Hello friends, today is one of those check-in posts — the kind that comes after a week where everything falls apart at once. The kind where everyone gets sick, your to-do list goes up in flames, and you survive on adrenaline, caffeine, and the crusts from your children’s PB&J sandwiches. You know the weeks I mean.
The Real Challenge Isn’t the Sick Week — It’s After 😮💨
When your kids are sick, all your energy goes into caregiving. You drop everything. You tend, you soothe, you clean up, you reheat soup, you live in a fog. It’s exhausting, but it’s also straightforward: you’re a mom caring for sick kids. But the real challenge? What happens after the fog lifts.
That awkward, uncomfortable transition back to normal where nothing clicks back into place right away. Where rhythms feel off, routines feel unfamiliar, and you feel like you’re not sure what’s up and what’s down.
I’ve noticed it takes far longer than we want to fully return to center after a disruption — especially one involving illness. That’s what I wanted to talk about today: the bounce back and how slow, uneven, and emotionally confusing it can be.
Our Passover That… Did Not Go As Planned 😅
A few weeks ago — right at Passover — everything hit at once. My daughter came home for break with a small cough. No big deal. My older son got it next. Fine. Tea and honey. They both bounced back quickly.
But the two younger ones? Absolutely walloped. One was miserable for days. The baby had a high fever, then a terrifying viral rash (why do babies get the scariest rashes?). And in the middle of this, my dad was in town for Passover, while I was trying to prep a beautiful family meal that simply… wasn’t going to happen.
And in cosmic comedic timing: the only night the baby finally slept through, I was up caring for my husband, who had magically contracted the flu from that original tiny cough. Classic.
Thank God my dad stayed healthy — especially since last time he visited, he caught whatever the kids had and was sick for weeks. This time, he was my saving grace: picking up dinners, taking the older kids out, giving me pockets of quiet to care for the little ones and my husband. It was chaotic, unplanned, not what I pictured — but we made it through. With more takeout and freezer meals than I’d prefer… but still.
The Dust Settles… But You Don’t Snap Back
Here’s what surprised me most: Even when everyone was better, I didn’t magically feel “back.”
My routines didn’t slide neatly into place, the house felt off, my energy was low, and I found myself weeks later still reaching into the freezer for an already-cooked dinner. Four kids in, I’ve learned I can’t force an instant reset. I can only offer myself a soft reboot — slow, gentle, patient.
But that soft reboot comes with emotions:
- guilt
- feeling behind
- frustration
- worry that the old rhythm might never return
And the hardest part to reintegrate? Exercise. It’s always the first thing to go and the last thing to come back.
The Gentle Reset: What Actually Helps Me 💛
You know I love a list. So here’s my actual “bounce back” routine — not aspirational, not aesthetic, just real.
1. Clearing the Calendar
If it’s not essential, it’s gone. No extra errands, no social plans, no guilt for skipping them.
2. Trimming the To-Do List ✂️
Emails? Delayed. Extras? Ignored. I make a triage list: urgent → important → can wait.
(And yes, I maintain that I was born in the wrong era because I deeply despise email. Preferably, I’d live in a time before inboxes existed.)
3. A Week of No-Brainer Meals 🍲
Simple, warm, nourishing foods: chicken soup, scrambled eggs, toast, oatmeal. Nothing fancy, nothing labor-intensive.
4. Cleaning One Small Area
Not the whole house — just a corner. A kid’s room. A closet. A drawer. And for me, the refrigerator is deeply tied to my sense of calm. So I often start there.
5. Fresh Bed Sheets 🛏️
Such a tiny act, but unbelievably grounding.
6. Movement… But Gentle
A stroller walk, fresh air, sunlight. The stakes are low, the reward is oh so high.
7. Spiritually Re-Anchoring 🌸
I almost never miss saying Modeh Ani in the morning — thanking God for returning my soul with faithfulness. After a rough week, I lean even harder into prayer, gratitude, and quiet. Just letting God rebuild my strength slowly.
Remembering That Life Is Cyclical — Not Linear
I try to think about it like a menstrual cycle:
Ovulation = high energy, clear thinking, productivity.
Period week = hibernation, rest, minimal output.
Neither is wrong, both are necessary, both are phases. Resetting after illness is its own kind of “inner winter.” And spring always returns — in its own time.
Sensory Reminders That Life Is Still Good 🌼
These small things help me remember that joy is still here, even in the slow, messy in-between:
- fresh flowers from Trader Joe’s
- a morning candle
- fun music in the car
- favorite podcasts
- red nail polish
- a few extra pages of journaling
Just little anchors to hold onto until the rhythm comes back.
The TL;DR
Give yourself grace. Resetting after your schedule is uprooted (especially by sickness) takes more time than you think. Let it. Move slowly, gently, and trust that your rhythm will return.
I’m off to get another cup of coffee and reset my own day. Thanks for being here. See you next week.