To many people, friends are like family. Since they are familiar with most of your embarrassing moments, you’re confident to let go and be vulnerable around them. Moreover, they may have held your hand and offered free therapy when you needed it the most. Friends play a crucial role in supporting your physical as well as mental health, and whenever it’s your turn to support them, you want to give it your all.
1- Ask Before You Visit
We all want to be there and support our friends whenever they need us. However, at times the only support a person needs is some space. Please give them the opportunity to say no to your visit. It’s important to understand that a person with a sick kid can be overwhelmed and unpredictable. Therefore, in case they call and ask to cancel the plan of you visiting at the last minute, it’s vital that you are flexible and understanding. If they are okay with you visiting, before talking about their child’s illness, you must first find out whether they want to talk about it.
2- Sit, Listen, Laugh and Encourage Them
Having a sick child can be overwhelming, stressful, and lonely. And although it might seem like a simple thing to do, sometimes just sitting there and listening might be the most helpful thing to do. As you talk, it’s vital to be keen on their body language for any cues on things they want to talk about. Whenever an opportunity presents itself, making a joke and laughing can lighten their mood.
3- Hire a Housecleaning Service
Performing day-to-day tasks can be difficult when you have a sick loved one—as such, hiring a house cleaning service for your friend will make their burden lighter. Besides, having a cleaning house is vital for the patient’s recovery. Moreover, it’s easier to relax and think when your home is clean than when it’s dirty and cluttered. According to research, living in a clean house will reduce stress and anxiety and lift their mood.
4- Send Thoughtful Gifts
Whenever you’re not available to give them company a cheery note, books, movies or some magazines can be a great source of entertainment for them and the sick child. Time feels like it’s slowing down whenever you’re having a bad day. And such gifts can be a great source of distraction for your friend as well as the patient.
5- Offer Food Delivery or Grocery Shopping Services
Even on a busy day at work, it’s very easy for an individual to forget to have a particular meal. That being said, since your friend is not only busy but also overwhelmed and stressed, forgetting about self-care is possible. It would help if you called and asked the type of groceries they need. However, just in case they’re unreachable via the phone, you can never go wrong by purchasing leafy greens such as spinach and some fruits.
Hard times come and go. However, with the support of family and friends, a person can get through with ease. Is your friend’s child ill? Consider some of the ways mentioned above to make them feel loved and supported.
