometimes she did. It was not too bad of an arrangement (minus the being sick part, of course, that part sucked). 

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:38 am

      That’s sweet! 

  7. Alison says

    January 28, 2013 at 9:09 am

    Great tips – too bad I can’t take any drugs because of breastfeeding. 
    I have been powering through every single illness since pregnancy #2. 🙂

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:39 am

      I remember those days! Makes it harder to get through! 

  8. JanetGoingCrazy says

    January 28, 2013 at 9:30 am

    My husband knows that when I pull out the Nyquil, I am really sick and I need a night off. I give him a heads up and he is on duty!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:39 am

      Nyquil is a sure sign of “I’m not doing anything!” 

  9. Cynedra says

    January 28, 2013 at 9:31 am

    If you can’t stand ear plugs like me, I have found the golf channel to be helpful in resting. Turn it on for white noise, but it just to boring to actually watch so sleep away. I have only been able to take advantage of it twice, but it worked great. Mostly, if I’m actually make it to bed and not taking care of everything, I worry about what it will all be like when I get better.

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:40 am

      Ha! My Hubs would probably come watch golf then! 

  10. JDaniel4's Mom says

    January 28, 2013 at 9:50 am

    I have been so lucky to not get really sick yet. When I have come close, we have movie marathons at my house.

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:40 am

      That is lucky! It’s been a rough fall/winter here.

  11. Chris Carter says

    January 28, 2013 at 10:15 am

    Okay- so you HAVE to check out this post because I totally nailed the same issue with men over at this little shindig with Eli at Coach daddy. Us moms never ever get the rest we need…especially when we are SICK.
    http://coachdaddyblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/08/go-ask-daddy-grown-up-edition-mom-cafes-chris-carter-questions-coach-daddy/

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:41 am

      Oh, that’s so funny. Totally not buying his answer! 

  12. Natalie says

    January 28, 2013 at 10:27 am

    I’d be happy with just earplugs and a lock on the door 😉

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:44 am

      Even for the days when I’m not actually sick. 😉 

  13. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

    January 28, 2013 at 11:19 am

    I was sick over the weekend and thankfully on Saturday, my husband was here and he really stepped up to help out with the kids. Sadly, he had to leave early yesterday morning for a week away at reserves, so I was on my own and it really stinks to be sick and have to deal with the kids all day like that. Thank god for pizza delivery and on-demand.

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:46 am

      So hard when Hubs is out of town. I swear it used to be like some sort of cosmic joke. Everyone would be fine and then he’d go out of town and we’d all get sick. 

  14. Rebecca @ Unexplained X2 says

    January 28, 2013 at 11:28 am

    I love the last one the BEST!!! I can say that Husband steps up when he needs to and everything keeps running like clockwork, but there are little things that a housekeeper would do that Husband doesn’t…like wipe the countertops, flush the toilet, and put laundry away. I hate coming back to gross counters, pee everywhere, and baskets filled with terribly folded laundry! First world problems!!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:47 am

      I have those same problems. 😉 

  15. Mary @ A Teachable Mom says

    January 28, 2013 at 11:42 am

    Amen to carry out and a housekeeper! If I could figure out a way to stay locked in my bedroom while the housecleaning fairy took over, I’d give her my left lung! And my husband! 😉

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:47 am

      LOL Yeah, I’d pretty much give anything for that! 

  16. Natalie says

    January 28, 2013 at 12:02 pm

    Aww yes we moms sure don’t get a break when we have a cold…so yes this sounds like a great idea!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:48 am

      We need the break, too! Only way to really get better. 

  17. Angie says

    January 28, 2013 at 2:58 pm

    Ahhh if only that were reality instead of pushing yourself to the brink of death trying to go everything still. Sigh

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:48 am

      Sigh. I know. It does usually come back to that. 

  18. Mary says

    January 28, 2013 at 4:11 pm

    I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve said, “moms don’t have the luxury of being sick.” 

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:48 am

      and it’s totally not fair. We deserve sick days, too.

  19. Christine @ Love, Life, Surf says

    January 28, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    ohmygoodness yes!! Earplugs – brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that? Nyquil has been my savior these last couple of nights. 

