Essentials for When Your Kids are Sick

There are some things that are just no fun as a parent. But the worst? When your kids are sick. Whatever the reason- a virus, vaccinations, the flu – we do whatever we can to make them feel comfortable.

Ella finally had her 12-month checkup over the weekend, and for us, that meant vaccinations. She’s usually pretty resilient when it comes to those, but these hit her hard and she was out of it all weekend. While there isn’t a ton I could do to help her feel better, I prepared by making sure I had a few must-haves on hand for her.

• Time. When it’s a planned event like her vaccinations, I usually try to take Friday off for doctor appointments. While it’s not a guarantee, doing so gives plenty of time for fevers to subside and for kids to feel better by daycare on Monday morning. When Abbie was little, I made the mistake of making an appointment on a Wednesday, and suffice it to say I learned my lesson. Never again. Kids need that time to rest and recover!
• Favorite toys. Ella is all about Minnie Mouse these days, so we had several of her favorite Minnie mouse toys on hand to distract her. Anything that would cheer her up or take her attention away from how rotten she felt was necessary. I am not above bribery or buy new toys to make my girl feel better.

• Favorite snacks. The way to my little girl’s heart is through her stomach – seriously. Give her all her favorite snacks and she’s a happy girl. She’s really into these yogurt bites lately so I made sure to have a couple packages on hand as a distraction. Food solves everything right?

• All the baby essentials. The last thing you want to deal with when your little ones aren’t feeling well is running out of an essential item. I always make sure we are fully stocked with everything we need from milk or formula to diapers, wipes and of course diaper rash cream. In the past, some of Abbie’s vaccinations gave her a rash, so I learned to always keep Desitin on hand to treat it. I especially love Desitin Rapid Relief cream because it works quickly and I don’t have to worry about the rash coming back.

• Pain relievers. I also always make sure I have each of the major over-the-counter pain relievers on hand. Sometimes a little medicine makes a huge difference in your kids’ demeanor and ability to get some rest.
• Rest and snuggles. Finally, I always make sure there’s plenty of room in our schedule for rest and snuggles because inevitably when you’re not feeling well you just want to snuggle with your mama.

What are your must-haves for when your littles are sick? Make sure you have everything you need on hand, including all the Desitin products you’ll need to prevent (here, here, here, or here) and treat (here, here, here, or here) diaper rash!