As the woman of the house, you do a lot. You’re responsible for making sure the kids are taken care of, meals are prepared, and the bills are paid.  So when you’re dealing with substantial injuries from an accident and you can’t be of much use, it can be unnerving to figure out how to take back control of the ship. Though you may have support from your family or significant other, your absence or limited ability to pitch in will change the day to day dynamics for a while. It may take some time and the assistance of others to get it done, but raising and supporting your kids when you’re down and out is still very possible.

Take Care of You

Here’s something that most “super moms” try to skip over, but shouldn’t – taking care of yourself. After suffering injuries from an accident, your body and emotional well-being are damaged. They need time to heal and the only way this can take place is if you remain adamant about putting your own needs first. This means visiting the doctor regularly, participating in physical therapy, eating right, and even seeing a therapist if you’re having a hard time coping with such a traumatic experience. When you are doing everything in your power to heal, it puts you steps closer to being able to go back to being the supportive mom you’ve always been. Not to mention, the faster you recover the easier it is for your children to get past as they hate seeing you outside of yourself.

Seek Legal Help

Have the injuries sustained in an accident stopped your finances? Are you unable to return to work for an undetermined amount of time while you recover? Have you been getting hit with medical bills that you can no longer afford? Do you need long-term care or other therapies that you can’t afford? If so, you may want to look into your rights to file a personal injury lawsuit. Legal experts are well-versed in personal injury laws and can best determine if you should file suit against negligent parties. This could give you financial compensation for any time off from work, current and future medical bills, as well as specialized treatment and long-term care.

Ask for Family Support

If mobility is an issue for you or carrying out day to day activities causes you pain, it is recommended that you rely on your “village” to help with the kids while you recover. Breaking up your responsibilities into smaller tasks and asking others to pitch in is your best bet. For example, you could have your parents drop the kids off at school in the mornings, and ask your significant other to watch them and help with homework in the afternoons. If you have a teen in the house, and you’ve already taught them how to drive, they too can be instrumental in helping to keep the routine as normal as possible. You could ask them to run errands, prep meals, or babysit their younger siblings while you rest.

Spend Time with Your Kids

Dealing with the aftermath of your accident will be hard on everyone in your home, especially your children. During this time they’ll need extra attention as they watch their “rock” go through hard times. Do the best you can to spend time with your kids. Be open and honest in your communications about the accident, your injuries, and recovery. Also, try to find ways to show them you’re still there when they need you. Watch television together, share meals, or participate in activities that won’t cause you any discomfort like arts and crafts or video games.

Being injured, especially when it wasn’t your fault or anything you could do to prevent it, is a bad situation for anyone. The feelings are even worse when you have a family to support and you’re the person they rely on for everything. Instead of breaking down and wondering how you’ll get past it, start taking action. Use the above-mentioned tips to get the support you need and find easier avenues to not only care for your children but to care for yourself. Lightening your load financially, emotionally, and physically will give you the confidence and strength you need to get back to being the best mom ever.