maize Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I've got a cold, nothing awful but I just want to leave the kids alone to do their own thing. We have an orthodontist appt., orchestra rehearsal, and scouts this afternoon, so it's not like anyone gets to lie around all day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 No, of course not. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaceful Isle Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I'm really sick today as well. My boys are playing by the fire, my daughter is reading and eating cheese crackers, and I'm on here drinking my coffee. Life is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Not when you are going to be out later. Scouts and Orchestra count as school :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Take a break, Mom, and work on getting better. Let the kids hang out. It will NOT hurt them. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 A little ick yes, I feel like laying around all day no, generally that might happen 1, maybe 2x a year so I don't feel guilty taking a break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 It all depends. Most of the time with a cold I'm actually better off doing some school with the boys so that I can rest. I set up at the table with all I need to be comfortable and direct the activities, and teach sitting down. It's a good time to let writing be free writing, or gently directed, to listen to the boys read to me and to talk about what we are studying. I wouldn't get as much rest if I tried to let school go and lay down. It would quickly be too noisy with play going on. But if I had a number of things that would require me to get out in the afternoon, you bet I'd be trying to conserve my strength! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Yes, but "school" that day could be an audiobook, a math toy or game, and a Spanish video instead of direct instruction from Mom. Think of it as being a substitute teacher for yourself. You make sure things are under control and there is educational activity, but don't necessarily do the next lesson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 If I am sick enough that I would call off work (IF I was working outside the home)--then we take the day off. My kids are young enough that there isn't much that they can do without my help anyways. Maybe when they are older things will change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MinivanMom Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 No. Unless it's morning sickness. I just can't take off 5 months straight for morning sickness; I have to power through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 It really depends on how I am feeling. I tried to do school a couple weeks ago when I had bronchitis and it didn't go well. I think if you feel that you need the day off, then you should take it and rest up as much as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoVanGogh Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Depends on how bad I feel and I will balance that with outside activities (do I need to rest up to drive somewhere later?) I would also think about where we were in our studies - first month of new school year vs last few weeks of school and wanting to push through to finish. If illness affected my breathing or voice, I would likely switch up school so child could do work on own. I am currently schooling with one arm in a cast. I did take the first week off, but have been schooling as usual since then. I view it as PP mentioned: would I call in sick to work, if I worked an outside job? If I couldn't justify it to a boss, I can't justify it to myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Yes, I did that today in fact. I just have a cold. My voice is thrashed and I'm coughing, but I don't feel bed enough not to do school. When I had pneumonia a few years ago I cancelled school for about a week and then we did school in my bed for a few weeks while I recovered. I cancelled school a few days when I had the flu a couple years ago as well. So, for me, it really depends on how bad I feel. I'm much more likely to keep on with school when the kids or I are sick than not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 See, part of the problem here is that while teachers can call in a sub, mom can't. I'm used to the requirement to just keep on keepin' on no matter what... do that long enough though and I'm setting myself up for a major crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 See, part of the problem here is that while teachers can call in a sub, mom can't. I let my kids do the programming modules on Khan Academy and watch Coursera videos that I had downloaded. The recent Coursera course on dinosaurs was fun for my boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 We go to an alternate schedule--they do what they can do, oldest takes younger kids through math, and then we pull out educational toys and videos. If I am just a little sick or dealing with morning sickness (9 months of puking--yay!) I try to power through. I may have taught phonics in between worshipping at the porcelin throne....kid enjoyed laying in the bathtub with a pillow and handing me mints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I have a bad cold right now, and school has marched on. If I had a fever or was throwing up, there would be no school. I don't feel great, but if I don't read aloud too loudly, I do okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I've got a cold, nothing awful but I just want to leave the kids alone to do their own thing. We have an orthodontist appt., orchestra rehearsal, and scouts this afternoon, so it's not like anyone gets to lie around all day... Depends on how bad I feel. But usually no. I've had a migraine today and my kids played and watched a movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I've got a cold, nothing awful but I just want to leave the kids alone to do their own thing. We have an orthodontist appt., orchestra rehearsal, and scouts this afternoon, so it's not like anyone gets to lie around all day... Yes, you need to rest up so that you can get the kids to where they need to be. BTDT many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 If I can get out of bed but just feel cruddy we do school. I don't take a day off unless I am actually sick in bed level of sick. However, I can be convinced to take a light day. That means we do math, music practice, grammar and writing. It doesn't take long, we don't get too far behind, and I don't feel stressed b/c we are missing school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegs Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I'm chronically ill, so I'm just used to parenting through feeling rotten. DS has got to a really lovely stage where I can explain to him that I need to rest awhile, or wait for my medicine to work, so he watches docos or plays Lego or something else quiet until I'm ready to be more present for him. On a bad day, anything schooly is done in bed, or with the sofa clicked down so we can both lie there with a stack of books and an abacus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Days where it is in between I do a light version of school, or have them read (pull specific books related to history), watch a science documentary, spend time on their memory work, etc. That works for me when I'm not feeling up to school, but I want them to make some sort of forward progress or learn something, kwim? And if I don't feel up to it, then I don't, and I let the guilt go. With the other activities you have scheduled, I'd probably have just encouraged them to read from a few genres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I sort of thought everyone would be on the same page with this one, but I guess not. Huh. Seemed like a no brainer to me that if you're sick enough to miss work and would have called in if you had an outside job, you don't teach. At best you pop in an educational movie or make the children play math video games or something. For people with a chronic illness, I think that's different. You make whatever accommodations that work for you and your kids if that's the case. But that's different from a "sick day." