Ask the Expert: How to Help Your Child Keep Up With School When Home Sick

When your child stays home from school due to illness, they will miss learning, but they don't need to fall behind other students. Ann Dolin, M.Ed., founder and president of Educational Connections Inc., shares how to help your child stay on track at school, keep her from feeling behind, and what to do if the teacher doesn't send work home.

What should I do to ensure my child stays on track at school when she is home sick?

When you realize your child is going to be home sick for the day, the first thing in the morning, email the teacher. This gives him or her plenty of time to prepare your child’s homework for the day and to send it home with the appropriate child, or for you to pick up in the school’s main office at the end of the day.

Also, it’s important to identify two students that you can get homework from when your child is out sick. If there is a neighborhood child that you see on a regular basis or you can easily drive to a child’s house to retrieve the homework, those are good options, especially if you’re not able to make it to the school at the end of the day to pick up the work.
 

In addition to that, is there anything else I should do if my child is home due to a long-term illness, such as getting a tonsillectomy or having pneumonia?

Most school districts have a home-bound program. That means when a child is out for an extended period of time due to illness, [the school is] required to provide tutoring. I would check with the school district’s student services office if your child is going to be out sick for a long period of time to inquire about their home-bound services.

If that’s not an option, sit down with the teacher at the beginning [of the illness] and figure out what your child has to do to stay on track. Have the teacher give you as much work as she possibly can so you can work with your child along the way to ensure he is not missing out on important assignments and instruction.
 

What can I do to help my child if I don't understand what he is learning?

It’s always really important to touch base with the teacher, and if you’re not sure of the method that's being taught in class, email him and ask. For older kids, I think its always a good idea to FaceTime, Skype, or even call another student to ask. It’s better to practice it the right way than the wrong way.