April 2, 2025 – Homeschooling through Illness

Hey, Mama!

Gena Suarez, Publisher of TOS

Know Your Home

Hey Mama,

You may be going through a really bad time right now. Deep heartache. Your afflictions can steal your joy if you allow them.

I know women who have suffered greatly. Mamas who just want to walk with the Lord, raise up their children in Him, and enjoy some semblance of happiness . . . but instead, are filled with grief. I know parents whose children have betrayed them bitterly. I know a woman whose husband left her. She prayed for his return, but then he died suddenly. Her heart remains broken, yet she refuses to turn her back on the Lord, knowing the One Who holds her heart.

When you feel like you just can’t give any more of yourself please know, Mama, you are not alone . . . and you are not called to do this alone. Take heart from your friends at The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine who know right where you are.

Why Am I So Tired?
Getting It All Done
Eavesdropping on a Stressed-Out Mom

And remember, Mama. . .

As you read His Word and pray today, remember: Your life is not your own;  you belong to Him. Embrace your trials joyfully as a sacrifice to the Lord. God sees your tender heart. His heart holds your own.

Our joy is in our salvation! Our great God died for us and rose again, taking our sins away entirely. Forgiven! We have life eternal!

Model Christ during even the most arduous of times. Your children are watching. The Lord will use your finished testimony for your good and His glory. His hand is on your head.

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice . . . and the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4, 7).

– gena

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Hal and Melanie Young

Tips for Homeschooling Through Illness

We’re fighting colds ourselves right now, but sometimes we’ve faced much more—high-risk pregnancy, neonatal ICU, cancer, and chronic illness. And we homeschooled eight kids through it all! So how do you manage? 

Keep the long term view. A case of flu or a stomach bug will usually clear up in a few days. Just take the time off and recover! Don’t worry about school. If it’s longer than that . . . 

Homeschooling doesn’t need to look like “school.” Our adult kids say one of their fondest childhood memories is Mom lying on the couch (on bedrest) with the little ones snuggled around for read-alouds, discussion, and math lessons on a side table. Embrace homeschooling’s flexibility and keep going as much as you’re able! 

Have mercy on your sick students. You might still be able to have a school day, but be sensitive to their fatigue, distraction, or brain fog. A shorter lesson, or breaking the day into brief morning and evening segments, might help. Cutting out busywork will help even more. 

Life lessons are important, too. Different crises in our lives encouraged the kids to take more responsibility. Teens learned to study independently. Kids of all ages learned to do more household tasks like cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Sometimes we have to be held back so our kids learn to step forward! 

If needed, extra innings are okay. Some of our kids have taken an extra year in high school to overcome serious illness. And guess what? Nobody cared. It didn’t affect college admissions. They didn’t have problems fitting in socially. It hasn’t changed their job prospects. So, if you or your student need extra time, it’s okay! 

Remember God is sovereign. Illness is disruptive and frustrating, but keep it in perspective—God will give you the grace to come through it. Don’t despair! 

For more, listen to our podcasts on homeschooling with chronic illness in parents and in kids. Our book Help Is On The Way explains how to get academic and health accommodations on the SAT, ACT, and college itself!

Your friends,
Hal & Melanie

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About the author

Hal and Melanie Young have been homeschooling almost as long as they’ve been married, and they’re still happy with both decisions! They wrote My Beloved and My Friend: How to Be Married to Your Best Friend Without Changing Spouses to encourage their young adults – find out more at raisingrealmen.com.

Easy-to-use home school curriculum for Jr. High and High School. Courses are available in print, digital, and audio compatible formats. Visit www.pacworks.com to see available courses.

Kristen Heider

When Mom Needs to Be Flexible 

There are days when even the most enjoyable tasks are difficult. A dull ache, a sharp pain, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, or sleeplessness take their turn as I suffer from headaches and migraines. Some days I can push through to be a mom and a wife. On other days it’s not so easy to homeschool or make meals. So, how do I homeschool through illness? I embrace the flexibility that homeschooling affords our family. 

I set forth our children’s homeschool work so they can get started on their own each day. Sometimes I can anticipate when a migraine will take hold, but other days I wake up and need to shift plans. Using a homeschool curriculum that allows us to be flexible and provides independent work enables our children to complete tasks even when I can’t lead homeschool lessons. 

We also embrace homeschooling year-round to help us fill in those gaps. We take our learning opportunities when they present themselves. That might mean our read-aloud gets pushed to evening snack time, or we complete our science experiment after dinner. Homeschooling is about what works for each family. 

I am fortunate that my migraines have lessened over the years. So, I am not homeschooling through constant illness but rather through one that comes and goes. For those homeschool moms and dads who have an illness that is with them every day, I ask you to remember the joy in embracing the flexibility of homeschooling. 

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About the author

Kristen is a housewife and mother to three, having worked at a national park site, a metropolitan zoo, and as a history teacher. Kristen blogs at A Mom’s Quest to Teach, where she relates her family’s learning experiences. Her site is a regular column, covering elements of teaching, crafting, and all the roller coaster rides that entail being a mom.

Todd Wilson

Familyman Ministries

God’s Got You!

Hey Mom,

I hate being sick. But my wife hates it more. She hates being knocked out and confined to bed. She has things she wants to do, school she has to teach, and lists she has to tackle. I’ll check on her when she is sick as she sleeps away the day.

“How you doing, pumpkin?” I ask knowing that’s how her dad addressed her when she was sick as a little girl.

“This is going on two days,” she says groggily. “I can’t be sick anymore . . .  I’m so behind . . . I have to get stuff done . . . (pause . . . and snoring resumes).

I try to remind her, that she needs to rest and stop worrying about school and all she needs to get done. The truth is your children learn so much when you are sick. They learn how to care for one another, to be okay with God’s plan, and that there are more important things than accomplishments.

What great training! 

I get emails from moms all the time who have a chronic sickness and feel like they don’t do school justice . . . and perhaps they should put their kids in school. “Are you kidding me?” I respond. “You’re giving them an incredible education so that one day when they face the same, or different, they’ll be well prepared.”

So if you’re sick right now, stop fighting it and God. He’s got you, your children, and your homeschool. What a great lesson to teach and to learn.

Be real,
Todd

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About the author

Todd Wilson is a dad, granddad, writer, conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd’s humor and down to earth realness have made him a favorite speaker at homeschool conventions, retreats, and churches across the country. As founder of Familyman Ministries and the Smiling Homeschooler, his passion and mission are to remind dads and moms of what’s most important through weekly e-mails, podcasts (The Familyman Show & The Smiling Homeschooler), seminars, and books and products that encourage parents. Todd, and his wife Debbie, still homeschool two of their eight children (six have graduated with four married) in northern Indiana. You can read more at www.familymanweb.com.

When homeschooling through illness, some days require a slower pace—but that doesn’t mean learning has to stop. If your young student needs a restful yet engaging activity, the Elementary Art course on SchoolhouseTeachers.com is a perfect fit. With inspiring projects, they’ll explore the works of Michelangelo, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, and more, all while expressing their own creativity. Even from the couch, they can bring their imagination to life, finishing with a self-portrait that captures their unique perspective. No rush, no pressure—just the joy of art at their own pace.