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I sort of thought everyone would be on the same page with this one, but I guess not. Huh. Seemed like a no brainer to me that if you're sick enough to miss work and would have called in if you had an outside job, you don't teach. At best you pop in an educational movie or make the children play math video games or something. This is my criteria, pretty much. Maybe I didn't state it well in my above post. I would go to work with a bad cold but would not go with a fever or throwing up and such. So I school with a bad cold. I am currently doing it. I just move a bit slower, but we are getting our usual school done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 We school year round. I have no qualms about taking time off as needed or even wanted. Doing it that way really takes the pressure off. I might go to work with a bad cold because someone is paying me, but in this homeschool mom gig, nobody docks my pay when I take a day off. So yeah I'm milking that perk for all it's worth. Hope you feel better quick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maize Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 So I wouldn't normally take off work for a cold, but not doing school doesn't equate to taking off work when there are five young children in the house. School is just one part of my work, and not the hardest part. At the same time I usually just see school as part of mothering, no clear delineations. I guess that's why I couldn't see a clear answer to whether or not to do school--I don't take off from mothering...but if I need to lighten the load a bit to accommodate sickness school is one thing that can be dropped, unlike changing diapers feeding the children, etc. My life is pretty insanely intense most of the time so I don't think I have a very good conception of what is reasonable and normal. So we mostly skipped school today; dd11 did math, mostly independent for her. I tried to get ds9 through math but I think he only did about 1/5 of a page. We managed the orthodontist and orchestra, but had to miss scouts because orchestra went late (dress rehearsal for next week's concert). I made curry soup for dinner :) I think I'm ready to go to bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I hope you feel better! My girls are in 8th and 10th grade- so very little of their day requires my direct instruction. They have their list, they do their work, and bring it to me if they need help. So not much would change if *I* was sick. But for elementary age kids, I would not do much school if I was sick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Depends on their ages and how sick I am. I school year round, so that also helps. If they're not old enough to do anything independent, it's probably not going to kill them to miss a day here and there. If they're old enough to do some independent work, they can do that while I lie on the couch. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Ok, and if you need further "proof" that this is reasonable, consider all the all nighters you have pulled for your kids that at the end made you feel like a freaking zombie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purpleowl Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Like others have said, it depends on how sick I am. In October, I got the flu, and then I started to get better but then got a mild case of pneumonia, and then I was getting better again but then got a cold. Normally a cold would not keep me from schooling, but I just hadn't had the chance to build up energy reserves after the previous two illnesses. With just a cold and nothing extenuating, I'll still do school, but if my throat hurts I will try to reduce the amount of reading aloud I have to do. So it turns into "school lite" on days like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefgazer Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Wow, your question got me to thinking that I haven't been sick since we started homeschooling almost 2 years ago! So I guess my answer is hypothetical - we'd do as much as I was able. If I had the flu, that would probably mean videos, Alcumus, and reading a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SereneHome Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I used to go to work when I was sick. I sat at my desk and did whatever mindless stuff I could find for the day and that was that. I can't do HSing while sick bc I can't "fake it" through it. They want my attention, they want me to do things. I certainly can't just sit. So, there is a lot of TV going on the day I am sick and meals are super easy ones and I keep asking them to let me rest. It's usually 50/50 successful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest latunxitom Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Let the kids hang out. It will NOT hurt them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 For short and non frequent acute illness, let them watch tv (many shows are educational and fun-- some pbs, ten most deadly snakes or what ever the category-- coolest bridges, best animal parents, etc; Aerial America is wonderful, National Geographic or Smithsonian specials with fabulous photography, How its Made, cooking shows, etc, etc. etc. My kids over the years have learned so much from tv since I have had multiple chronic illnesses throughout my 20 years of homeschooling and lots and lots of acute ones too (I did teach through at least 80% of the time but used other non Mom means the other 20%) Other great tools for such teaching-- colorful illustrated books on different subjects -- they would peruse our Art Museum guides and our guides to art, science books on everything that had photos and labels.. large anatomy book, my cook books, magazines we got, history books, basically books on so many things with good photography and not lots of dry texts/ playing with Legos, building blocks, puzzles, some video games, in fact much of playing is educational for children who are past the stage of drawing on everything- dover coloring books on everything from clothing of a certain time period to historical buildings to birds of a given area and many other types of categories. I know my kids enjoyed books that taught them easy drawing too (when they were younger) and two out of three are good at art now even though I couldn't and still can't draw at all. Use waiting times in doctor's patient rooms to discuss the posters on the wall that show anatomy or illness facts or even the rules in the place-- one place I go has rules for writing prescriptions and would be a very interesting discussion; Depending on where anyone lives, have them go outside and observe nature or do so from your windows Listen to the local public radio station where they have classical music programs like Performance Today which talks about the music or some of the discussion shows depending on the ages of your children. Listen to radio stations from around the world with your computer. Well I will stop but there are so many more ways to teach children in more unusual ways. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 I haven't been sick in 3 or 4 years, but if I felt really bad, I would probably let them watch some videos a chunk of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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