Parenting While Sick – Lessons From Last Week

Last week, my teenage son and I were both down for the count, hit by some miserable bug that left us bedridden. You know the kind: fever, chills, no energy, and the never-ending cough. It was one of those weeks where everything feels ten times harder because you’re running on empty.

As I tried to balance taking care of him while also needing rest myself, it struck me just how challenging this situation would be for my divorced or divorcing clients—especially those navigating co-parenting. I had the luxury of being home and, even though I was sick, I still had the mental bandwidth to get through it. But for those in the middle of divorce or fresh out of it, it’s a whole different ballgame.

I thought about how much more complicated it would’ve been if I had to juggle co-parenting on top of everything. Coordinating schedules, communicating with an ex, and trying to figure out who is "on duty" when both parents are sick or dealing with their own lives—it's exhausting just thinking about it. Co-parenting is an art in itself, and it becomes even more difficult when you throw illness, stress, or life's curveballs into the mix.

In the early days of a divorce, many parents are learning to adjust to solo parenting. When you're sick, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, knowing there's no immediate backup or extra set of hands. You start to question: "Was it always this hard?" "Why does it feel like we used to have more support?"

I couldn’t help but reflect on the old idea of "the village." Grandparents and neighbors who were always just a door knock away, ready to lend a hand when life got tough. Back in the day, that village was real—family and friends close by to step in during those moments when you just needed a break. But now? Many of us are spread thin, physically and emotionally. The village, if it exists at all, feels distant.

For my clients, learning to co-parent is already a mountain to climb. Add a sick week like the one I had, and it can feel like scaling Everest. There’s no easy way through it, but there are strategies. Learning to ask for help, set boundaries, and communicate effectively with an ex are skills that take time but are so crucial. Sometimes, co-parenting means letting go of perfection and doing what you can in the moment—even if that means the kids have cereal for dinner and screen time goes on longer than usual.

As I lay there last week, between checking on my son and trying to nurse myself back to health, I realized how grateful I was for the support systems I do have, however small they may seem in the day-to-day grind. It also reinforced my commitment to helping my clients create their own versions of support, whether through their co-parenting arrangements, their own self-care routines, or finding the "village" in a modern world that often feels isolated.

If you’re sick, struggling, or navigating divorce, just know—you’re not alone. It’s okay to take it one step at a time, even if those steps feel impossibly slow. And remember, building your own support system, even if it looks different from the traditional village, is possible.

In the end, it’s about showing up, sick or not, and doing the best you can. That’s more than enough.

– Thea