How do you deal with teacher sick days?

[HSMom2One]

I'm just curious how things go at your home school. Please elaborate if you wish.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[elegantlion]

We just dealt with this in the last two weeks. If I'm sick, I generally give ds independent work. Actually this last time worked out well because I've been trying to encourage to work more independently in a few subjects. He really stepped up to the plate.

 

I often have him bring books into my room, if I'm not contagious, and we will do read alouds if I'm up to it.

 

If I'm really sick and can't do anything, I will generally let him have the day off from most subjects, I still make him read.

[Desert Rat]

I get a lot of migraines so I really can't take off every time I don't feel well. I usually try to do a lighter day with math, spelling, languages and phonics. The rest can wait until I'm feeling better.

[Mommyof4ks]

HAHAHA, teacher's can't get sick!! ;)

 

It thankfully does not happen often around here, but I usually have the kids do as much independent work as possible and let them watch educational tv. My DD8 is able to watch her math DVD and complete the exercises without my help, and she then reads some sort of story to the littles. Writing is usually the thing that really suffers on teacher sick days, and all science experiments/field trips get moved back too. My DD can get the littles set up on computer games too, so they get some of their things done. She is very good at staying on task so that she can get done with school and have the rest of the day to play.

 

It really depends on how sick I am also. If it is the can't open my eyes from a 102 fever/stomach bug, then the kids do what they can/will and the rest gets made up later. If it is just a sinus infection or a severe headache, then we follow the schedule in the above paragraph. This is one of the many nice things about homeschooling; we can catch up on Saturday or even later the same day if I feel better. We are in school more days than ps kids anyway, because we don't do 1/2 days or nearly as many holidays so I try not to worry about it.

 

All ears for other ideas though!

[jejily]

We've only been homeschooling for a year, and we haven't run into this situation yet. I think it would depend on the sickness. If it were the flu, and I was vomiting or some such, then school would definitely be canceled! However, if it's just a cold, I'd medicate and go on. (I guess I *have* done that already.)

 

If it was one of those colds that developed into bronchitis or pneumonia... I might "call in sick" for a day or two during the worst of it, or try to teach from the couch if I have the strength. I wouldn't want to have to make up a week or two, so I'd try to figure out a way to get core subjects covered... from the couch, by finding independent assignments, etc. DH would definitely help as much as possible (he's often out of town during the week).

[joannqn]

I'm apt to take any excuse to skip school. A day missed is no big deal here.

[Plucky]

I can't answer the poll. It depends on how sick I am. If I'm sick but able to sit up, we school from the couch. This week I was down with the flu for a few days and they pretty much had the day off except for chores, their regular responsibilities, and online deadlines. As soon as I was able to get up for a few minutes I outlined more independent work for them to do. Not much but if they aren't sick they can still move forward. There is always something to read or new to learn.

 

Since you only have one 4th grader I might not worry about it and give a day off. I keep a stricter schedule because of the older kids.

[Carrie12345]

Other- It varies, but I usually just lighten the load for the day if I really need to.

[HSMom2One]

I have been overseeing basic subjects from the couch and plan to make up the rest later. We homeschool most of the year anyway, so can afford to take a more leisurely pace.

 

Thinking of the many situations we all represent, I thought it would be interesting to see how others deal with the issue.

 

Stay healthy, everyone!

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

[camibami]

I am almost never sick- not in 10 years. But I am really sick now, and the girls were sick last week, so we already missed a week. DH is out of town, too.

 

We will be slogging away come Monday, because I cannot miss another week- we just can't! But I hope at least my fever is gone. I am totally spacey right now and couldn't drive or teach if I wanted to.

[dcjlkplus3]

I put call off school.

If I am only a little sick, we get done some and Daddy finishes up if he doesn't get home too late.

[siloam]

Depends on how sick. A head cold I would probably take some medicine and move on. If I have the flu everything comes to a stop.

 

But we also hs year around, so it doesn't really matter if we take a week off.

 

Heather

[Garga]

Depends on how sick. I'll read to them and give them stuff they can do independently (just stuff like coloring-they're little.). But mostly we school year-round, so we just make it up later.

[mcconnellboys]

I've done all of the above, or some portion of those mixed, at one time or another over the years. We mostly don't get sick. If I am sick, I can usually at least get them started on their written work and reading the things they will read on their own, even if I can't read to them that day. I often have books on tape or videos that I can sub in, as well. I've rarely ever been so down that I couldn't function at all....

[Parrothead]

It really depends on how sick I am. If I'm sick enough that the OTC drugs do little or nothing I call it off.

[WTMindy]

We pretty much plug away unless there is throwing up or high fevers. We may slow a bit, but we try not to stop.

[chaik76]

If I'm sick, no school.

[Audrey]

I'm just curious how things go at your home school. Please elaborate if you wish.

 

Blessings,

Lucinda

 

 

My dh is the teacher on Tuesdays and whatever other day of the week I have to be away for work. So, he also is my regular sub for whenever I'm too sick (which thankfully is rare!).

[Crissy]

How do you deal with teacher sick days?

 

Because we school year-round, I wouldn't hesitate to take a day off.

Thankfully, it's been at least a decade since I've had anything more serious than the common cold.

Oh, there was a major surgery a few years a go. I think we took two or three days off for that.

[mamaof2andtwins]

It really depends on the nature of the illness. If I have a fever or something stomach related, school is OFF. If I have a cold, the show goes on. If I have cramps, I medicate and move on or I might take my rice sack and curl up on the couch. So, I guess it depends on the severity.

 

Jennie

[myfunnybunch]

I chose "The show must go on."

 

BUT....if it had been an option, I would have chosen "All of the above." It really depends on how sick I am.

 

Cat

[CAMom]

We just encountered this yesterday.;) I was so sick I thought I would die. Fortunately, the worst was over after 24 hours.

 

My kids are old enough to not need me for anything so they did everything independently, took care of the 3yo and waited on me bringing me popsicles throughout the day.:)

[AnnetteB]

I get a lot of migraines so I really can't take off every time I don't feel well. I usually try to do a lighter day with math, spelling, languages and phonics. The rest can wait until I'm feeling better.

Me, too. I do what I can and they help each other, but the day usually gets abbreviated.

[runamuk]

It depends on how sick I am. If I have a cold, we forge ahead. But if it's something more serious, I take to the couch and put in an educational dvd or two (the kids love Blue Planet and Planet Earth). Elle will read to Malcolm or they'll play school, and when I'm feeling better we make up the time we missed.

[Bambam]

I didn't vote as I would have had to vote for different ones at different times in our schooling journey. When my kids were littler, we didn't do school but I let them watch TV (very unusual in our house). Now that my kids are older, the oldest does her work independently normally, so her school continues as normal. I generally pay her to read any school required for her little sister. She likes helping her little sister with her 'table' school, so that isn't a problem. They both seem to enjoy being in charge of the house and taking care of me. I enjoy it too! It is nice to see that they can do all the basic chores of running a house without me. Sorta makes you feel useless though too.

[JFSinIL]

Well, I wish I could have taken a few days this week off since I got bronchitis and a raging headcold.... but didn't since odds are my kidlet will get this cold that is creeping through our family next, and then she will need a few days off. Can't take off for "just Mom" unless it is the stomach flu :drool:

[Cheryl in NM]

I do a mix of things depending on how sick I am. If it's a migrane ds works independently on some things. If I'm under the weather, but not out for the count ds takes care of me, works some independently and we read together. In all cases of sickness the day does get shorten, but I try to have ds complete some work so that we can count it as a school day.