When you’re sick (or Dad or Grandma or whoever the main teacher is) what do you do? Do you call off school for the day? Do you have a back up plan? Will Grandma be a substitute teacher?
Does all chaos break out?
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This is a good one! I think it depends on the age of the children. If the children are older there are some subjects they can with 0 or minimal help. These are the reasons why as much as I am drawn to a fully literature rich/ note booking style homeschool, things like Math (CLE) and Handwriting (ABEKA for now) will never be put away. My older girls are able to still do these with no instruction which frees me. I have some friends who would ask dad or grandma. As of right now though in my situation that is not an option so another little gem is that I was blessed with a roku box and discovered a channel called iamflix, which has some science documentaries, history documentaries etc… and I let the children watch those when I am not well, that way I am with them keeping an eye on them and YET they are all learning from the oldest to the youngest (I say the youngest very mildly 
). Now I have learned about note booking I will probably have them notebook about what they learned in the documentaries. This way we still did school but it was very hands off on my part.
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My son can do most of his work without me so he just has a shortened day. It doesn’t happen often that either of us are too sick. He only misses when he has a fever and I only miss when I have a migraine too bad to stay out of bed! Thankfully neither of those things happen often!
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My days have been filled with a few sick days lately as my pregnancy progresses. I usually use ABC mouse to instruct my son on those days. I also put on an educational program like Leap frog or Magic School bus. He is usually good about understanding that I am tired because of the baby. He is so excited for another sibling and I allow him a movie on these days.
It depends on how sick I am! I usually just power through. I don’t have a back-up available so if I’m very sick then its a day off for everyone! We’re never really behind on work so a day here and there doesn’t really put a dent in our progress. In this type of situation my older kids will help me keep an eye on the younger ones and the day is filled with Netflix cartoons.
I can totally understand. I am pregnant as well. Some days are just no good. My daughter is in second grade and my son is 8 months. Number 3 was a complete surprise! I normally try to do math with my daughter and then have her read and watch educational shows. She of course doesn’t mind. I am planning on homeschooling through the summer because the baby is due in september. I am going to have our break then so i don’t really stress about getting behind. We can only do what we can do. Sometimes snuggling on the couch watching a movie together (with a trash can close by is good enough.
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It depends on how incapacitated I am and how old the child is. For example, I had a baby 3 weeks ago, and it has been super stressful since he was born (feeding issues with him and the rest of the family has been sick since he’s been born). I have not been able to do anything school-wise. Consequently my 2nd grader has had a nice break from school LOL. But my 12th grader has been doing school every day (that he wasn’t sick himself).
Substitutes never happen ever.
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Hope everything is sorted with baby and the family soon I know what it’s like to have feeding issues and an unwell family.
I just had the stomach flu yesterday, which was the first day I’ve been sick since starting homeschooling last year. My 4th grader and 1st grader did what work they could do by themselves, and my 4th grader was the “substitute” and led the group morning work and helped my preschooler with his work. The work they needed help with we put off until today, when I was well enough to help. I let them watch lots of TV and have computer/kindle time yesterday, which they don’t usually get.
Usually if I’m sick we will all have a free day. My kids will bring a basket of books and lay with me and they will read to me. (which I love!)
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If I am super sick - like stomach issues - where I am unable to stand up on my feet - then we do not do school work. I just give them a day off. If I am able to continue on - then they still do all their work. Sometimes my husband will help out, but that is hard anyway, because he doesn’t really know what is going on - and I have to teach him the info before I can go lay down, so it is pretty useless! So really I agree with razorbackmama lol - substitutes never happen.