The kids are poorly and I'm struggling to cope with it.

[ebenezerscroogedmeover]

8 month old has bronchiolitis (doctor has confirmed) and has a really bad blocked and runny nose and is generally really run down.

3 year old has a cold. She's suddenly turned into a really stroppy little girl and I find her so hard to deal with along side the baby.

I know people have it so much worse so I realise how weak I must be parenting wise.

I'm on my own as my husband works away for periods of time.

How long will these colds last?
I've really tried to make Christmas so special for them but I really really just want them to be back to their usual selfs and I want a bit of rest.
Their routine has just gone to pot with them being poorly.

We're on day 5 now. Baby was prescribed an inhaler (she's had bronchiolitis before but her dad was around at the time so I had a bit of help)

I really can't describe how I feel, I feel like I'm living in a haze and I just can't look forward to anything and I'm just going through the motions of Christmas and trying to look after them like a robot

I am seeing family tomorrow. I don't even know if that's a good idea when the girls are like this

How much longer will this last?

Kids being ill is horrible and dents the joy of Christmas. But definitely go to see your family as they will help you to cope as best you can. There will be other Christmases to make memories, and your kids won't be ill for all of them. I wish you some rest and some good times tomorrow in spite of all the hard work looking after them.

Forget Christmas and all the nonsense. It's not important. Just all get as much rest and sleep as you can and you will get through it. Presumably family are not able to help?

Have you tried calpol plugins they're amazing for blocked stuffy noses and breathing problems xxx

There's no kind of magical trick that you can pull off to make this better, give yourself a break. You feel like shit because it is shit.

Bronchiolitis can be hard as nails and it's exhausting and it can take weeks to be fully recovered. Obviously your three year old will feel crabby too.

The good news is, is that at only three your eldest doesn't have any huge expectations of Christmas - so you don't have to put on the Martha Stewart routine. If I were you, I'd concentrate on getting as much rest as possible, fire up the cbeebies and hunker down.

Oh god, dealing with ill kids is shit at any time of year never mind at Christmas.

As pp's have said they are too young to have big expectations so go easy on yourself and of course go see your family and let them help! It will probably perk the kids up too.