Substitute in Homeschooling?

When the teacher is sick? Who teaches? Regular schools have a list of substitutes or administrators if need be who can step in and try to take over a class. When you homeschool, that option is not always available. So what do you do when you, the parent and the teacher, are the same and are sick?

Well, depending on the age of your group and your home make-up, there are several options for you to consider. 

1. Family Support: Depending on the make-up of your home, you may have a spouse who can take over making sure lessons are done and even conduct lessons if possible. In addition, maybe one of your older children can take on that teacher role and can help guide the younger ones with what needs to be done. This montessori approach might be a great alternative to your home classroom. Of course, as the 'head' teacher, you would still need to be available to a certain extent.
2. For those families using a self-paced curriculum or an independent learning approach, the option of taking a break to rest and recover from sickness may be a little easier as once again the children can continue their lessons without you with limited direction.
3. If you don't have any help at home and need to find ways to keep your kids busy without you, try doing online games or lessons, computer learning software, copywork, assign writing projects, reading assignments, art projects that require minimum supervision, or show them a documentary, science video, or have them watch their favorite nature or learning channel.
4. Finally, if you're out of luck with no substitution in sight, let them have a free day. After all, one of the benefits of homeschooling your children is that you have option of making up the days whenever you want.

It's true, your kids may not be getting the attention they would normally be used to, but neither are you and if you don't make time to recover and rest, your sickness may stick around longer than anyone wants.

Remember, even regular schools need to find substitutes for any given school day and let's face it, these substitutes are not your regular teachers and thus lessons tend to be a little lax. Substitutes generally fill the 'spot' of a teacher and their main objective is to facilitate the lesson plan in the classroom as best they can and usually don't teach using the same caliber as that of a regular teacher. So, don't feel bad for being sick and taking a break. It happens to everyone.

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