Well ... almost a month later I'm finally back to blog again! A rather nasty case of the flu which morphed into strep throat knocked me off my feet for longer than I liked. Why is it that I can't bounce back as quickly as my kids do?
So you might be wondering how homeschooling is affected when the main teacher (aka mom) is sick in bed. While some creative souls may use it as a learning opportunity (picture a field trip to the doctor, kids lining up to peer down mom's throat, book reports on the history of modern medicine) I'm just not of that caliber. I want people to serve me cold milkshakes or warm soup, cover me with a warm blanket and rub my feet. And then leave me alone! I suspect reality is somewhere in the middle.
I do find that whenever I'm out of commission, we see both the best and worst come out in our family. I'm always surprised by, and incredibly grateful for, how caring and available my kids and husband are. I'm also very aware of just how little dirt and clutter bothers everyone in this family but me! So yes, mom's illness definitely becomes a learning experience for all of us. I especially learn patience and a dependence on God like no other experience can generate. My kids get to put to use those cooking and cleaning skills we've worked on all year long. And I suspect my husband is reminded how much he appreciates going "off" to work somewhere!
And you know ... homeschooling goes on. Even mom's sickness is a time for education. Not of the academic kind necessarily, but definitely in practical life skills. It's also an opportunity to see just how well kids can work and learn independently. So when life "happens" ... even if it means that mom is side-lined for a bit, don't despair that your chldren will fall behind. See it as an opportunity for a different kind of "school".
~Judy
