Please give me tips on how to cope when some or all are ill at once <disclaimer: only have 3 children>

[WilfSell]

Because we just don't cope very well at all.

Two are currently down, one got something like the flu with occasional vomiting, but been in hosp with general unwellness and sent home with asthma diagnosis.

Baby now got D&V (dunno if same virus as older one started with) in a fairly serious way. Is sleeping on DH now.

School, work, laundry (much of it) feeding others: it all still has to get done doesn't it? But we feel like we are falling apart. How do bigger families cope? What helps?

I do feel like a sign permanently around my neck saying 'Don't expect ANYTHING of me, we are a plague house' might help.

See, now. All the large family parents are tucked up in bed from 8pm cos they're so knackered and ill?

Must go down shortly and take over sick-catching duties...

my dh and 3 dc all had vomitting bug last month at the same time, i felt like sticking a black cross on the door !!!,although my dc are 17,10,10, but in the past have sat between two beds with 2 toddlers and 2 sick bowls and just laughed about it as the alternative was to cry!
mainly housework can keep. if the dc nod off on the sofa, you could have a flit round, but otherwise use that time to rest yourself. It is knackering but it is not for long, kids bounce back fairly quickly.keep meals simple, soup beans on toast etc, it won't hurt.just take each day as it comes, they won't always be small and it will get easier.

do you and your dh both work?

could you take it in turns to be off with the dc?

ask a friend/friends to take the well child to school for you if you can

don't worry too much about food as if dc are unwell they won't want much and you and dh will prob be too knackered to eat much - baked potatoes, beans on toast, soup, sandwiches, even a takeaway - easy things that don't take long

washing needs to be done or it will smell of sick and keep the germs round for even longer - do you have a tumble dryer?

We have 6,ages 9,8,6,4,2,10 months.Tend to find everyone goes down with whatever one has 'specially D&V.Last time I just phoned the school and said they were all sick.We shut ourselves in,did nothing we didn't have to.Washing has to be done,asap,cos it's full of germs.I don't cope well with sick.Can't be doing with rinsing.Just chuck it all in the machine and wash it till it comes out clean.We always keep plenty of dettol and other cleaning stuff.My kids alway manage to get the carpet/floors/anything else besides the bucket.
No ones hungry,you don't need to cook.Those who are being sick get nothing anyway for the first 24 hours,just small amounts of fluids,as they get better they get the dry biscuits, toast etc.Then we just stick to simple easy meals .Usually lasts a week or so by the time everyone's had their turn.DH will usually get it too,then of course he's dying,but by then I'm afraid I'm all out of sympathy.
While they're all quiet and laying around rest yourself,chances are they have you up in the night too.

Can you take the washing to the launderette and have them service wash and dry it? One less thing to worry about.

I dunno, OP, we just get on with it; I certainly don't barricade the doors or keep them all off school just coz one is ill (tummy bugs don't necessarily spread, for instance).

Haven't had many trips to hospital, though, that would take up huge amount of time, I imagine.

You can switch to meals of beans on toast for the duration, if it helps.

You try having threadworms in a large family, that has really got me down because I'm the only one who tidies or cleans and the others are sporadic at best with the hygiene measures (sigh).