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:49 am

      Hope you are feeling better soon! xo 

  20. Making It Work Mom says

    January 28, 2013 at 5:41 pm

    I don’t understand it. When Daddy is sick and I tell the children to leave him alone they don’t even go near the bedroom – not even upstairs. The minute I go upstairs to rest I have someone pitter pattering into the room every 5 minutes to ask me something!

    I hope you are feeling better!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:49 am

      Oh I know- it’s the same here. With sickness or even with sleep. If Hubs takes a nap for whatever reason, the boys will not bother him. But it’s like they don’t realize that I am capable of sleeping. 

  21. hilljean says

    January 28, 2013 at 5:53 pm

    I was sick over MLK weekend and that turned out to be the optimal time for me to check out. I completely lost my voice and absolutely could not talk to the kids. It was bliss. I stayed in bed for three days and watched TV shows. You just need to pick a three-day weekend. That’s the ticket.

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:50 am

      I think I need to give that a shot! 😉 

  22. ilene says

    January 28, 2013 at 8:24 pm

    wait – we’re allowed to get colds????  kidding,  I wish I had read this last month when I had the flu – and was still trying to muscle through parenting.  housekeepers and take out?  yes please! 

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:51 am

      We need to rest, too! We aren’t superwomen. 😉 

  23. angela says

    January 28, 2013 at 9:16 pm

    Sigh. I feel like I’ve been sick since December. Send the earplugs!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:51 am

      Oh no! I hate this time of year. So much sickness. 

  24. Jessica Smock says

    January 28, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    Oh, I’m just getting over a terrible cold right now! Since my son started preschool a few months ago, I’ve had about a series of endless colds and sinus infections. My husband has had precisely one cold. Guess which one of us went to bed at 7 p.m. for a few nights in a row and stayed in bed for an entire weekend? My only savior? My mother in law! She seems to be the only one who understands the misery of colds and sinus infection when taking care of a toddler who is bouncing off the walls!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:52 am

      Ah yes, the kids bring all the germs home with them! 

  25. Kimberly says

    January 29, 2013 at 7:21 am

    I will never understand how these men fall completely helpless and useless when we are sick. It irritates me to no end!

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:52 am

      I think I’m just jealous! 

  26. AnnMarie says

    January 29, 2013 at 8:02 am

    I could have written this. I have been feeling crappy and now Gia is sick. I could use all of the above but instead, I will get hubby going on a business trip tomorrow. Of course, right? Hope you are feeling better by now since a sick baby made me late in commenting. 🙂

    • Shell says

      January 29, 2013 at 11:53 am

      Of course on the timing. Used to be that every single time Hubs went out of town, at least one of us at home would get sick. It was like a terrible joke. 

  27. Stephanie @ Babe's Rockin' Mami says

    January 29, 2013 at 9:21 pm

    I came down with a plague out of nowhere last night and Chris is working overnight tonight but after he gets rested in the morning?  Totally breaking this list out!

  28. Katie Hurley says

    January 29, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    I am so sick right now – the TV has been on way too much but it’s my only chance to nap. Ugh. Mom flu is the worst!

  29. Emmy says

    January 30, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    Oh that sounds so wonderful!  If that could all be true and work it almost makes me want to be sick 😉

    Sigh- life of a mom. 

  30. Rachel says

    February 1, 2013 at 9:17 pm

    Ha, ha! These are words to live by when sick. I need a maid even when I’m not sick! 

  31. Vikki Hofman says

    April 10, 2013 at 12:02 am

    Hello! I’ve been following your site for some time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Porter Tx! Just wanted to tell you keep up the fantastic job!

Welcome to Things I Can't Say: Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom. I'm Shell. Boy mom, beach girl, bookworm, ball games, baker, brand ambassador, Thinking yoga, food, and travel should start with "b," too. Finding the easiest way to do some things while overthinking so many others. Read More…

Be a Part of the Sisters’ Hood

alt text SoFab Badge
Everywhere
  • Contact
  • PR & Advertising

© 2021 · Designed by: Carolyn Yalin