If you have noticed that I have not been regularly posting on this blog in the past while, it is due to the fact that I have suffered a serious ankle injury and have pretty much been in survival mode.
I walked on my injured ankle for a week before the pain and swelling finally got so bad that I had to get it checked. I was first told I had a fractured tibia, but now they believe I have a serious case of tendonitis. Either way it is extremely painful, and I can expect recovery to take a while.
So I have to wear a walking boot on my right foot and see a physical therapist three times a week.
I am supposed to be really taking it easy...at least as much as a homeschool mom with a toddler in tow can take it easy...which isn't exactly easy!
So what exactly does homeschooling look like for us right now?
Help!
I am the last person on earth to ask for help, but at this point I have little choice. My mom (a veteran homeschool mom and former Christian school principal who I am am so thankful to have close by) has been so helpful driving me to appointments (my right ankle is the one that is injured, so I am unable to drive myself), watching the boys for me in the waiting room, helping Big Brother work on his assignments while I am seeing the doctor or therapist, and doing dishes or straightening up for me when she comes over. Others have been so good to bring over meals which has also been a huge blessing. My husband has made sure I get plenty of rest while he has taken up a lot of my slack with housework and grocery shopping. He is here as much as possible with a strong arm for me to hold to when I need to move about. Having Big Brother take up responsibility for doing the laundry and just being my general helper during the day is also a real blessing right now! Allowing others to help me has not been the easiest thing for me to do, but I am thankful and definitely feel loved!!
Prioritize
This is where having our homeschool goals and priorities already straight really comes in handy! I know what subjects/activities we need to be really focussing on right now. We aren't doing anything super creative or extra exciting right now, but even if it is simply Big Brother learning to make his own lunch while my leg is on ice, useful learning is definitely still happening!
Reading Aloud
Thankfully an injured ankle does not prevent me from being able to sit on the couch and read aloud with the boys! Since my injury we have had fun reading The Whipping Boy, a hilarious classic about a selfish prince who learns important lessons about friendship. We have also enjoy reading about Laura Ingalls Wilder and listening to her books Farmer Boy and By the Shores of Silver Lake on CD. This week we read together about the interesting life of the famous baseball star turned Christian evangelist, Billy Sunday. At bedtime a couple nights this week, Big Brother wanted me to read him some stories he found that told all about World War I and World War II. That wasn't necessarily on a lesson plan anywhere, but he was curious about those time periods and learned quite a bit. I have also still been able to read daily Scripture from the book of Luke aloud to the boys. Reading aloud to children is a great learning and bonding activity any time, but it is especially nice to be able to continue doing it in light of my injury!
Independent Work
It has also been helpful that Big Brother was already used to doing certain assignments independently! This is especially nice now that he has to spend hours each week in a doctor's office waiting rooms. I pack all his independent assignments for the day along with any supplies he needs to complete them (pencil, ruler, etc.) in his tote bag usually the night before my morning appointment. That bag goes with him to the doctor's office, and he gets right to work as soon as we get there. Normally he has those assignments completed by the time I am finished with my appointment. I check his work when we get home, and later in the day we do any reading aloud or other work that we need to do together.
Little Brother
At very soon to be 2 years old, Little Brother is not quite understanding why Mommy can't carry him around or chase him or why I have to rest so much. But as much as possible I try to make time for gently snuggling with him and either reading, singing songs, or (his favorite) reciting Scriptures. His speech abilities and vocabulary seem to have just exploded this past few weeks, and it is such a joy for me to take this time to slow down and really watch that part of him develop right now!
Big Brother has several extra activities coming up soon like some volunteer work, a painting class, standardized testing (not required in our state, but something we do just for practice), and some 4-H club meetings that, while someone else will have to drive, I hope to be as involved in as possible.
Taking it easy is harder than you think! But as my husband keeps lovingly reminding me, it will be better for us in the long run if I rest, keep my appointments, and focus on helping my injury heal. I would really appreciate everyone's prayers for me and my family right now!
