“Mother, my stomach is in great pain.” If this statement fails to evoke a sense of dread, an accelerated heartbeat, or the urge to take a calming medication, then you might not be a parent. The season of stomach flu is upon us, and Emily, a mother and influencer known as @thevondyfam, humorously portrayed the chaos that ensues when the stomach flu strikes your household. As a parent myself, I have never felt more understood (and queasy) while watching her TikTok video.
In the video, Emily captioned, “No one moves quicker than a parent trying to intercept vomit.” And she couldn’t be more accurate. We’ve all probably instinctively reached out to catch our child’s throw-up at some point, with results that are as unpleasant as you can imagine. Perhaps it was just my husband who did that—once. But that one time was more than enough. Even now, our son, who is now 5 years old, never lets my husband forget it, often reminding him, “Remember when you caught my vomit in your hands? That was epic!”
The video kicks off with the ominous tune of “The Final Countdown” playing in the background, showing Emily and her husband exchanging horrified looks as the text on the screen reads, “When your child complains of a stomach ache and it’s vomiting season.” In a frenzy, Emily jumps off the couch, grabs a bowl for sickness, tosses it to her husband, and hurls all the towels onto the couch.
Her husband wields a cleaning product like a weapon, while Emily arms herself with Lysol and paper towels. They engage in a seamless exchange of cleaning items as they navigate the chaos. With Lysol in hand, Emily sprays the living room mess, trying to keep herself from getting sick in the process.
As her husband takes a moment to rest on the couch, he notices the child off-camera needing the sickness bowl, and he propels it forward—using his entire body. Subsequently, Emily is seen soaring through the air with the bowl extended, resembling a superhero. Displaying remarkable agility and mom superhuman strength, Emily executes a flawless roll with the bowl around her arms before discarding it.
The video garnered enthusiastic praise and numerous comments expressing solidarity with the shared experience. Viewers also shared practical advice for managing the dreaded stomach bug.
One viewer suggested placing glow sticks at the bottom of the trash can before lining it with plastic bags to help the child aim accurately during nighttime emergencies. Another recommended making the beds with multiple layers of protection to facilitate quick changes during illness.
Another helpful tip involved purchasing emesis bags in bulk from Amazon to have them readily available throughout the house. Many parents endorsed this idea, sharing how they strategically placed these bags in various locations, including their vehicles, to cope with stomach-related mishaps.
Regardless of the approach taken to handle the challenges of a stomach bug at home, the consensus remains that it is an incredibly unpleasant experience.