Single parents what do you do when you're I'll?

[Rollyrollyrollyrolly]

I'm a single mum to an 18 month old and I have a raging ear infection, it started saturday and I have GP appointment this afternoon but I feel so rotten, I'm so dizzy I'm scared carrying DD up and down stairs and cooking and stuff, one whole side of my face is numb, I can't hear and the dizziness is making me feel so sick.

I feel awful on DD though because I can't take her out as I don't want to drive and don't really feel like walking to the park dizzy, grim and in the pissing rain. I'm bored, she's bored, I made some play dough for her this morning but it's not really interesting her.

So single parents what do you do when you're ill? Is what I'm doing Ok? How do you keep a toddler entertained when you feel like shit?

Thank you everyone for the replies you have made me feel much better about things.

cant she go to the childminders/nursery/whatever childcare you use whilst your at work?

I had Easter off annual leave, so many plans(!) but I came down with a kidney infection. luckily the nursery were able to have the dc last minute and I spent the majority of a week on the sofa

I forgot to add that I hope you feel better ASAP! Don’t beat yourself up, you can’t help being ill. Look forward to when you’re shipshape and you can take little one out for the day and lavish her with love and attention, it will all balance out in the long run, and I bet she will enjoy a cosy duvet day (or two or three) anyway :)

You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. CBeebies all day long isn’t your DD’s every day reality as it is for many children. This is purely a few days until you heal and feel up to entertaining her again. You’re not a bad parent for being ill.

We’ve all been there, even non single parents with partners that work FT have. It’s life, it happens. Feed her the easiest food possible, stick CBeebies on, surround her with toys and try having naps on the sofa.

Anything I can do to get through the day. I’ve had three bouts of bacterial tonsillitis in four months recently and it was bloody hard. I recall driving the kids to school and crying all the way because it just hurt to be awake. I also didn’t bother taking them for two days because I just couldn’t get out of bed without feeling like I was going to pass out. With an 18 month old it’s going to be horrible but TV, DVDs, iPad, colouring, naps and cuddles on the couch and don’t feel guilty about needing a rest.

I’m not a single mum but I have twins (almost 2, one with serious health issues), no childcare, no family around, no friends who can help out, a couple of very painful chronic illnesses and a DH who can’t take time off very easily. There have been so many days when I’ve had to use CBeebies and breadsticks and a big play pen to keep them safe and happy when I’m not able to wrangle them both constantly. It’s so hard but give yourself a break!

Single mum to two and I used to cry when they were really little and I got ill. I used to get recurrent tonsillitis and remember coming home from the GP, having been told that I should be hospitalised as my throat was closing up but not having anyone to look after my DC, I had to say no. I wept all the way home, as I couldn't believe I could feel more unwell and somehow had to get through the day /days and nights with a 3 year old who woke every day at 5am and a 6 month old, who still woke during the night. They watched far too much TV, I used to lie on the floor and let them crawl over me, I'd put all the sofa cushions on the floor and let them jump on them - anything really to get through the days without me having to move much and try and rest a bit to get better. Literally as soon as they were asleep, I'd crawl into bed and sleep too.

Somehow I did it and many more illnesses thereafter (eventually had tonsils removed) because I had no other option. I swear it took years off me.

Huge, huge hug to you OP. If there is anyone else who can help - please ask for it. I wished I had asked for help more - even though there were precious few people to ask, as my family were much to far away.

Cbeebies, films, online shopping if poss, technology, toys on the living room floor, accept or ask for any help possible. And know you're doing a fantastic job thinking of your dd while you're feeling so poorly
My worst memory is lying on the hall floor with norovirus, with my 6 year old reading my 2 year old his bedtime stories, both slightly wild with this peculiar turn of events! We got through it though and lived to tell the tale! I seem to remember round the clock Cbeebies featuring big time during the day too! Hope you feel better soon.