It's no fun to be sick! What are some things you like to do to help feel better when you're under the weather? Kids of all ages like to be snuggled up in bed, watching cartoons or old movies. But what if your illness makes watching difficult? Audiobooks to the rescue! In today's post, we're sharing some of our go-to ideas for getting through those sick days.  

Create Some Cozy

• Make blanket or pillow fort - on your bed, on the couch, or even in a tent in the living room. Creating a cozy corner immediately helps transform how you feel. 
• Select a snuggly stuffed animal - maybe it's your favorite bear or maybe it's a new fuzzy friend. Stuffies are great companions when you're sick because you don't have to worry about them catching a cold!
• Draw a bath - the warmth of the water can help to relax your muscles, the steam can open sinuses, and prepare you for sleeping to get the rest your body needs. 

Feed Your Cold

• Ginger Tea - helps with digestion, soothes, and warms you up from the inside out. To prepare, put on a kettle of water to boil and while you're waiting, peel some fresh ginger room (use the side of a teaspoon! - even young children can help this way), slice it into matchsticks or coins, add it to a cup of boiling water and add some honey if you'd like. Let it sit to steep until cooled to a drinkable temperature and enjoy.
• Get Your Vitamin C - Did you know that berries contain a lot of vitamin C? Strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries top the list. The good news is that you can find these in the freezer section of the store year round. Whip up a quick smoothie with some frozen berries, a ripe banana, and water for a refreshing, vitamin-rich drink that will help you feel cool if you're running hot. 
• Stay Hydrated - All of our doctors have told us to stay well hydrated on clear fluids. Make it easier to keep track and remind yourself with a designated cup or water bottle just for you. Label or decorate your drinking vessel with washi tape that's easily removed for washing, but will let others know it's yours, so you don't share germs.

Interest Your Imagination

• Draw Your Feelings - Young children don't always have the words to express their discomfort. Sometimes asking them to draw how they feel can provide useful information to the adults who are caring for them.
• Sit with a Storyteller - Sometimes you just need a well-told story to help transport you to another time, place, dimension. Learn how storytellers help nurture imagination here and then check out some of the sensational storytellers (this link will only work on a desktop browser) available on the player.
• Listen to a Story - Watching tv can be great, but sometimes head injuries, eye discomfort, or photo sensitivity can make even cartoons uncomfortable. Listening to an audiobook can be just the right remedy. Listen in the dark, under covers, even in the tub. Close your eyes and let your mind provide the illustrations or get out some paper and colors to create your own. The stories below each feature an ailing character in some way. Sometimes, when you're not feeling your best, it's nice to hear someone else's story about getting better.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Amos McGee was a zookeeper who always made time for his animal friends. One day, when his sniffles and sneezes prevented him from going to the zoo, he received some unexpected guests. This is a gently humorous tale of friendship and dedication. Includes an interview with Philip and Erin Stead.

Love Like Sky by Leslie C. Youngblood

"Love ain't like that." "How is it then?" Peaches asked, turning on her stomach to face me. "It's like sky. If you keep driving and driving, gas will run out, right?" "That's why we gotta go to the gas station." "Yep. But have you ever seen the sky run out? No matter how far we go?" "No, when we look up, there it is." "Well that's the kind of love Daddy and Mama got for us, Peaches--love like sky." "It never ends?" "Never." G-baby and her younger sister, Peaches, are still getting used to their "blended-up" family. They live with Mama and Frank out in the suburbs, and they haven't seen their real daddy much since he married Millicent. G-baby misses her best friend back in Atlanta, and is crushed that her glamorous new stepsister, Tangie, wants nothing to do with her. G-baby is so preoccupied with earning Tangie's approval that she isn't there for her own little sister when she needs her most. Peaches gets sick-really sick. Suddenly, Mama and Daddy are arguing like they did before the divorce, and even the doctors at the hospital don't know how to help Peaches get better. It's up to G-baby to put things right. She knows Peaches can be strong again if she can only see that their family's love for her really is like sky.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Mary Lennox, a spoiled, ill-tempered, and unhealthy child, comes to live with her reclusive uncle in Misselthwaite Manor after the death of her parents. There she meets a hearty housekeeper and her spirited brother, a dour gardener, a cheerful robin, and her willful, hysterical, and sickly cousin, Master Colin. With the help of the robin, Mary finds the door to a secret garden, neglected and hidden for years. When she decides to restore the garden in secret, the story becomes a charming journey into the places of the heart, where faith restores health, flowers refresh the spirit, and the magic of the garden, coming to life anew, brings health to Colin; and to Mary, happiness.

Best wishes for your best health!