Posted in Beginning the homeschool journey

If you were raised in the public school system, as I was, you're programmed to realize that there are going to be sick days.  It happens - especially when you are surrounded by same-age peers who love to share things - even colds.

But if you homeschool, what about Mom?  Mom's don't get "sick days" - do they?

I suppose one could argue that they do, but it's not easy.  Any stay-at-home mother can tell you that.

What is difficult is to determine how to survive these types of days.

Of course, a lot depends on the age of your child.  If you have a fairly independent middle-school-aged student, then a sick day for Mom only may be an option.

But, what if your child is a first-grader?  They feel great! And they are bouncing off the walls, the very sight of which brings on nausea in Mom....

Contingencies can be made for such events, but they require planning in advance.

* First, it's helpful to know what, if any, the attendance requirements are for your state.  In our state, it's 180 days of instruction.  These days can occur anytime during the year, so we school year-round.  This means, of course, that there's plenty of days out of 365 for Mom, or child, to have a couple of "off" days for minor illnesses. 

* Try to resist the urge to second-guess the whole sick-day issue.  A virus that knocks you flat may not make your child sick at all.  In other words, if you need it - take a break from school, or make the days a bit lighter, to help you recover.  You'll probably get well more quickly and end up getting more school completed in the long-term than if you push yourself during a flu bug. 

However, some folks are really good about following a "strict" schedule, which leaves less wriggle room.  Teaching five weeks on, one off, or wanting to stick entirely within the public school schedule can make calling the occasional sick day off a bit more complicated.  Which means other coping strategies are needed.

* Keep good books on hand.  It's amazing how much learning goes on when you read aloud to your child.  And, you'll be surprised at how much better you feel curled up on the sofa, afghan on your shoulders, hot tea at hand, child snuggled up to you, and reading a good book aloud.

* However, reading aloud yourself may not be an option.  I recently lost my voice for a couple of days and while I could talk, it didn't last long enough for a read-aloud session.  Enter the audiobook.  There are all types of options for these - your library and the internet are good free sources.  We have several on CD and they will do when you can't read to your child yourself.

* Be creative with what you consider school on Mom-sick-days.  This can be a great time for "educational television" offerings.  Card games like Solitaire or Uno, or even easy board games, are pretty manageable for a short while, even if you don't feel well.  And they often have educational skills involved like counting, matching, ordering, or grouping.

* Supervised art or music is also an easy option on sick days.  Encourage your child to draw using non-mess materials.  When Mom is sick, that's not the time for finger painting!  Sometimes, the novelty of making a get-well card for Mommy will become a major project! 

Listening to music with your child is also a pretty good option, if you can tolerate it.    Usually art and music are two subjects that homeschool moms have to work into their schedule - use a lighter day of school to do these less strenuous activities.

* Except in extreme circumstances, most adults aren't totally down for very long.  Some school activities may be doable, like cat-napping while your budding reader reads aloud to you.  My daughter seems to enjoy doing this - probably because I read to her when she's sick, so now it's her turn to do this for Mom. 

Give yourself permission to do what you feel up to, and let the more difficult things wait for the next day.  If your child doesn't forget his or her math lessons over a weekend, they won't forget them over a Wednesday break either!

* If you follow the public school calendar and feel that your attendance schedule is too tight to take a sick day, don't forget that Saturdays really can be used for school, as can Sundays, or evenings otherwise.  The novelty of being able to "do school" in the evening with Dad may have some benefits. 

Finally, don't feel guilty.  Remember, there is a lot of learning that goes on during playtime, especially with younger children. 

A play day may be the break you *both* need - even if it interrupts your normally scheduled school program.