Taming the Boredom Monster
I fully admit that I am a mess when I’m sick. I don’t get a lot of practice, so I’ve never quite figured out how to quietly rest without making everyone around me miserable. There is whining and complaining I generally just feel the need to bring everyone down to my level of pitifulness.
Alexis is, in many ways, my clone. She doesn’t get sick often and when she does? LOOK OUT. The whining flies around all over the room as she tries to continue on with life just like normal and discovers that it’s not possible. She doesn’t figure out that she should just sit her butt down on the couch and relax. She wants to GO! GO! GO!
That means it’s up to me to find a way to occupy her mentally while keeping her calm physically. If I play my cards right, I can keep the Boredom Monster at bay while getting snuggled for hours. Which, sitting on the couch getting snuggled by a little girl? Not a bad way to spend a day! AT ALL!
The last time I wrote a post for Children's Mucinex, I asked y’all what you do to keep your sickies entertained. Y’all came up with some great ideas including:
- Keeping a stash of coloring books and a new box of crayons just for those sick days.
- Television! Someone mentioned that they pull up some of the classic cartoons from when we were kids. Which, GENIUS.
- Throw out the rules. No limits on TV watching, snacking on the couch is A-OK, and if a kid wants to eat nothing but crackers all day? So be it.
I’m 100% on board with all of those things, but I have one more that I do. Every year Alexis gets entirely too many things for her birthday. Instead of allowing all of those things to go immediately into the toy rotation (where they will get played with for 10 minutes and then ignored), I snag a bunch of them and put them way up on the top shelf of our pantry. Then, when Alexis is sick and needs something to keep her busy, I pull one or two of the toys down. I try to make sure there is a stash of artsy crafty things included in with those toys because something as simple as decorating a teddy bear can keep her happy and mostly still for hours on end.
Seriously. Hours. The kid spent hours decorating that teddy bear the last time she was sick. A couple of Mucinex tamed her symptoms and the bear kept her chillaxed and distracted.
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I’m working with Mucinex and BlogHer on a series of posts about minimizing the miserable when Alexis is sick. Next up, I’m going to tell you about our favorite WOAH IS ME I’M SICK food. But first, what about you? Do you have any go-to menu items that you pull out for sick days? Leave a comment telling what activity makes your child smile when they are under the weather you’ll be entered to win a $100 CVS gift card.
The rules!
No duplicate comments.
You may receive 1 total entry by leaving a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 2/6/2013 – 3/31/2013
Be sure to visit the Children's Mucinex Multi-Symptom Cold page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
Monday, February 18, 2013
Reader Comments (135)
I don't have kids, but I know when I was little and under the weather it was always watching The Price is Right. Don't ask why, but it was.
I can always bring a smile to my son's face when he is sick and I tell him he can have unlimited popsicles. Works every time!
Egga and noodles. My grandmother made them when I was a kid. Heat some cooked egg noodles in a frying pan with a small amount of butter. Scramble an egg in the pan with the noodles. Add salt and pepper.
for sore throats or coughing - popsicles
for the dreaded stomach bug - crackers & sweet tea (don't ask me why, my family is Southern, it's how I was raisied... and I swear it works)
My go-to comfort food is hot soup and Jack Daniels. For kids... same thing. An unconscious child is a cooperative child. ;o)
My kids like to color together or work on word searches or mazes when they are not feeling well.
My daughter loves doing puzzles!
mami2jcn at gmail dot com
My son likes watching his favorite cartoons
Ginger ale and saltines for stomach sickness. Nothing special for colds. And when my kid is feeling ill, she usually watches TV for hours on end while lying in my bed. Typically she does not feel like doing anything else.
Lots of snuggles! :)
chambanachik at gmail dot com
A banana milkshake does the trick!
My go to item that really seems to make my kids feel better is lollypops. Our kids doctor had said in front of my son that sometimes having a lollypop will help him feel better. Now anytime he or his brother is sick, out comes the lollypops. But honestly, they do seem to help.
Thanks so much.
watching cartoons all day
thismomwins@gmail.com
When we spend time reading together, or doing any other craft projects at home, and television, they always feel better.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com
I'm from Michigan, so I swear by Vernors for an upset stomach. For sore throats I like cold things- popsicles, ice water, etc. I also throw eating healthy out the window when I'm sick, so there's usually extra chocolate. :-)
Play with Moon Sand and Play Doh always seems to cheer my son up!
frozen yogurt - I always get them their favorite flavor at the yogurt store and they love it! (and perfect for those sore throats)
tvollowitz at aol dot com
My kids just like to relax watching some Disney JR or NickJr and they play with their toys.
My kids always enjoyed playing board games with me when they were sick.
Watching TV during the day (usually not allowed) and getting to spend extra time with the parents!
Reading books together
kport207 at gmail dot com
reading a good pop up book! she loves them!
Lots and lots of snuggling, holding and hugging.
puzzles
I swear by chicken noodle soup. It is so comforting and soothing.
love that you stash toys for these occasions. brilliant.
i pull out my photo and television remote control for sick days. my couch is my best friend and we endure long hours together when i am sick.
Orange sherbert and iced tea works at my house.
We've always gone with bland food because I fear the "My belly hurts!". Plus having a very picky child, I allow him to eat what he wants rather than "You will eat what I make, this is not a restaurant" response.
They love coloring or watching cartoons.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
When I'm sick I usually only consume peanut butter banana smoothies. If I eat something, it would probably be mashed potatoes and gravy or mac and cheese.
My kids just like to stay in bed and watch their favorite cartoons or play on the ipad.
mom22girlz at ymail dot com
They love watching movies.
popsicles anytime he wants and usually painting or paper crafting
nannypanpan@gmail.com
Snuggles, hot chocolate and kisses works for us! Love Children's Mucinex...it has definitely helped in our house with the sick day blues. Thanks for the great program!
books, TV, blankies, and lots of attention!
he's only 3 months but when he's fussy he loves to fly "airplane"! scg00387 at yahoo dot com
Loves to play games such as go fish or finger paint!
my4boysand1@gmail.com
sprite, movies and the ipad :)
No tv just reading doing puzzles
Maybe it's because my kids hardly ever get sick, but when they do all they want to do is lie around and watch their favorite videos.
watching home videos makes my children smile when they are sick
Oh Carter always loves when I read books to him when he is not feeling well! Always his favorite!
landfjacobson @ charter.net
chicken noodles and Playing video game with daddy
My 6 year old milks it for Sushi and Sprite when he is sick. If it's a cold, I use the Tom Yum base from Green Mango and make veggie soup with lots of ginger and garlic. When I'm sick, I end up baking for some reason. And my 8month old only wants the boob.
Honestly, I don't really like to eat when I'm sick! I like to whine that I'm sick though!
My kids were allowed to wear my bathrobe when they were sick, my ugly green bathrobe! Years later I was going to toss it out while cleaning my closet, instead I had two teddy bears made out of it, along with my husbands old flannel work shirt. It wasthe best Christmas present they ever got!
prune juice followed by carrot juice
My son loves to watch his favorite movies when he's sick. It just allows him to zone out and relax and get rest so I don't mind. :)
I don't have kids but when I'm sick I usually am not hungry except for Banana Popsicles and I drink lots of water, so I have to have them, and hey its cold and soothes my throat and keeps me hydrated.
I tend to explore pay per view and find a movie. The older girls always have a pg-13 one that I have to watch with them when the younger girls are not around. They get the thrill of being grow up even if they are sick!