While most parents would much rather be sick themselves than have their kids be sick, it’s never fun to be down and out or need medical attention. So if the time ever should come where you’ll be having some type of surgery and won’t be able to fulfill your parental duties as you normally would, it’s important that you prepare yourself and your family for this occasion.
To help with this, here are three tips to help you prepare your family for your upcoming surgery and subsequent recovery.
Give Your Child Age-Appropriate Information
Going in for surgery can be a very scary thing. Especially if the surgery is on a very obvious place, like your face, or you’ll be going under anesthesia, it can be very helpful to speak with your kids about what to expect before the big day arrives.
As part of this, Jennifer Whitlock, a contributor to Very Well Health, advises that you only give your kids age-appropriate information about your surgery. Sometimes, giving them too much information can be more scary and confusing.
So if you can get away with just telling your kids the basics, do that. And if they have detailed questions that you think they’re old enough to handle, tread carefully when discussing these topics.
Make A Plan For Your Recovery
Following your surgery, things around your house will likely be a little different until you’re back on your feet and feeling recovered. This is likely where your kids will notice the biggest difference in their lives, as you might not be able to do the things you could before.
To make this transition easier on everyone involved, ASAHQ.org recommends that you make a plan for your recovery. Have someone at the surgery with you who can take you home and help you and your family get settled. Talk with your kids about how they’ll need to help more and keep the home peaceful. Try to get meals taken care of and let certain things go until you’re feeling more back to your normal self.
Get Help With Childcare
Depending on the ages and needs of your children, you might need additional help caring for them while you’re recovering. If you think this will be the case, Christina Joseph, a contributor to Aetna.com, suggests that you figure out someone to help you with childcare well before you go in for your surgery. Whether this means watching your kids during the day, shuttling them to and from their activities, or helping with morning and bedtime routines, you’ll be so thankful you took care of this before your surgery once you see what your recovery really looks like.
If you have a surgery coming up, consider using the tips mentioned above to prepare your family for this adjustment to your lifestyle.