Sick Days

When we were kids, sick days were kind of like a little vacation.  If we were too sick to go to school, we could cozy up on the couch with a blanket and drift in and out of sleep while watching TV or reading a book.  It was an escape.

Well, for the past week we have all been sick enough to stay away from public places.  But since we are all home, all of the time, sick days are more like a prison sentence than a get away.

Sick days mean, no gym, no coffee with a friend, no outside classes at Urban Homeschool. Even though we've only been using Urban Homeschool for a few months,  I am suddenly, keenly aware of how valuable that out-of-the-house time has been to us -  OK - to ME.

Add to the stir-craziness, the grumpiness of alternately stuffed or drippy heads and wracking coughs and the end result is not pretty.  Lessons have been painfully tedious, with Liam spacing out and my patience shortened by lack-of-sleep. 

I've been envisioning us as a ship stuck in the doldrums, while the dehyadrated crew-mates chuck empty coconut shells at each other for amusement.

This morning we had a slight reprieve.  We took our time getting into the day.  Liam was feeling playful and borrowed one of my hats to do a comedy routine based on Agent-P from Phineas and Ferb.  I kept lesson times short and determined to take it easy.  The goal is to return Urban Homeschoolers tomorrow and take part in Geometry class and pick up Liam's new lenses at Rubio Optical.  But, if I miss that goal, the next one is to be well enough to enjoy the invitation to watch the Super Bowl at our friends' house on Sunday.

I'm trying to recall the flow-chart like mentality I had when Liam was an infant.

Did he have a nap?

Yes - use the time to workout with a DVD.
No - use the time to take a walk with the stroller (maybe he'll fall asleep) - did he fall asleep?
Yes - Walk to coffee shop, take out book and read.
No - Walk to coffee shop, buy coffee, keep walking - did he fall asleep?
Etc.

As in days of old, it's OK to have a goal (getting him to sleep), while letting go of the plan (he has to get to sleep at x time so I can do xyz, or else!).  The goal is to keep the learning going.  Maybe it happens in stages, or only as partial lessons, but it flows more easily if I let go of expectations.

I think I feel a soft wind starting to stir across our bow.  Time to put down that coconut and enjoy the breeze before we set off, full-sail again.