Give InKind’s Care Calendar helps answer the central question of how to give or receive support. This serves as a how-to guide for setting up a Give InKind page for a sick child.
Getting Started
Begin by identifying one person able to sit down with the parents of the child/ren to take a specific inventory of the things they need help with. Consider the needs of the family as a whole. Use this information to build your calendar (see a sample Give InKind Sick Child Support Page here).
First, take a moment to review the functions of the Care Calendar. Read articles about sick children and family support on Give InKind and share them with your core group of helpers.
Care Calendar
The care calendar shifts the work of accepting and delegating multiple offers of assistance. Parents are exceedingly grateful for all the offers to help, but organizing them efficiently can be challenging. The care calendar breaks it down. This enables anyone (anywhere) to offer help for exactly what is needed.
- Food: Across the board, meals, and groceries for the family are among the most popular action items. If there are siblings at home, are there things they won’t eat? Take the time to be specific about their needs. Does the family have any dietary restrictions? Do they prefer that meals be delivered ready to eat or do they prefer some basic in-home preparation? If a child is in the hospital, can take-out be delivered?
- Childcare: If a sick child has siblings, it is important to make sure to highlight their needs. Parents worry that their other children will suffer a lack of necessary attention. Multiple obligations can be put into one Care Calendar. Additional obligations like music lessons and fun outings/sleepovers with their friends fit nicely here too.
- Pet Care: Are there guinea pigs, cats, or dogs to take care of? Consider incorporating daily visits (or more) for feedings and fresh water. Kids attached to pets may worry about their being lonely, so be sure to send pictures. Arrange as many dog walks as necessary.
- Home Services: Add calendar events for a friend to be there for a long-scheduled home repair appointment, a deep cleaning, or to come over and do laundry.
- Other: “Other" is the ultimate catch-all category. This is a great place to arrange a late-night Zoom happy hour or to plan a time to go for a run with a parent who needs a break.
Fundraising
In the case of a sick child’s hospitalization, there may be a need to offset the loss of income if a parent has taken a leave. Take into consideration medication/supplements not covered by insurance, prepared food, and out-of-pocket therapies. If there is such a need, simply enable the fundraising button on your Give InKind page and connect your PayPal or GoFundMe account.
Wishlist
The Give InKind Wishlist is another opportunity for others to meaningfully support the family while. Browse Give InKind’s curated list for suggested items that could help in their unique situation. When you see an item that could be helpful, use the “+" icon to add to your Wishlist. See how to build a Gift Card Train with your Wishlist here.
You may also add an existing Amazon Wishlist to your Give InKind page.
Communication Preferences
Use Give InKind’s do-not-disturb section to let others know about the parent’s communication preferences. Keep in mind that these preferences can be easily turned on or off as a situation evolves.
- Phone Calls: How do the parents like to communicate – phone or text? Sometimes it is hard for a parent to speak freely in a hospital room if their child is present. It’s worth asking.
- Visitors: Are visitors allowed in the hospital? If so, use the Special Notes section to add visiting hours and any other details.
- Flowers: Kids tend to prefer things other than flowers, so it is a safe bet that you can switch this off.
Updates
Add unlimited updates to keep friends and family informed. If the parents do not wish to communicate by phone or text, this is a great place to designate a third-party to act as the family spokesperson.
Working as part of a care team for a sick child can be very difficult, but try to look for hope, always present. One pediatrician told our editorial team that children may respond to treatments in ways that grown-ups do not — “Children see magic because they look for it," wrote Christopher Moore. Knowing what to do and when empowers those who want to help to do so, and that, in and of itself, lifts people up even just a little. Create your Give InKind Support Page here.
If you have any further questions, visit Give InKind’s Help Center or view our helpful articles about sick children.
Give InKind does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We have an affiliate relationship with many of the advertisers on our site, and may receive a commission from any products purchased from links in this article. See Terms & Conditions.