Thank goodness I am a fairly healthy person by nature, but I know that when I commiserate with other single parents one of the things that always comes up is how we all pray for health. Most of us have figured out how to stay on top of things on a fairly regular basis—or at least hold our worlds together. When we get sick, however, it can make staying on top of things an incredible struggle—if not completely impossible. Staying healthy is key to a single parent’s survival!
Of course, it is not always possible. We are as susceptible to germs and viruses as anyone (some might argue more so if we let ourselves get run down.) I probably spend more time dreading getting sick, and fussing at the first sign of a cold or illness, than I do actually being sick or recovering.
When my kids were younger, I had more emergency plans than I do now. There were a few trusty and trusted individuals who could swing into action and help when I got run down or ill. Now that my kids are teenagers, I think that people assume they should be more help than they actually are and I also feel more reluctant to ask for help since I don’t have wee ones to look after. The result is that a bout with a cold or illness can not only set me back and make it tough for me to keep on track, but it can also make me darn crabby since my kids seem to be oblivious!
So, like many of my fellow single parents, I pray for health—above all, I try to keep myself healthy and douse myself with Vitamin C at the first sign of cough or chill. Then, in those cases where I DO get sick, I struggle between giving in and trying to take care of myself and trying to keep at least the minimum of things done so that I don’t fall to far behind. I know, the typical single parent!
Also: Single Parents and Guilt–Part One–Identify the Source and the Symptoms
Self-Care Can be in the Details