BellaOnline Forums Education Homeschooling Should my child do 'school work' if they are not feeling well?

How do you all feel about homeschoolers doing lessons if they are not feeling well?

Thanks, Susan

Whether or not my children have done their lessons while ill depended on how ill they were.

My opinion is that if they feel well enough to lay on the couch and watch tv, play video games or read than they could complete assignments just as well.

I feel the same way. If you are sick, then you should be in bed. If you feel well enough to play on the computer, you are well enough to plug away at your schoolwork. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That's my feeling about it, too!

Susan <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I agree. Sometimes I simplified the work, shortened the day or changed how it was done, but we had very few actual sick days.

Heeee, you all sound like me.
"Catie, if you are well enough to ask for a friend to come over, you are quite well enough to finish the odd numbers of your math lesson" - I've said that MORE than once.

I guess it all depends on how you homeschool and how sick they are. If they are mildly sick they can probably handle an almost normal work load. If they are moderately sick it may be a day to call in the back-ups: educational TV/videos, books on tape, computer games, and reading aloud. If they are more than moderately sick I'd say it's a get to bed and take a nap lesson, or at least get in mommy's bed and pop in a video and try to fall asleep.

As for how you homeschool, well, if you are the type that doesn't put much credence in seatwork and workbooks, then you probably aren't too worried.

Remember - the good thing is that you have 365 days to do what a school does/claims to do in 180 or so.

We don't have many sick days for the kids, but I've seemed to have more than my share the past year!

Meg <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My son, who has Dysgraphia, spent a year at home when he was ten with the avowed intention of getting him well enough to go back into the classroom. Remember that fifteen minutes of quality intervention are probably more than he/she would get in a school day.
Home schooling is not just about working through the books; it's about looking at education in a totally fresh way. It's about restoring confidence.
My son finished College last year with 7 cs amongst his 11 GCSEs and now he's on an Engineering Course and hoping to go to University next year. He is self-motivated and aware of his disabilities but sees them now in a positive light.

I think we have a consensus here. Not having been actively involved in homeschooling, I will present the other perspective. The main reason for keeping a child home from school (if he or she attends school outside of the home) is to reduce the chances of infecting the other children. Public school teachers routinely send work home for sick students so that they will not fall behind.

Yes, true...public school teachers send homework for sick kids - HOWEVER, this is oranges and apples.

Homeschooled children have 365 days to complete what schooled children must do in 180 days. So, homeschooled children are better able to take a day or week off for illness without getting behind.

Also, many homeschoolers don ot subscribe to the belief that you must follow a strict curriculum and allow their child "light duty" during illness.

Right now my oldest and the baby are getting over chicken pox. I am waiting for the middle child to get it now. No, I'm not really making the oldest do school work, but we are reading classic lit together everyday, she still reads to me for 15 minutes a day, she can still write her letters on the computer, etc.

Meg

Hi Meg!

I see chicken pox hit your way as well. The girls and I have been in bed for days with it. We are feeling better and are up and about for a bit.

How are your sick ones?