How do you not get discouraged when you're sick??

[Storm Bride]

We've had an awful Autumn around here. We've been sick pretty much straight through - almost the whole family. (There are several people sick at dh's office, too - just an awful time for bugs around here, I guess.) Right now, I have an awful, awful cough, and a headache. Before that, it was bad sinus pressure, etc. Before that, we all had fevers, etc.

I've been trying really hard to establish a loose schedule around here (basically, a couple of classes, plus an afternoon for arts and crafts, plus a morning walk and/or playground time, followed by a little bit of seat work or reading...plus our library day). It's getting nowhere. I'd planned a morning walk every day, unless we were going out early. We've managed it maybe one day a week, and usually in the afternoon, not the morning. The whole point was to get our day started, and get us up and moving. I'm definitely the weak link, because I'm just too exhausted.

Anyway, I know we're not going to stay sick forever (we're not, right??), but it feels as though we are. Do any of you have suggestions for ways to feel like things are getting done when you're sick? (I can't even read out loud much right now, because of my throat.) It's not like I can really take sick leave.

[*Jessica*]

If you're exhausted, skip the walks. Decide on a time of day to start and begin with an audio book. Librivox has a bunch of good ones so you don't need to spend any money or even go out to the library. Then do a math lesson. Then watch a documentary for science/history. Skip the art. Heck, skip everything if you're all that miserable. Most of your kids are very young anyway.

When we're sick we usually just skip school. We school year round, taking breaks whenever we need them, though, so taking off for illness is easy. If I felt that I had to do school I would do what I suggested above. Audio books and documentaries, a math lesson, and some reading or writing for the kids only if they are feeling up to it.

I hate being sick. I hope you are all feeling better very quickly!

[Storm Bride]

My kids are all young, as far as homeschooling is concerned. DS1 has been in public school all along, and he graduates in June.

I have been skipping the walk most days, but the kids are nuts when they don't get enough exercise, so it's kind of 50/50 whether it helps or not, yk?

Oh, well - today is pretty much a write-off. I thought I must be almost over this thing and it's worse than ever this morning. My nephew just mentioned that he's had it, too. It seems to be the bug right now.

[CCJWGM]

I hear you!!! My family has been sick since Oct. 1st!!! We caught something terribly nasty and it just won't go away.

I've thrown in crafts here and there when I can but haven't beat myself up when they are skipped. We too do daily walks. They are for the most part being skipped. I read when I can and when my throat allows me to. If I can't we skip it.

If there is a healthy kidlet I stick them outside to play in the sun. I haven't done much cooking but no one has done much eating so that's ok. My house is a mess but that's ok. I'll clean it later.

My advice is rest, drink fluids, and wait it out. A rhythm/routine is for when you are healthy. Your body needs to rest now.

dum de dum de dum........waiting to be healthy as well.

[CherryBomb]

If we're really sick, we just skip school and make it up later. If it's mild, we do the basics (for us that's Latin, math, and English) on the couch.

[Storm Bride]

Well, we did a bit of reading.

DD1 has spent the day building some kind of stage in the playground, for a Halloween play. The schools were on a break today, so her neighbourhood friends were all home.

[kittie313]

Oh I can really relate to this one! In late August the sickies started going around here, it took 3 or 4 weeks to get that bug out (which I was spared that illness) only for me to be diagnosed this past Monday with stinking mono! I am not getting any breaks this year. For us, we just looked at it more as if we get to it great, but since we aren't planning on taking Christmas break or Spring Break or a full summer break anyway it isn't a real big deal if we "fall behind" for a while because of the icky sickies. My oldest girls have pretty much just been doing their own thing, reading to me and writing letters and playing educational computer games, and my oldest has been reading some of the simpler stories we own to her pre-hs sisters. We watch educational tv and discuss it if they feel like it (and if I can talk because I may be asleep or have lost my voice again). It works, we're flexible. lol What else is a hsing mom to do when she's sick, you know? I'm looking forward to when I can rely on my voice to not disappear on me midday so that we can start back to the daily read alouds that I so enjoy doing with them, and for the day that I'm strong enough to stand and help my girls with chores or a simpler recipe in the kitchen or go on a field trip. Being sick stinks, but its just part of what happens.

I say roll with it. Educational tv (if you allow that stuff), computer games, board games, have kids read to you, maybe suggest they write letters and/or draw pictures to mail to grandparents, and get a LOT of Lysol to disinfect the whole house in hopes that you can shorten that bug's life. lol That's how we survive fall every year....... The rainy part of spring too.

[karanyavel]

I have MS, I'm pregnant, and I just got over an 8-week long bout of pertussis. So I can definitely relate

Like someone else mentioned, we school year round and take time off as needed. Also we have school on weekends, so even though I feel like crap pretty often, we average 4-5 days a week. If mom's sick, then we don't have anything formal.. we have what we call an "unschooling day" (recognizing that DD is learning even though it's not directed). Depending on what she does, sometimes I log it.

--K