Homeschooling Through Sickness

St. Blaise, pray for us that we may not suffer from illnesses of the throat and
pray that all who are suffering be healed by God's love.  Amen.
Source: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=28 

I woke up feeling awful.  I've had a tickle in my throat for several days that I was attributing to allergies, but the way I feel today I'm pretty sure it's a cold.  The kids are also complaining of sore throats, though their energy levels don't seem to be affected like mine is.  (Of course, isn't that the way it always works?!)  Though this is my first experience homeschooling through feeling yucky, I thought I'd share some things that I am trying to do to make sure I can make it through the day and give my littles the attention they need!

Exercise 
I don't know about you, but I always feel better after I exercise, especially when I am sick!  I definitely did NOT feel up to it, but I woke up this morning and went running before Philip went to work.  Being outside first thing in the morning and getting my endorphins flowing definitely got me into a much better frame of mind than if I had slept later and woke up groggy and in a bad mood!

Take Extra Care of Yourself
It's easy to skip meals and snacks when my mind is preoccupied with feeding the kids, doing last minute prep work for lessons, and making sure the house doesn't explode with toys and books while the toddler runs around wreaking havoc.  I am trying to be extra conscientious today about eating well and drinking plenty of fluids.

Take Lots of Breaks
My mind just doesn't work the same when I am sick.  Both my mind and my body need breaks to get back to optimum running level so the kids are getting plenty of extra playtime in between lessons today!

Be Honest with the Kids
With the exception of the baby, my kids are old enough to understand that mommy is feeling bad, they need to give me a little break.  I tell them I am not feeling great and ask them to do their best to stay out of trouble.  Does it always work?  No, but all in all, I think they definitely work a little harder at being good when they see how miserable I am!

Give Yourself (and your Students!) a Break
My kids love school.  They love learning and reading and journaling, and everything else associated with school.  At the same time, it is really hard to concentrate and learn while you don't feel good.  The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak!  While I don't want to get behind in lessons, it's not a big deal if we do.  We can catch up on a weekend or on any of the several break weeks that I have planned in to our year.  Homeschooling is so awesome!  When kids go to school and are sick for a day, they just miss out on whatever is learned!  At home, we can make it up whenever we have a free moment!  While we've managed to take care of almost everything today, my goal was the three R's (reading, writing, a'rithmetic) - everything else is bonus in a house full of sickos!

Mandatory Quiet Time
The older two haven't napped in years, but as soon as the baby went down, they were sent to their room for mandatory quiet time.  I need rest, and it wouldn't hurt them either!  I don't care if they actually sleep or not, as long as they stay in their room!

Speaking of which...it's time for me to try to squeeze in a nap!  Any other tips on how to make it through a homeschool day when you and/or your kids are sick?  Thanks for reading!