This post has been sponsored by SingleCare. All opinions are my own.

No one likes a sick kid. In fact, I think when the cold and flu season strikes my household it takes .01 milliseconds before my stress level has gone through the roof. Soon after, you’ll find me hiding in my closet with chocolate and a box of tissue. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic. But seriously, I strongly dislike having a sick kid. Especially with more than one kid in the house, once the cold and flu season hits I feel like it’s only a matter of time before it takes down my whole house. Surviving sick kids takes parenting to an entirely new level. Over the years I have learned a few things that have made surviving cold and flu season with kids a bit more manageable, and because I am all about helping other moms out, I’m going to share those secrets with you.

The 8 Best Mom Hacks for Surviving Sick Kids

1. Throw the rules out. Seriously. If there is any time to relax a little when it comes to the rules, this is the time. You’ll drive yourself crazy if you try to limit screen time, restrict food to the table, require them to eat everything on their plate or any other household rule. Sick kids mean one thing, capital G-R-A-C-E. Give yourself grace…and them! If they want to eat on the couch, that’s okay! If you watch movies all day, that’s okay! If all they want to eat are graham crackers, that’s okay! Grace is the key to surviving sick kids. Trust me on that one.

2. Keep track of medicine doses on the bottle or a whiteboard. I am horrible at remembering to give my kids medicine, so I write on a white board on our fridge the days and doses. If they’re required to take medicine for 10 days I’ll write out the letter for the days of the week, followed by if they have to take the medication AM and PM. When I give them their dose for the day, I put a check mark to keep track. You can also do this on the medicine bottle, but I don’t always have room and if it’s not in plain sight, I will forget! Three kids and I can use all the reminders I can get.

3. Save time and money on prescriptions. What if I told you that you could know exactly what you’re going to spend on prescriptions before even leaving your home? SingleCare helps with just that. You can search pharmacies and doctors near you and compare prices and services offered before even leaving your home. SingleCare offers consumers savings at pharmacies, dentists, and video doctor visits. SingleCare is free to join and can be used in conjunction with insurance or without. I have used our membership when certain medications haven’t been covered under my child’s plan and saved money on their prescription.

I have also used their on-demand video visits when I’ve come down with something and have been unable to leave my house to see a Doctor! The convenience of not having to drag the kids out or risk exposing any of us to anything else during cold and flu season is a huge benefit of online video visits. With cold and flu season just around the corner you can also save on the flu shot or on Tamiflu when your child gets sick. SingleCare is the perfect resource when cold and flu season strike and remember it’s free! They also have an app for easy access!

4. Keep them close. When my kids are sick, it makes my life much easier to keep them close and cozy. Lay out a waterproof pad or some towels on the couch, set them up in a cozy spot, and keep a trash can, water, and crackers near by if needed. If your child needs you, they’re right there and everything is protected from any damage that can be done. Towels can make for easy clean up if the stomach bug happens to hit too.

5. Sanitize. Sanitize. Sanitize. Keep hand sanitizer nearby. Wash your hands. Spray sanitizer. Use sanitizing wipes. Do what ever you can to keep those germs during cold and flu season from spreading. Like I said, the worst thing for me is knowing that with three kids at home it’s likely to spread. So I am constantly washing sheets, wiping door handles and light switches, and washing my hands every time I handle the sick child. It seems excessive, but it truly does help the germs not spread! I also make sure to give each kid a bath multiple times when they’re sick. Keep washing those germs away as much as you can! You’ll be glad you did!

6. Keep the fluids going. When you have sick kids, fluids are so important! Keep your kids hydrated however you can. Sometimes just offering them water in a new exciting cup can make all the difference. You want to do whatever you can to keep them hydrated. Popsicles are a great option if you kid doesn’t seem to be up for drinking much.

7. Keep some quiet games and toys around. After a few hours of being sick on the couch, it can get a little boring for a kid. So keep a basket of coloring supplies, drawing tablets, books, or other fun quiet activities that they can play while laying down. It will keep both of you sane when sickness drags on.

8. Chocolate is always a good idea. This is one is for mom of course. Reward yourself for surviving cold and flu season with sick kids. We all know you deserve it.

>>Pin for Later<<

Making it through cold and flu season can be daunting, but with these hacks you’ll make it through even with sick kids. I can’t stress enough how being prepared for cold and flu season makes all the difference! Do what you can to save money and time (like download the SingleCare app), give yourself grace (hello extra screen time), and keep an emergency stash of chocolate! You’ll make it through this season!