"seems like you can't catch a break"

you would be right. cold and flu season is among us and it has hit this family hard. we got one cold after another for what felt like months. we don't speak about how hard this season is for parents, especially the parent who stays home with the kids. you can't send your kids to daycare sick, you can't ask friends or family to babysit, you are on you own. if you are in this boat, I see you friend.

parenthood can be isolating at the best of times but man, cold and flu season hits different. ever since 2020 you don't dare cough in public, you do not blow your nose in public and oh my goodness you do not sneeze! my poor husband with horrible seasonal allergies gets the most judgemental looks. so yes, when you and your kiddos are sick it can be extremely isolating because you are not to leave the house when you're sick. not only will you be judged if you show up somewhere with sick kids, its extremely difficult to sum up the energy to actually get out of the door. not to mention cold and flu season is typically in the colder season so taking the kids who have snotty noses and sore throats outside into the 'sharp' air as my son puts it... not ideal.

between the snot sucking, saline sprays, medicines, blowing noses, feeling for fevers, having naps, making tea, giving warm baths, steam showers, filling the diffusers and humidifiers, keeping up on the household chores, continuing to feed everyone, maybe brushing your teeth if theres time, drinking that cold coffee at noon, restarting the tv show for your toddler, toddler is done with tv so you must now think of a fun activity... I mean I could go on for ages but you get the point here. oh I should add you must do all of this while you too, are sick.

Its tough. its isolating. its a lot.

those kiddos are so fortunate to have you. you are doing your best to care for everyones needs. let me be the one to remind you however, when you get a moment please remember to fill your cup. maybe you ask your partner for fifteen minutes to yourself to refresh and reset. maybe you go to a cafe, enjoy a coffee in silence. maybe you sit on your front steps for 5 minutes and breathe, listen to the birds. maybe you simply have a shower. it doesn't have to be big, or time consuming but choose something to give back to yourself after days of giving everything you have to everyone else.

I always smile when people say "seems like you can't catch a break!"

you aren't wrong. parenting is not easy and often thankless. cold and flu season makes everything just a littttttle harder. we can ride this wave together, it won't be this hard forever.