How to Survive Endless School Closings & Sick Days
You know that phone call?
The one from the school saying school is closed due to inclement weather.
The one from daycare saying your kid has a fever and you need to come pick him up.
The one from the pediatrician saying that the strep test came back positive.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who has the urge to chuck the phone across the room.
I teach an entire module in Plenty of Time about planning for the unexpected, but the truth is, there's really no way to plan for that phone call.
And a mini temper tantrum?
Totally a valid response.
I know. I know. I'm a life coach and you probably expected me to give you a tool to help you "look on the bright side". Or a mindset shift to help you remember that you choose how you feel by choosing what you think.
Now, if that's what you want, I can absolutely help you with that.
But the reality is that a temper tantrum isn't wrong either.
It's what you do next that matters more.
In the last two weeks, one or more of my kids have been home for a holiday, a cold day, a snow day, a positive strep throat test, and today, a terribly, obnoxious cough.
Here's the step-by-step of how I go from receiving the phone call (or in my case today, hearing the cough) to getting things done and even having a little bit of fun on days when nothing looks like what I had planned:
Receive "the" phone call or hear the obnoxious cough and know that someone will be staying home.
Have my temper tantrum. Roll my eyes, whine to my husband, or send a text to complain to my sister or best friend - both moms who get it and can reinforce that 'this sucks'.
Open up the calendar. Accept that this is what my day is going to look like and ask, What can I cancel or reschedule without repercussions? Where do I need help?
Get creative. Talk to my husband. Call my in-laws (until 2 years ago I never had family in town, so this phone call was often to a neighbor or sitter). Text a friend to see about doing a childcare swap (for snow days they take the kids for half the day, and I take them for half). Or queue up Disney plus and accept that it's going to be a HEAVY screen day (it's ok. you're not ruining them.)
Shorten my to-do list. Look at the list of things I thought I was going to do today and start making decisions. What's absolutely, mission critical that I get done? What can I bump to later in the week? What tasks/meetings require my full attention, without interruptions? Which tasks can I do from the kitchen counter or couch while my kids interrupt?
Create an updated list and plan for the day. One that's SHORT.
Get dressed and ready for the day as if I'm working. Feed myself. Make my tea. Follow my new plan.
Take it one day at a time.
Oh, and I almost forgot something else really important. Toward the end of the day, think about all the things you did do. Not just the work things, but the life things.
In addition to sending some timely emails yesterday and finishing a project, I also played Snail's Pace, read a chapter in my book while sitting with a sick kid, did a load of laundry, cooked dinner, and attended my coaching class. All while being the sole caregiver for my sick kiddo.
That's pretty impressive. And I bet your days are too.
In this season of unexpected phone calls, you're doing it.
Cheers to that!
Feeling overwhelmed?
Being able to create a plan for the unexpected starts with an effective to-do list. Grab the Working Mom's Ultimate Guide to Getting it Done and let me teach you how.