This is a sponsored post.
Seriously, you guys, “What the Flu!” In a desperate attempt for me and my husband to avoid the flu, we were recently using up our Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and hand sanitizer at a speed never before seen in our house. We’ve always been pretty relaxed about germ fighting in our house, but with two family members so far succumbing to this winter’s nasty flu, my husband and I are on high alert – well, let’s just say we’ve been changing our ways.
First to fall was my kiddo. Poor thing; I swear there was never a more pathetic sick child. Or a funnier one; she had the most hilariously sad laments.
Please allow me to share “Things Your Kid Says When She Has The Flu”:
• “Mommy, what’s the point of flu anyway?” She said to me, her eyes glassy with fever. GOOD QUESTION, KID. What IS the point?
• “I wish I’d never met the flu! The flu is horrible!” This one she yelled from her bedroom in the middle of the night. I laughed, then got up and sat with her until the fever reducing medicine kicked in and she was able to sleep.
• “THE FLU IS SO STUPID!” She yelled, right after the antiviral meds she was taking made her throw up, again.
• “Does the flu last forever? Will I ever feel better?” This sad statement came a day before she did, in fact, wake up fever-free and feeling better. Poor little bunny.
Sadly, as you all know, my mom managed to snag the flu from some surface or another (probably something I couldn’t reach, since she’s about five inches taller than me). Thankfully, she’s okay (she came home Saturday from the hospital and rehab), but still… while the flu is a serious matter, it’s important to find the humor in some of the things that come with the flu, like being so achy it hurts to much to change the TV channel. Lucky for us, Tori managed to be her hilarious self. THANK GOODNESS!
Clorox is helping us all find the humor in those type of “What the Flu!” moments on a new #WTFlu Tumblr page. Check it out if you are in need of some sick day entertainment (and tips for how to help prevent the spread of the virus). You can also share your own funny flu moments on Twitter by using the #WTFlu hashtag for a chance to win a WTFlu care package with all the essentials to help you survive flu season.
Big thanks to Clorox for sponsoring this post and trying to find the humor in the nastiness of the flu. #WTFlu, indeed.
{ 43 comments… read them below or add one }
The flu isn’t funny at all; it is potentially deadly. This post and Clorox’s entire campaign are in extremely poor taste.
Also, Tori wasn’t vaccinated against the flu, so she suffered needlessly this year due to your negligence. She put your ailing mother at risk, too. Where’s the humor in any of this?
WTF indeed.
Ditto, LDT.
I’ll start buying the store brand disinfecting wipes. Clorox needs to find a better way to spend their advertising dollars.
We don’t have any funny flu moments in our house since we all got the flu vaccine. We didn’t think it was all that funny when our neighbor’s 5 year old died from the flu a few years ago or when my dad had cancer and his immune system was suppressed by chemotherapy and the flu could have killed him, so we figured we’d just go ahead and protect ourselves and other vulnerable people by getting vaccinated.
I’m trying not to be a bitch, but I’m trying to understand why your daughter wasn’t vaccinated? You aren’t against vaccines, so it seems to be just laziness. I have 2 little girls, one of whom was 6 weeks old when a family member exposed her whooping cough. This family member then exposed her to the flu at 6 months. I’m so furious that she put my baby’s life at risk through her laziness, and it sounds like your doing the same to your child and mother. I don’t understand how lightly you can write about this and not admit your blame in this.
Wow. Seeing the brightside of (needlessly) having the flu? What’s next, the joys of cancer and chemo?
Wow, I am officially a grumpy old person because that Tumblr made me think this is an early April Fool’s joke…there are topics and brands suited to this kind of humour but I agree, the flu is deadly in many people. WTF, Clorox?
This isn’t funny at all. Anybody who thinks it is has truly lost their way.
I agree that this is in poor taste. I’m surprised at Clorox for thinking this would be a good idea.
And people who have the flu oftentimes feel like they are dying (and sometimes they do die), so I don’t think it’s “hilariously sad” that Tori was wishing she never had the flu. . .it makes my heart hurt for her. Watching my kids when they’re sick is one of the most painful and anxiety inducing parts of parenting for me. Sorry to project :-(
oh I hear ya. . .the Flu is serious stuff – my little guy was only a few months old when he was hospitalized over night, so I know it can be scary and even deadly. My husband (who RARELY gets sick and NEVER takes off from work) got sick. . .was it the Flu? Probably. . .but regardless, I followed him around with my Clorox wipes and spray. . .wiping every surface I could thing of – remotes, phones, door handles. . .I was crazed for days. I know a lot of people aren’t fans of non-natural methods – but to me, Clorox makes sense – it works.
