Sick Day Comfort: Soothing Stories for Under-the-Weather Kids
The Art of the Low-Energy Sick Day
Every parent has been there. It’s 7:00 a.m. and a touch to the forehead confirms that your day is not going to go as planned. In short, your child is about to have a sick day. The first few steps are pretty simple: notify the school, break out the Emergen-C, TheraFlu, or Ginger Ale, and clear your schedule. The next part is a little trickier. How do you soothe your sick child in a way that doesn’t involve a lot of mindless screen time? Not to worry! Whether it’s a cold, the flu, or a dreaded stomach bug, you can utilize stories to work as a kind of “auditory medicine.” If done right, stories can keep your child engaged, learning, and at rest while their immune system and the medicine work their magic.
How Stories Can Brighten a Sick Day
A child who’s home sick is likely going to be pretty low-energy — but even a low-energy kid needs mental stimulation. Listening to stories is a great way to keep kids engaged while allowing their imaginations to thrive. But that’s hardly the only benefit. According to research, storytelling can lower stress-related cortisol levels while boosting oxytocin, which in turn can increase positive emotions and reduce pain.
Choosing the Right Content for a Sick Day
Finding the right stories for children who are home sick requires a little bit of thought. That’s because when kids aren’t feeling well, it’s not uncommon for them to get upset a little more easily. Here are a few things to keep in mind so your little one stays cool, calm, and collected as they recover
- The “No-Peril” Rule: When kids are physically vulnerable, they can often be more sensitive to tension. With that in mind, find stories with low stakes and happy resolutions.
- Familiar Favorites: Re-reading can actually be better for sick days. That’s because familiarity provides a sense of safety and requires less cognitive exertion.
- Rhythm and Rhyme: Predictable cadence can have a positive psychological effect on children, help regulate their nervous system, and can even slow down their heart rate and breathing.
- Humorous and Silly Stories: While doctors will tell you that laughter isn’t actually the best medicine, it can certainly offer emotional benefits to children who are feeling under the weather.
- Illness and Recovery Stories: Consider a story that will mirror their experience and make your child feel understood.
Helpful Sick Day Story Time Suggestions
- The Audio-Only Approach: A sick day doesn’t stop your “to-do” list, and that’s okay. Audio stories are an excellent option for keeping your kids occupied while you get things done around the house. Audio stories offer many benefits for kids as is, but for a sick child suffering from headaches and nausea, they are also good at reducing eye strain.
- Whisper Reading: When you get a moment to read to your child, whispering or using a soft voice technique is a great way to keep the energy in the room grounded and calm — and it might just help them drift off to sleep.
- Encourage Interaction: If your child is up for it, let them turn the pages or the pictures inside the book with their fingers. Interactive or sensory books are also a great, low-energy way for children to be engaged, whether it’s lifting a flap to find hidden images, pulling tabs to change images, or pressing buttons to hear a sound.
Build a “Recovery Nest”
A warm, cozy environment can go a long way toward helping sick children feel safe and comfortable while they get better. In just a few simple steps, you can build a recovery nest and set the perfect tone for a sick day. Whether it’s a spot on a bed, a couch, or the floor, here are a few ways to change the ambiance in a way that supports healing.
- Layer in the Comfort: The first rule of every Recovery Nest is to include plenty of blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals to create a warm, soft, and zero-stress environment.
- Sensory Management: Dim the lights, crank up the humidifier, and turn on some white noise. If you have a diffuser, try relaxing scents like lavender oil. This will help create a healing space. Also, limit blue light exposure to encourage melatonin production and better sleep.
- Nutrition and Hydration: Make sure your child has food and hydration at arm’s length, so they don’t have to worry about getting up and moving around.
- Provide the Essentials: Whether it’s Kleenex, a thermometer, Tylenol, a wastebasket, or all of the above, set up a station so you and your child will have everything you need until they’re no longer feeling under the weather.
Content Recommendations
Nature Medicine Martin adores his weekly time at Goose-eye Wilderness School. When he wakes one morning with some ominous cold symptoms, his instinctive response is to pretend he is fine. During Wilderness School that day, Eva teaches a little lesson on how the elders of old used to discover wisdom in the natural world, and Martin begins to receive some wisdom of his own.
Liesl Herz: Nurse As the nurse of Dry Gables, Liesl Herz is always available to help with sicknesses, injuries, births, and deaths. She works tirelessly – that is, until she accidentally catches a very serious disease and is suddenly in a very different and uncomfortable role: that of the patient.
The No-Worry Paw Wash The junkyard has a bad case of the ippy-kacky-woos. But the Rowland raccoon family isn’t worried – they know just how to wash their paws, and they learn a few new games that help them to stay healthy and keep the junkyard safe for all animals. The Rowland raccoon family will inspire your young listeners to practice good hygiene in a fear-free environment.
Nature Medicine
Martin tries to make it through the day at Nature School even though he’s feeling under the weather and gains some wisdom from…
Story Details »
Liesl Herz: Nurse
Liesl Herz, the nurse of Dry Gables, suddenly becomes ill and finds herself the patient instead of the caregiver.
Story Details »
The No-Worry Paw Wash
The Junkyard has a bad case of the ippy-kacky-woos. The Rowland raccoon family knows just how to wash hands, and they learn a…
Story Details »While having a child home sick from school can be worrisome and stressful, it becomes less so when you realize that, aside from checking their temperature and assessing whether or not a doctor’s visit is necessary, the top priority is rest. Ensure that they have a comfortable, safe space to recover with the right stories to keep them engaged and entertained. You’ll find that, through the sweetness of stories, your child can be distracted from the discomfort of being sick while they rest and recuperate. It’s magic!
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About the authors
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Matt Gordon
Copywriter and Customer Service RepresentativeMatt Gordon is a copywriter, eCommerce writer, and blogger, and currently resides in Chicago, Illinois, where he faithfully cheers on the Cubs.
