Advice for school after surgery

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  • October 1, 2015 at 4:06 pm
    homeschooltraveler
    Participant

    So, last week, we returned from our 3 week visit with family, me looking forward to getting back into a routine for school and… I fell down our stairs. I broke my ankle in three places, and had surgery over the weekend. It will most likely be 6-8 weeks before I am back on my feet and able to get around without crutches or a boot, and I am just hoping for some advice.

    I feel utterly lost trying to figure out how to make our schedule work right now. My husband is able to work from home, so that is an obviously HUGE help, but I’m still the one that knows the schedule better, and I’m just trying to figure out how to make it work from the couch.

    I think I’m more overwhelmed with getting them to listen when I can’t come to them, rounding them up, keeping the ball rolling etc. I didn’t realize how much easier it is to command attention when I’m mobile. I know that when it comes down to it, CM style teaching will actually probably be easier to do with the group teaching and the large amounts of read alouds, but right now, the whole thing is a bit overwhelming. Anyway, I appreciate any advice. Thanks! Stacy

    October 1, 2015 at 4:13 pm
    homeschooltraveler
    Participant

    So far this week we have had a few days where we have covered reading and math, one day we did history, one day we watched a math documentary, and one day they worked on writing letters. Also, I’m letting the girls have fun in the kitchen making a treat. I thought I would try to get more organized and prepared for next week and just call this week an “at least we didn’t do nothing” week 😉

    October 1, 2015 at 6:25 pm
    Tristan
    Participant

    Ow!  I hope you aren’t hurting too much while you heal.

    I think setting some basic goals would help get you through school work (ex. after every meal or snack the kids come to you for one thing.  Read aloud after breakfast, math after snack, etc).  Also, choose what you want your husband to do, what will make you feel the most relaxed about letting everything else go.  For example, if I can’t be up and about the one area that bothers me the most is having dirty dishes in the kitchen.  If he will do that one thing (keep up on washing or loading them) it helps me so much to relax.

    For getting the kids to listen/come when you can’t go after them:  Require that they stay in the same room as you.  Give them freedom to go to another room when they are listening but the first time they don’t come when called or do what you ask they lose that privilege and are stuck in the same room as you again for at least 30 minutes.

    October 2, 2015 at 10:47 am
    homeschooltraveler
    Participant

    Thanks for those ideas Tristan! I really appreciate the practical advice, and it gives me a better idea of where I can start from with them.

    The pain meds are helping keep things manageable, thank the Lord. It was definitely not how we wanted to start our first day back home, but really neat to see how He has taken care of things for us.

    Thanks again for the help. It’s nice to be able to get on this forum and talk through some of these things with others who are more experienced 🙂

    October 2, 2015 at 6:22 pm
    wbbeachbum
    Participant

    I had some warning before my surgery so I could prepare ahead of time. Since my treatment will go on for several months, we had to have a solid plan for  to continue during days I feel crummy.

    Spiral notebooks are helping around here. Each evening, I write down a To-Do list for each child with a box for them to check as the item is complete. I have items separated into group activities and individual studies. Group activities happen right after breakfast because that is usually when I feel the best. After group activities, the kids work through their list.

    I did invest in a  type system to keep all books separated and organized. I never thought that this was necessary prior to this year, but it has helped so much having the kids in the habit of putting “a” book in the drawer that book “a” belongs.

     

    We have a solid routine down, and are so much more productive during this illness than I ever expected to be! I can leave for a several hour long appointment, and schoolwork gets done.

    Best of luck!

     

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