Its Tough as a Single Parent When Your Child and You Are Sick!

Or how about when you are a single sick parent with children that are NOT sick. The house gets trashed, they live off juice boxes and goldfish and go to bed whenever they want. The only upside is that it is for some reason the one time that they get along.

I've been a single mom for a long time and yes, it super sucks when you and your kid(s) are sick.
However, it's much easier on me being single than married.
Losing pay for missing work makes it rough, getting the kids caught up on school work makes it rough, but I can look like hell and the house can be a mess and I don't have to care what anybody thinks about it.
And, I don't have to worry about a man catching a sniffle and being a bigger baby about it than the kids.
Been there, done that.

Take care of yourself and your kiddo. Sometimes it's a blessing just to have you both to care for.

Just my opinion and no offense to anyone.

Upside!

- No one is coming home and yelling at you about the house
- No one is setting up playdates for while you're sick that you have to call and explain/cx
- No one is yelling at you about canceling those playdates
- No one is inviting a ton of people over (or even just one) while you look like medusa and are taking care of a sick child
- No one is posting on facebook how sick your child is (while they aren't lifting a finger to help) to get "the sympathy vote"
- No one is telling you "Well so and so can blah blah blah when THEY'RE sick"
- No one is calling off work to go to a movie/ballgame/concert/etc.
- No one is screaming at you you're going to make them lose their job because you're waking them coughing or throwing up or seeing to a child who is coughing or throwing up.
- No one is hiding you or your child's medications
- No one is calling you names for having low energy days (lazy, etc.) while you and your child is sick
- No one is insisting that your child be doing school work/ be at school DESPITE fever/ vomitting/ etc. and calling you a bad parent for your child being sick
- No one, after you get better, catches what you have and then gets to call off work and sleep for 2 days straight... after you were sick and didn't get to sleep a wink.

<grin> We've been sick once since I've become an actual single pare. LOVE it!!! Love, love, love, love it!!!!

I'm sure I'll get used to it at some point, but for now I've never felt so GOOD while feeling so AWFUL! :) :) :) LOL... talk about things being all mashugana.

I have often thought about the difficulties of single parenthood and this situation seems like a nightmare. We are not designed to bear the burden of children alone. My sympathy is with you. If you lived near me I'd offer to come help.

I agree 100% with you....it sucks!

Well, the alternative is you could have a sick man in the house too.

Ah yes. My husband travels constantly-as in, gone for months at a time. Earlier this year, all three kids had the SEVERE stomach flu. They staggered for over a week around the clock, and for three straight nights, ALL THREE were up every 20 minutes puking. I had one in bed beside me, one on a mattress beside my bed, one in the playpen all lined with towels, and for those three straight nights I got up every time someone hurled, helped them puke, rinsed the little plastic tub I was holding under their mouths, changed the puked on towels...and of course did the same thing all day long....finally I ran out of detergent form chronic laundry and had to have a neighbor bring some since I couldn't leave the house......yes.....it sucks. Hang in there!!!

Riley has a point, there are negatives on our end.

My husband does complain when i and the kids have a laydown sick day. Then he gets it and complains that we gave it to him. He also complains that he is not going to have a good dinner and that the house falls apart (while i am sick).

Hope we made you feel a little better :)

It sucks the same when everyone in the family is sick single or not.

Totally agree! You don't even have someone who can run to the pharmacy for you unless you call a friend who is willing to risk getting the cooties, and for you to go involves getting your sick self there plus a sick kiddo. I totally feel your pain...been there, done that. Feel better.

You are right, and I understand it, not from being an actual single parent, but because my hubby was in the Navy and away on deployment a lot. That made me a 'single' parent for seven months at a time. I remember one year when I was sick for over a month with a terrible sick headache, and couldn't get an appointment to see a Dr. My kiddos were in the early elementary years, and I would get up just long enough to wake them, couldn't even make their breakfast, because I was in the bathroom puking, and was only able to partially oversee them getting themselves ready and off to school from my bed or the couch. It was terrible, but we did manage to live through it. Thankfully those days are over, the kids are grown with children of their own, and I'm enjoying being the grandma and living near enough to help them out when sickness hits their homes, so they don't have to go through that kind of thing.
Hang in there, and know that there are others who understand. If you have some good friends, family, or neighbors who can give you a bit of help, do be sure to let them know what you need. People usually are happy to be of assistance.

I would imagine that being a single parent in general is tough. I really have such respect for you single parents who manage to keep it all together.