Anybody homeschool?

funsizejen

Anybody homeschool?

funsizejen

Just wondering if I'm the only one who's ever homeschooled while going through BC?

Homeschooling is a demanding (yet so rewarding!) lifestyle, but it's been so challenging to do all my kids need me to while going through the BC junk. 

Melinda41

Hi! I am homeschooling through BC. My children are in 5th and 7th grade, we have been on the cancer train for 6 months and it is very challenging to make sure I am doing my job teaching them when I feel like crap from chemo.

Actually, the kids tell me I am harder on them than before. Apparently, when I am vertical, I try to cram as much education in as possible, they tell me their schedule just doesn't work like that!

They both had to do their state testing this year, so that was some added stress. I didn't want their scores to reflect that cancer had impacted their education. I try not to stress out about, I hope that I can make up the time we have lost when treatment stops.

There is also the underlying fear that if I don't survive their childhood, they will be put in public school and that will be such a difficult transition for them as they have always been HS. Their father and I are divorced and he would not be able to HS them should I kick the bucket.

How are you doing with this juggling act?

funsizejen

Hi Melinda!  I'm so glad to hear from you!  I thought I was the only one in this situation.

I have two fourth graders and a seventh grader, so we are at about the same stage.  I, too, have always homeschooled.  My husband tries to help, but he travels for work, so the  majority of the daily parenting/schooling is me.  I don't know how you do this after divorce....I give you so much credit!!

Pretty much this entire school year has been cancer for us, even though my official diagnosis didn't come until January.  I'm not having chemo.  My challenges have been the recovery from the mastectomy and the reconstruction.  Oh, and the Tamoxifen , which has turned me into a hormonal crazy lady!

Maybe we could turn BC into a unit study....it would cover science, socialization (doctor visits), math (graphing test results), home ec (helping with cooking and cleaning), etc.!  LOL

Are you going to need to school through the summer?  I think we will.

Take care and thanks for responding!

ananda8

My two nieces home schooled their children for a number of years before putting them in public school.  The biggest adjustment for them was taking grades seriously and taking timed tests.  The children were never given timed tests by their parents.  They adjusted well after academically about six months.  They had no trouble adjusting socially.  I wish success in all things to those who home school.

Melinda41

We usually do a unit study type thing in the summer, something a little more fun. I don't like to take the summer off, it is just too hard to get back in the swing of things when fall comes.

I have added more external support, I found a website called Time4Learning and it has nice online studies. It gives the kids extra instruction when I just can't get a lesson plan together. They do pretty well being self starters and staying on task without me over their shoulder. I am glad that this happened when they were a little older.

Being a single, homeschooling, cancery parent does pose many challenges, but I guess it all builds character! (Personally, I am getting "charactered" out!)

flash

I don't homeschool and I'm over the main BC hurdle but I have some info that may or may not be helpful.

My dd did  acting and many of those kids homeschool.  I don't remember the name of the company in Florida but it was for parents of homeschoolers and gave them pre-done lesson plans that were suitable for most states.  I wish I remembered the name of it but I will try to look it up on the P.A.R.F. board and see if any of the parents can give me the info. Many of our friends used it as a substitute for the months that kids were in CA away from their regular schools inother states.

good luck.

robinlbe

Hi guys!!  I DO homeschool....this is our 14th year.  I was diagnosed in November....had three surgeries, with the final surgery being 1/6/10 and it was my BMX.  Because mine was caught early, before it was invasive, I didn't have chemo.  The cancer was only in my left breast, but I chose the BMX to keep from having to take tamoxifen and to keep from doing this all over again.  My kids, though, are a "little" older than yours.

My oldest is a freshman in college - he had just started his first year when I was diagnosed.  My next child -daughter - is a junior in high school, and my youngest is a 7th grader (age 12). 

The two that are home each take two classes at school. My daughter also takes an online college class.  The rest we do here at home.  I don't think I got nearly as much rest as I could have/should have because I was homeschooling them. 

The one change we made because of my diagnosis/BMX was we switched my daughter's Algebra II from Abeka to Teaching Textbooks. 

I didn't start driving until 3 weeks after my BMX, and just the driving of my kids back/forth to their classes (Latin, orchestra,. science, orchestra) absolutely wore me out.

I also teach part-time (two days a week) and I was having to prepare lesson plans for my subs - so my rest and recup. wasn't quite what it should have been....

My kids have become much more compassionate to those around them and to others because of my BC, and they are still very considerate of me when I am in discomfort.

blessings....robin

homeschoolrusmom

Hi ladies...I have been homeschooling through BC.  I was diagnosed Sept 09 and have been going through chemo, just had surgery, and have radiation to look forward to.  I have actually been surprised how much we have gotten done this year - I had low expectations...I have a preschooler and a 4th grader.  We will homeschool through the summer and probably take the month of August off to get a little break before we start back in after Labor Day.  We have also homeschooled from the beginning and I am looking forward to continuing in the future! 

Blessings to you all!

robinlbe

Angie, you have nice ages to homeschool   Enjoy every minute!!  I miss those ages....

blessings...robin

jarpsyd

Hi all!

I am new to this - just diagnosed with Stage 1 IDC - at least right breast mastectomy in my near future and then....

I am committed to homeschooling - we already homeschool in an eclectic/project-based/child-led manner - and think we can keep going with independent work, computer stuff, and just not worrying about it too much - but would love to hear others experiences with it all!

BTW - two girls - ages 8 and 10 (11 in 3 weeks) (3rd g and 5th g).

Thanks!

LauraW68

I know this is an older thread but wanted to post. We also homeschool. This is our 15th year. We have 6 of our 8 children still at home and all 6 of those are homeschooled. Grades 2nd to 10th.

BethH68

Hi, Laura, I found this post because I was looking for some ideas on how to continue homeschooling while being a "cancer patient". Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Moderators

Welcome to BCO BethH68, you've found a group who have been there and will advise and support you with responses. This is an oldish thread, but you could try PMs to some of the posters, if you don't get responses.

All the best

The Mods

jarpsyd

Hi all! I am homeschooling - had masectomy/lymph node removal (with some complications) continuing with monthly zoladez injections and aromasin now....we took it easy when we had to, used online resources (khan academy, timeforlearning, scratch etc) more at times....but I could still supervise most work even on the tired/not good days mostly - if not, I declared it movie day and watched cosmos, or liberty kids, or how the states got their shapes, or.... I was worried about it at the time but now realize a few months of lighter work means nothing! togetherness means everything.
** I also enlisted friends' to being my girls with them when possible - I couldn't drive for a loooooooooong time and it was nice for them to be out with the friends without me and for normal activities to happen as much as possible. I also used my girls' wishes as a baromoeter - sometimes they needed to be close, sometimes not. HTH!