Hope everybody is feeling better!! Come on Spring!
Hillary
We are on high alert around here, too. I know several people who vaccinated and still got quite sick – so extra precautions are being taken this year. Hope you don’t succumb to the bug!
Cecily, I LOVE Clorox. I have four big bottles of their wipes in the house and two bottles of the spray. It’s the only cleaner I use to get rid of germs and all the ick.
We are always on high alert here at our house. Every year, without fail, I get the flu and I HAVE TO get the flu shot due to work making do it or not getting paid. So for those that are poo-pooing not getting the shot, relax. It’s only 60% effective and that number decreases little by little each year. It’s important to keep your house sanitized as much as possible and use proper hygiene when out and about (sanitize hands in public, etc). We go the all natural route by using homemade cleaners, but cleaning diligently is so important. And yes, you can find the humor in anything, even sickness and tragedy. Take a look at FreeAnissa.com for an excellent example.
The difference is that Anissa is finding humor in her *own* sickness, whereas this blog is joking about the sickness of a 6 year old.
Lighten up, are you a mother? If so have you never laughed at something your kid has said? She is not literally laughing at her child being sick, she is finding the humor in the situation.
My apologies. I should have more specific about why this post was bothering me. Where Anissa finds humor in her own, unpreventable illness, this blog post bugs me because:
1. This (sponsored) post is trying to get me to buy a product that would help in preventing the flu, and;
2. The author was promoting flu vaccinations a month or so ago, and;
3. The author is now finding humor in her 6 year old’s discomfort as a result of the flu, which very probably could have been prevented by the very vaccination that the blogger was promoting not too long ago. My guess it that Tori did not find humor in her sickness, and was not intending to be funny.
It is manipulative, IMO. Maybe it’s just me. If I were a well-known blogger being paid to promote products, I would *really* want to know how posts like this sounded to my audience. Maybe if I were not being targeted to spend money by posts like these, it wouldn’t bother me a bit.
Carry on :-)
1. The flu vaccine’s effectiveness at 60% is still beneficial, here’s the data from the CDC:
Influenza vaccination, even with moderate effectiveness, has been shown to reduce illness, antibiotic use, doctor visits, time lost from work, hospitalizations, and deaths (6). Results for the 2012–13 season indicate that vaccination has reduced the risk for influenza-associated medical visits by approximately 60%, demonstrating the benefits of influenza vaccination during the current season.
2. It is not true that the effectiveness of the flu vaccine decreases each year. The effectiveness of the flu vaccine depends on (a) how well matched the vaccine is to the circulating virus(es) and (b) the characteristics of the individuals being vaccinated. Flu vaccine effectiveness will fluctuate from year to year and one year cannot really accurately be compared to another due to the variations in the two dependencies for effectiveness.
And, there is evidence as well that even if you are vaccinated and get the virus, it is generally milder. “Only” 60% effective is a hell of a lot more than 0% effective which is what doing nothing gives you.
So really, it makes no sense at all not to even TRY to prevent it by getting the shot. I can’t really think what use of your time is more important than taking time to get a flu shot. Sick kids are just the saddest thing.
If one of my kids brings home the flu, we too take as many war on germs precautions as we can to keep our out of commission numbers as low as possible. Also, I think “What the Flu?” has a very satisfying ring to it. It’s like “Shut the front door.” I’m totally using it.
What a sweet little girl Tori is finding humor even when she is sick! We have never vaccinated our kids either for the flu, so far I have been way more worried about the vaccines more than the flu, but the flu seems to be pretty bad this year. Honestly though I am not a big sterilizer person either and think kids need to run outside and get some germs out from the yard to build up a good immune system. So far we’ve been good, no vaccines, no clorox and no flu for the kids. Knocking wood. Hope Tori feels better soon!
Wow. People are vicious, aren’t they?? Even if your child was vaccinated (which is your business and yours alone) the shot does not cover all strains of the Flu. Plus, not everyone can get the shot. My son has an egg allergy and is unable to get the shot. Disinfecting is super important.
