Parenting with Chronic Illness
Raising Children When You’re Sick
Parenting with chronic illness brings countless challenges, but there is abounding peace and overflowing grace surrounding every limitation as we learn to lean on Jesus step by step.
About Parenting
Parents want to be active, caring for, protecting, teaching, and training their children. Parenting with chronic illness, mental illness, chronic pain, and/or disability can be a real challenge. Often parents feel guilty, weary, anxious, depressed, lonely, and sad.
More than 60% of the world’s population lives with one or more chronic illnesses.
Reportedly about 20% of the population lives with mental illness.
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
(2 Corinthians 4:15-16)
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PARENTING WHEN YOU ARE CHRONICALLY ILL
Find hope, encouragement, and practical resources for your unique parenting journey. The daily trials of parenthood are magnified when we are chronically ill, but there is also untold grace and an incredible future planned for us and for our children. Discover refreshment for your soul and heart-touching stories for your heart as you parent with chronic illness.
CHRONIC PARENTING
Parenting with chronic illness can feel like trying to climb a mountain while carrying a mountain. Despite the many challenges, God will never leave our sides. Our children were given specifically to us, and we were given specifically to them.
The unique circumstances of parenting with chronic illness can leave us feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.
From diapers, bottles, and play dates to guiding a wayward teen, parenting is a complex and beautiful privilege. To be entrusted with the heart and soul of another human being is a gift from God, but parenting is far from easy, regardless of our circumstances. It humbles and challenges us in ways we never thought possible, pulling our emotions in vastly different directions, while draining our physical and mental energy.
What happens when we can’t change the diapers or prepare the meals or drive our kids to school?
Perhaps pregnancy and birth flared an underlying illness and we are now powerless to care for our little ones. Maybe we’re afraid to open our eyes each morning because just the thoughts of the days’ tasks are overwhelming and leave us feeling hopeless.
How do we intentionally shape the hearts of our children when we can’t even get out of bed?
Where do we turn when our little ones need our loving guidance, but we’re in the hospital?
How do we get our children fed, bathed, clothed, and their emotional tanks filled up when we are not even able to meet own needs?
Guilt and shame can also creep in as we see what other parents do with their children, but no matter how we feel, we are not alone.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
Welcome to a community of fellow travelers on this parenting journey. Come and find rest for your soul and hope that is rooted in the truth of God’s Word.
RAISING CHILDREN WHEN YOU’RE SICK
While every parent-child relationship is different, Chronic Joy believes Christ is the solution to our struggles and the healing of our pain. We don’t have all the answers, but we can encourage one another to pursue Christ with our whole hearts and to trust Him with the tender souls of our children.
We are exactly who God made us to be: wonderfully made and created in love to parent our children. God will show us how, lighting each step along the way.
Here you will find:
- easily accessible tools
- fantastic free printables
- encouraging images
- engaging books and Bible studies
- inspiring posts, prompts, and prayer guides
Self-Care Saturdays or Any Day
Little Moments of TLC for YOU!
Today, grab a blanket, get comfy, and watch your favorite movie.
Do you have a favorite movie? A favorite genre? Grab a blanket and your favorite snack, settle in, and enjoy your favorite movie.
Listen to a TED Talk.
Why not listen to a TED Talk today? Are TED talks unfamiliar to you? TED Talks (18 minutes or less) started in 1984 and now include thousands of speakers on hundreds of topics in more than 100 languages.
Pray for someone who is hurting.
“Prayer is one of God’s most gracious gifts, a powerful way to care for others. In prayer, we pull close those who are far away. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath – we cannot live without it.” (Tim Jennings)
Have a good laugh.
“Humour is … a prelude to faith; laughter is the beginning of prayer.” (Reinhold Niebuhr) • Friends, laughter is a gift. Unwrap it.
Star Gaze • “He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” Psalm 147:4
“You are a God of winds and tides. Of journeys and storms and navigation by stars and faith.” (Lisa Wingate) • Look up into the night sky, and remember that “He counts the stars and calls them all by name.” (Psalm 147:4)
Sit in the sunshine for a few minutes today.
“Sunlight cues special areas in the retina, which triggers the release of serotonin.” (Rachel Nall, RN, BSN, CCRN) • Step outside and boost your body’s “feel-good” hormone today.
Bake and enjoy homemade cookies fresh from the oven.
The smell of cookies fresh from the oven is a warm and welcoming invitation to breathe deep and savor the love. When was the last time you baked simply to enjoy the fruit of your labor? Maybe today is the day!
Do something delightful for someone you love today.
“Surprise and delight and connection are remarkable.” (Seth Godin) • Today, surprise and delight someone you love. It will strengthen and deepen your relationship.
Treat yourself to good poetry today.
Today, read a few lines from your favorite poem — or savor some of the most beautiful poetry ever written: the Psalms. “…for me, the Psalms express the same delight in God which made David dance.” (C.S. Lewis)
Enjoy the simple pleasure of cloud watching.
Today, enjoy the simple pleasure of cloud watching. Notice their movements across the sky, their speed, their shapes. What do you see?
Engage your hands!
Engage your hands today! Pick up a spade, thread a needle, grab a hammer and nails, plunge your hands in the dirt, or wave to a neighbor you haven’t seen much this spring. Engage with your world.
Build a jigsaw puzzle. It improves mental health, short-term memory, and visual processing.
“God’s will is like a jigsaw puzzle, you won’t be able to see the whole picture until all the pieces are together.” (Danny L. Deaube’) • Build a puzzle. Let each piece remind you of the myriad details God is orchestrating in your life.
