When the Kids are Sick

'When the Kids are Sick' is Chapter 4. This is a subject that is by no means theoretical this week!

Short term or long term care of the sick is an obvious duty of a mum. And Nancy Wilson addresses two ditches: the tendency to over react:

Our children are the Lord's, and they are in His hands from beginning to end. ... He is the lender, and we are the borrowers. When our children are sick, it is a good opportunity for us to exercise our faith. Do we really believe God is in control of all things and will work all things for our good, or do we just say this?

The other tendency is to under react:

A mother who is busy ...  may be tempted to assume that this illness can be treated with lots of Kleenex and some more vitamin C, when she should be far more concerned.

She has some lovely Biblical wisdom on how to approach the following issues:
Mum's missing church because the kids are sick
What sorts of medicine to use ('alternative' through to 'antibiotics')


She briefly addresses having a child with long-term illness. Given this is only a paragraph in a short chapter it still has much encouragement and help for that situation ... though clearly even a whole book would not be enough to help in that specific situation.


But the most lovely thrust I found is this:

When children are ill, it is a wonderful opportunity for teaching. ...
Sickness is a good time to teach them about compassion and mercy, as well as about the frailty of life. Use these times for spiritual profit. (p34)

She combines this with lovely practical ideas about sleeping bags on the sitting room floor and playing Sorry! 
Praise Her in the Gates