I was thinking the same thing, Jessica. People sure do get excited when they can judge another person’s decisions from behind the safety of their computer screen. My family got shots this year. We did so knowing that flu vaccines do not protect against all strains and that we might still get sick.
Cecily, I noticed that you mentioned above that the flu is a serious matter and it sounds like you took it seriously while caring for your daughter. I’m glad you and your daughter were able to look back on an unfortunate illness and find some humor in it all.
Your post is actually another reason to advocate FOR vaccinations. The more people who are vaccinated means the greater herd immunity which means your son has less likelihood of getting the flu since he is in one of the unprotected populations.
People (including myself) are criticizing because Cecily herself posted about the benefits of vaccines.
It’s ironic, of course, that most of us reading this live in countries where vaccine preventable diseases have disappeared nearly completely – enough that many of us opt out of vaccinating our children because we believe they are safe (this is not a decision we made; Tori is fully vaccinated). But in other parts of the world, not vaccinating isn’t a luxury – it’s a death sentence.
Not vaccinating is potentially a death sentence everywhere, including our county. 20 children including two 6 years olds have died from the flu in the US this year. So pardon those of us who don’t see the humor in making light of it.
Everybody in my household except ME got vaccinated this year, and of course, I got the flu. Oh my word I thought I’d never be well enough to get out of bed. Thankfully my husband is awesome, and he took care of the kids and the house, so I could pretty much stay quarantined (because even though they’d been vaccinated, they could still have caught it from me).
As a joke, whenever I’d ask for tissues, my husband would bring me the Clorox wipes to blow my nose with. And even though I was sick, I thought it was hilarious. Because in my family, we aren’t uptight, argumentative jerks who don’t have a sense of humor.
Laughter is the best medicine, after all!
People get sick. Even if they get a shot. It happens. I’m not sure about the craziness posted above. REALLY?
We love Clorox wipes. They are easy to store, simple to use, and they work.
Good for you for teaming up with them. They picked the right blogger to work with.
Feel well everyone!
The Vaccine Education Center at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (VEC) has an informational sheet that addresses some of the topics brought up in comments: http://www.chop.edu/export/download/pdfs/articles/vaccine-education-center/influenza.pdf. The VEC also has additional information on its websites: http://vaccine.chop.edu or http://vaccine.chop.edu/parents.
I will not purchase Clorox products if they think it’s in good taste to align with a mother LOLing about her daughter’s flu – a flu she caught after her mother took money to promote flu vaccines, then didn’t bother getting off the couch to vaccinate her own kid.
Cecily, you are failing at this brand advocacy thing. Get a job.
Agreed. Clorox may have come up with a bad idea, but they got a real mother in real life to poke fun at her own sick child. Not cool.
Double agreeing with the advice to get a job. Making your sick kid be the butt of a so-called joke isn’t the only way to make money.
Is this post about Clorox wipes (sponsored or not), cutting down on germs and finding a bit of humor in an every day life situation as a parent or is it about cutting the author, standing in judgement and spreading mean? I just vlogged about what I love about blogging and what are my pet peeves and many of the comments here are at the top of my peeves. I have disagreed respectfully with a writer, I’ve had a healthy debate but I can’t imagine writing some of the smear I’ve read in the comments here. Shameful.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used such wipes this season alone. I’m thankful they are at the grocery stores so you can wipe your cart handles. Hope your daughter, mother and your family are on the mend.
My son’s Pre-K teacher taught the kids about spreading germs by putting glitter on her hands and then seeing where it wound up over the day. Funny enough, she got the flu the next week and was out for the next. I brought her a container of disinfectant wipes ;) but sadly *I* am still finding glitter (and probably cooties from all those preschoolers…) all over *MY* house. We still *laugh* about it.
I’m sure everyone that is being cranky in the comments has immaculate homes, loyal spouses, pristine children, and enough money to wipe their nose with.
Oh, and there is no way on EARTH I would vaccinate my kids for the flu. The strains that are going around now aren’t the same as what the vaccines reduce your chances of catching. It doesn’t prevent the flu.
My mom was getting the vac and would get sicker and sicker every year from it until the doctors in her practice (associated with the hospital) recommended NOT getting it. Not many people that live in my suburban area get the flu shot and the stats for the past three years are dropping on flu admittance into the hospital/ER.
