Just wondered if any of you all take care of one or both of your parents and homeschool? I take care of my mom. Right now it's not physcially taking care of her but more of looking after her and doing the laundry and cooking plus hsing my girl. We all live in the same house and I also have chronic fatigue syndrome which complicates things because I am too tired to do alot of other stuff that needs to get done around the house. I feel like my girls school is suffering because of it. I know she is still learning and getting work done don't get me wrong but I don't get to supervise as much as I used to. Just wondering how others might handle the situation. Before my mom started needing looking after she used to do the laundry and the cooking and I focused on school with my girl and also done what little bit I could do after that was done
See if your mother would want to help you with dd homework and assignments. Soemtimes you just need a break. Have your mom help you with sorting etc... does she have a disease? or aged? She may feel more important if you included her in everyday activities with your daughter.
My mom is 70 and has severe arthritis and a pinched nerve in her back and as well as blood pressure problems. She just hasn't felt well and isn't able to move very well. We are in the process of getting treatment for her back. She goes to the doctor tomorrow to see what they can do as far as meds. She isn't in any shape for surgery. It just gets hard because I am already tired and then I seem to have alot more that needs to be done than I can do.
Kris' mil lived with them for a while. She just passed away this year. A friend of mine took care of her g'ma while homeschooling.
I know how you feel. My dh was just diagnosed with cancer. On top of everything else that I was already doing, now we're doing dr. appointments on top of me taking care of him. It is quite exhausting. I'm slowly trying to get my kids to be able to do their work more independently. Right now, if I'm not sitting right there with them, then they go into play mode instead. I hope things get easier for you!
Autumnleavz- I'm sorry to hear about your husbands diagnosis. It really is hard to keep up with everything. We just have to keep going and doing what we can do an not worry about the things that we can't. I never have thought much of the Serenity Prayer until just in the past few weeks, I realize that is exactly what we have to do is know what we can change and know what we can't change and the what we can't change then don't worry about it.
Boolee, There was a thread a while ago where I mentioned in a post that my oldest daughter took off school for a month to be able to care for my recuperating mother. What I didn't mention is that she lived with us for several months prior to that and after her surgery. I was hsing two and had a toddler at the time. I think what is most important is that you set your priorities and not worry too much about the rest. What is highest priority for YOUR family? I had a very dear, dear friend who had to give up homeschooling because her husband could not STAND the mess in the house, late dinners, etc. To him, it was a higher priority to have a neat, clean house and a wife who was available at all times with no encumbrances. To me, if my house is messy or cluttered....so be it. Let someone else walk a mile in my shoes and see how they do! I hate all of the "jibes" and "suggestions", but it is human nature, and I try my hardest to be humble when people are doing that and to just realize that they aren't in my place. And my place is not filthy or dirty, but it does get out of control from time to time! What was important to me was FAMILY. I wanted my children to learn that above all, FAMILY is what means most. My family was always very separated and drawn apart, and I wanted my children to understand that that was not the way God intended. So when my mother got sick, we did what school we could but she came first. We made up the school after she passed. After all, noone says you have to take summer off. You CAN take winter off and school all summer! And I did manage to "sneak in" a lot of school, like having the kids read to gramma, or having them review their times tables to her. lol. If it is to be an extended illness, such as in your case, boolee, I would maybe consider some in-home health care for your mother. Would her income allow it or would medicare provide it? If you could get even a few hours a week, that would give you some quality school time with the children. There are also people around who do non-medical health care, like the things you mention - dishes, grocery shopping, cooking, etc. They come in once a week or so and help with all of that. It may be well worth the money, or again, maybe medicare would help with the expense. I hope you can work something out. But sitting down as a family and deciding what is most important for the next, say, 6 months is very valuable. Then you won't feel guilty every time something doesn't get done that isn't on the priorities. Don't forget to allow some "leeway" for emergencies, like a sick child, etc. Hope this helps just a little. It's just what I learned by going through it, and it may/may not be helpful to you! God Bless and good luck with your venture. It is wonderful that you are doing this and I know from experience that there are very few people who tell you that! You are doing what is important by taking care of your mom! God Bless you for being there for her!