Pack a picnic lunch and eat it indoors.
Today, pack yourself a picnic. Enjoy it in a chair beside the window, on a blanket on the lawn, at a local park, or relaxing on your bed. A picnic is a reminder of simple summer days. Relax. Refresh. Enjoy.
Caring for our own hearts isn’t selfishness; it’s how we begin to love.
“Caring for our own hearts isn’t selfishness; it’s how we begin to love.” (John Eldredge)
Snuggle up with your pet.
“In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:10) • Snuggle up with your beloved pet today. You’ll both be glad you did.
Write a letter to a friend or loved one today.
#PenToPaper is one of our favorite programs! Today, encourage a friend or loved one by sending a card or letter. Need some inspiration — or a free stationery starter set? We offer both!
Listen to a sermon on-line.
What better way to care for yourself today than by listening to an on-line sermon? Rest your body, captivate your mind, and engage your heart.
Today, find three things to give away, throw away, or recycle.
Sort through a stack. Clear off a counter. Clean out a closet. If you aren’t using it, be a blessing to one who will.
Send a fun little care package to someone you love.
Today, have a little fun gathering sweet surprises to pack and ship to someone you love.
Treat yourself to a piece of good chocolate, a bouquet of fresh flowers, a new books, or a great cup of tea or coffee. You’re worth it!
Take a moment to celebrate you today – your heart, your character, the image of the One you’re made in. You are treasured. You are loved. You are delighted over with singing — for YOU are a child of the One True King.
Steep and savor your favorite flavor of tea today.
“You are the God of the universe Who hears everyone, sees everything, and commands the world. Yet at the soft whisper of my voice, You turn Your ear to me and savor every word I say as if it’s the only thing You have to do.” (Kendall Hiatt)
Challenge your brain with a riddle or word puzzle.
Today, challenge your brain with a riddle or word puzzle. Download a puzzle app. Read a book of riddles. Google “riddles and answers.” Text a riddle to your son, daughter, grandchild, or friend. Laughter is good medicine!
Dance with language. Dream with words.
“I write about joy because I know sorrow…I write about gratitude because I am thankful – for all of it.” (Kristin Armstrong) • Friends, today let the words hit the paper. Pick up a pen, open the floodgates, set them free.
Scroll through old photos.
Page through a photo album today or pull out your phone and scroll through your photos. Reminisce. Remember. Thank God for every treasured moment.
Prioritize and Minimize • Simplify your To-Do List.
Prioritize and Minimize • Simplify your To-Do List. Today, make space for what matters. What is necessary? What can go?
Today, pour yourself a cup of tea, find a comfy sat, and call a friend. You’ll both be blessed.
Pour yourself a cup of your favorite hot coffee, tea, or cocoa, settle into a comfortable chair under your softest blanket, and call a friend. You’ll both be blessed.
Lace up your shoes and go for a walk today.
Lace up your shoes, step out the door, and walk around the block, through your neighborhood, or even up and down the aisles of your favorite store today. Every step makes a difference.
Celebrate ordinary moments and unexpected victories.
Today, celebrate a small, often-overlooked victory. Did you get out of bed? 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪! Did you take a shower? 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪! Did you make dinner? 𝕍𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕪! Every single, small, ordinary victory is a precious step forward.
Read these verses over yourself today. You are…Enough, Strong, Capable, Chosen, Never Alone, Always Loved.
You are so loved! — even if you don’t feel it today. Why? Because you are God’s – made in His image, breathed into life, redeemed by His Son.
Spring: the music of open windows.
Spring: the music of open windows. (Terri Guillmets)
Relax with an audiobook.
Find a comfy spot and enjoy an hour or two engaged in a great audio book.
Sing along to your favorite music today.
We sing because all of creation sings. Job 38:7 reminds us that “the morning stars sang together,” and Hillsong United worships with the words, “If creation sings Your praises, so will I.” Today, join all of creation and sing!
Spend 10 minutes looking at 5 beautiful things around you.
“Beauty is God’s handwriting … drink it in, simply and earnestly, with all your eyes; it is … a cup of blessing.” (Charles Kingsley) • Today set a timer. Look for five beautiful things. Thank God for them.
Write encouraging messages on sticky notes.
Take a few minutes to write a short encouraging message to yourself on a sticky note. Then hang it where you’ll see it often because YOU matter!
Snuggle up and nap.
Sleep is self-care too! Today, lie down, snuggle up, and close your eyes. Sleep is good for the mind, body, and soul. Savor a nap.
Watch the sunset.
Today, as the sun begins to set, consider these verses: “You make the dawn and the sunset shout for joy.” (Psalm 65:8b)
Donate to your favorite charity and tell them why.
Today, donate to your favorite charity and tell them why. Sharing your “why” is a huge and often-unexpected encouragement.
Today, declutter your wardrobe, junk drawer, or coat closet.
“The more we remove the clutter from our lives, the more we’ll have space and time to spend with our Father.” (tounearth.com) • “Jesus modeled a very simple life.” (Rick Warren)
Write a short (3-4 sentence) review for your favorite restaurant, coffee shop, small business, book, blog, podcast, radio show, or non-profit today.
Your words matter! Today, write a short review of your favorite restaurant, coffee shop, small business, or non-profit. Let them know what you love! It will mean more than you know.
Write down 3 things you like about yourself.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are a child of God, the image-bearer of the King. You are so loved! Today, write down three things you like about yourself, how God created you, and who you are in Him.