Rajean, the comments are merely pointing out that Cecily took free trips in exchange for promoting vaccines…vaccines she failed to get for her own child. (If you trust that she really believes in what she shills for in light of this evidence, you are either naïve or stupid.)
The comments are also pointing out that all the Clorox wipes in the world are a poor substitute for the prevention to which we in the developed world have access. If Cecily can afford to support her Red Bull habit, and has the motivation to waddle out of the house to buy it, she can get her kid vaccinated.
I feel free to judge away when a person endangers my kids and elderly parents by refusing to vaccinate their children. Poor Tori deserves better, too.
Finally, considering all of the above, “LULZ, my daughter is so funny when she’s in agony caused by my failure to be a parent!” is horrifying. The Clorox brand team will be rightly furious to be associated with this woman and the filthy house she posted pictures of on Babble just last week.
Seriously, being an adult isn’t that hard. Grow the hell up, Cecily.
Way to keep it classy, Column Four.
Thanks! :)
Lynette, were you challenging Cecily on her pro-vaccine stance when she was shilling for them?
Judging from various pictures of your home, you might want to use the wipes for your baseboards. Messy is one thing, dirt and filth are another.
It’s astonishing that Clorox aligned with someone who proudly posts pictures of her downright unhygienic home. As someone who has directed many brands’ social media campaigns, it’s clear that either the brand or their agency neglected to evaluate Cecily properly before aligning Clorox with someone who has posted pictures of her disgustingly filthy home for several years.
As stated above, there is no humor in a child’s pain from flu that her mother took no measures to prevent (despite having done sponsored posts on behalf of a vaccine campaign). What next, yukking it up over your elderly mother’s hospitalization and flu? It’s not funny or cute, Cecily. You really need to grow up.
WOW…. where did your manners go? Shame on you all. Way to act like adults. I’d like to see your baseboards.
Did you all not read her comment policy?
COMMENT POLICY
Here’s the thing. I love comments. I hate assholes. If you can’t meet the following requirements…
• Say what you mean
• Mean what you say
• Don’t say it mean
…don’t say it here.
All your posts are mean… How do you know they did not vaccinate Tori? Kids still get sick with or without vaccination. It’s called going to school around children whose parents may not have insurance to get them vaccinated or the money for a flu shot.
Secondly why was the hygiene of this woman’s home brought into play? BE NICE… DON’T JUDGE people unless you’re willing to let them judge you back. Are your baseboards clean? Are you and your family vaccinated?
Cecily, I love Clorox myself. I keep them at home and work so if signs of the sniffles or cough arise I wipe everything down every day! Sorry Tori got sick, but at least she kept her spirits high by being corky!
How do commenters know that they did not vaccinate Tori? Because Cecily said so… here on her blog. I don’t vaccinate my children for influenza. I’m a hippie dippie, let the immune system do its’ own work kind of mama. However, if my elderly parent were living with me, our family would all receive vaccinations. The elderly are at high risk for flu and notoriously suffer horribly when it is contracted. The responsible thing to do when you have an elderly person living in your home is to vaccinate all family members.
We have reached new heights of hilarity and idiocy when comments literally admonish us not to judge someone with a disgustingly filthy home who is shilling for Clorox. Gosh, the Clorox brand managers will be THRILLED with the results of this program!
I know Cecily failed to vaccinate Tori because she admitted it. No regard for her daughter or her vulnerable, elderly mother – who also ended up in the hospital with the flu. Clorox wipes didn’t exactly work out as an alternative to vaccination.
I was going to vaccinate my kid against the flu, but I bought some Clorox wipes instead. Now when she’s in bed with a fever and vomiting, I just wipe her down with those things. We laugh when she pukes out her nose! Thanks, Clorox!
I got the norovirus one week before my husband was scheduled for hernia surgery. I Googled it. Good grief! That virus is HIGHLY contageous, and it LIVES FOR MONTHS on surfaces. The only thing that kills it is Clorox. So I told him to stay away from me, and instructed him to make a Clorox solution in a spray bottle. He sprayed Everything. I was so sick, he went to the theatre that night by himself. At intermission, he texted me : “Just looked down at the cuffs of my dark brown cords. They’re white. Germ-free, I assume. That spray bottle had a higher velocity than I thought.” BTW, he remained virus -free. His surgery went well. Thank you, Clorox.
You forgot to thank your husband for staying away from you. ;)