Thank you so much Countrygal, I really needed that. I guess I just wanted to know that I wasn't the only one in this type of situation. I know there are others out there but like you said no one is willing to tell their situation. I know number one my mom and my girl come first regardless, I know school can wait if that happens to be the case. I guess as a hs mom I always am wondering if she is learning what she is supposed to learn. I know she is learning more than school can teach so I also need to keep that in mind. We go to the doctor today so we will know more about what can be done for her.
I always wondered if my children were getting enough "education" as well...lol. Especially as they neared high school! But all of them turned out fine in the education department. Oh, there were a few gaps - like a second language (no matter how hard we tried, we just couldn't seem to learn well enough off those tapes.... ). But they made it all up in college without being very put out about it. (In fact, my oldest ended up minoring in Spanish.... :lol: ). And in the pre-high school years, well, anything can be made up that was missed. It's not an exact science just becaue the public schools rule the roost! There are HUGE gaps in the ps education!! Like any kind of personal and character development - compassion - caring - helping - a work ethic, etc, etc. Things that can't be taught from a textbook but that we have the opportunity to teach our children "as we sit in our house and walk by the way and when we lie down and rise up". Hang in there, and any time you need to talk, I'm always available.... :love:
We went back to the orthopedic today and he put her on a muscle relaxer and increased her pain meds. He also wrote a prescription for a new cane that fits her( she had one of my step-dads canes) and also a prescription for a wheelchair ( for when we go out for long periods of time.) So we should have both by the end of next week. I feel a little better knowing she's never been on a muscle relaxer so I am hoping that this gives her relief of pain for awhile. We actually got a great day of school in for the first time in about 3 days so I am proud of that. My mom said if she can get pain under controll for awhile she will do some of the dishes if I will put them away which is no problem for me to do. I have to get caught up on the laundry tonight so I can focus on other things this weekend. Thank you so much for your support I needed to hear someone else that has been in the same place.
Thanks, that makes me feel better!!! I've tried Power Glide French, Rosetta Stone, and a French book I got from a used book sale at the library for about $2. It just AIN'T HAPPENIN'!!!
ROFL!!!! Believe me, I know the feeling! When I think of all the money I WASTED on expensive second language curriculums!!! AAARRRGGGHHH!!! The only thing that helped was once, for a few months, I was able to have a school teacher teach my daughter after hours. It didn't last long, but it got her a start. Maybe try a second year French student/?? Or do you have a college near? Maybe one of the French students would tutor? Even if they just got a little start, it would help, I'll bet! Students would be a lot cheaper than teachers...lol.
My MIL is going to be moving in with us. (detached garage) She stayed with us for 3 weeks and will come back when the garage is finished. She is still fairly spry...so she helped with dishes and even cooked once or twice. She helped a bunch with NM history. And she is a good ear for reading...the boys can read to her while I am doing something with someone else. Math,,,not so much. And they watched game shows with her. I know it wasn't really school, but like Countrygal said...we felt like we were concentrating on other sorts of lessons. I also had them explain thier lessons to her. (narratives) good luck, and know you are doing the right thing. Remember, one of the lessons the children are learning is how important it is to take care of your parents!
My mom lived with us for a year after a heart attack and it was do-able. She needed driven to taken to dr appointments and dialysis, her meds portioned and given to her and since she was diabetic her blood sugars monitored. Cole enjoyed having grandma around to "help" with his school and he loved reading to her. We had to move her to a nursing home since we were not able to leave her home alone and could not afford to have a nurse come over when we needed to leave--she would forget to eat and take meds. Cole learned that despite how much we did for her she was still loved and we wanted her in our lives. He also learned that as we get older we can have health problems and need more love and understanding. One day in the car he said "You know mom when you get old I will take care of you. I will even make sure you go to the GOOD nursing home!":lol: We wished we could have had her stay longer with us but living in a small town and with her health declining we had to make a difficult choice, but that year Cole was able to spend a lot of time with his Grandma and that means more than anything in the world to her!
The love Cole saw portrayed toward her will make far greater an impact than any academics. He learned how to love and care for those you love.