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks!
I walked on my injured ankle for a week before the pain and swelling finally got so bad that I had to get it checked. I was first told I had a fractured tibia, but now they believe I have a serious case of tendonitis. Either way it is extremely painful, and I can expect recovery to take a while.
So I have to wear a walking boot on my right foot and see a physical therapist three times a week.
I am supposed to be really taking it easy...at least as much as a homeschool mom with a toddler in tow can take it easy...which isn't exactly easy!
So what exactly does homeschooling look like for us right now?
Help!
I am the last person on earth to ask for help, but at this point I have little choice. My mom (a veteran homeschool mom and former Christian school principal who I am am so thankful to have close by) has been so helpful driving me to appointments (my right ankle is the one that is injured, so I am unable to drive myself), watching the boys for me in the waiting room, helping Big Brother work on his assignments while I am seeing the doctor or therapist, and doing dishes or straightening up for me when she comes over. Others have been so good to bring over meals which has also been a huge blessing. My husband has made sure I get plenty of rest while he has taken up a lot of my slack with housework and grocery shopping. He is here as much as possible with a strong arm for me to hold to when I need to move about. Having Big Brother take up responsibility for doing the laundry and just being my general helper during the day is also a real blessing right now! Allowing others to help me has not been the easiest thing for me to do, but I am thankful and definitely feel loved!!
Prioritize
This is where having our homeschool goals and priorities already straight really comes in handy! I know what subjects/activities we need to be really focussing on right now. We aren't doing anything super creative or extra exciting right now, but even if it is simply Big Brother learning to make his own lunch while my leg is on ice, useful learning is definitely still happening!
Reading Aloud
Thankfully an injured ankle does not prevent me from being able to sit on the couch and read aloud with the boys! Since my injury we have had fun reading The Whipping Boy, a hilarious classic about a selfish prince who learns important lessons about friendship. We have also enjoy reading about Laura Ingalls Wilder and listening to her books Farmer Boy and By the Shores of Silver Lake on CD. This week we read together about the interesting life of the famous baseball star turned Christian evangelist, Billy Sunday. At bedtime a couple nights this week, Big Brother wanted me to read him some stories he found that told all about World War I and World War II. That wasn't necessarily on a lesson plan anywhere, but he was curious about those time periods and learned quite a bit. I have also still been able to read daily Scripture from the book of Luke aloud to the boys. Reading aloud to children is a great learning and bonding activity any time, but it is especially nice to be able to continue doing it in light of my injury!
Independent Work
It has also been helpful that Big Brother was already used to doing certain assignments independently! This is especially nice now that he has to spend hours each week in a doctor's office waiting rooms. I pack all his independent assignments for the day along with any supplies he needs to complete them (pencil, ruler, etc.) in his tote bag usually the night before my morning appointment. That bag goes with him to the doctor's office, and he gets right to work as soon as we get there. Normally he has those assignments completed by the time I am finished with my appointment. I check his work when we get home, and later in the day we do any reading aloud or other work that we need to do together.
Little Brother
At very soon to be 2 years old, Little Brother is not quite understanding why Mommy can't carry him around or chase him or why I have to rest so much. But as much as possible I try to make time for gently snuggling with him and either reading, singing songs, or (his favorite) reciting Scriptures. His speech abilities and vocabulary seem to have just exploded this past few weeks, and it is such a joy for me to take this time to slow down and really watch that part of him develop right now!
Big Brother has several extra activities coming up soon like some volunteer work, a painting class, standardized testing (not required in our state, but something we do just for practice), and some 4-H club meetings that, while someone else will have to drive, I hope to be as involved in as possible.
Taking it easy is harder than you think! But as my husband keeps lovingly reminding me, it will be better for us in the long run if I rest, keep my appointments, and focus on helping my injury heal. I would really appreciate everyone's prayers for me and my family right now!
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks!
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