Guest Alana Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 So right before we are supposed to leave, my son gets sick. This happened two weeks ago with my husband, too. I teach sunday school for primary. I feel so frustrated that I keep just not showing up, I know they probably have to scramble to find someone at the last minute, as in right after sacrament ends and they realize I'm not there. Anyone have ideas to help avoid this? I don't want to be a flake, but I need to be here for my sick family... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 You know...family illness can't be scheduled and sometimes there is just no way around it. Is it just in the last couple of weeks or is this an ongoing pattern? The times your child is sick could your husband stay with your son just while you go teach your lesson so you can fulfill your obligation? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alana Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 You know...family illness can't be scheduled and sometimes there is just no way around it. Is it just in the last couple of weeks or is this an ongoing pattern? The times your child is sick could your husband stay with your son just while you go teach your lesson so you can fulfill your obligation?Just recently, I'm almost always at church. My husband works on Sunday, so it isn't financially viable for him to stay home for that reason. My mother in law offered, but truthfully, if my son is throwing up, no one can help him like I can, ya know, the whole mommy thing. Dad does a good job, but he can not handle barf lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Totally understand. Also I didn't have that your husband works on Sunday as part of the equation here. If it's on a rare occasion that you are forced to miss...sometimes they just have to deal with it. It's part of any organization. Family also comes first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningStar Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 That is really frustrating when that happens. Luckily I'm not a teacher and I can have my husband go and ask one of the other pianists to fill in for me. All you can do is be dependable and when this sort of thing happens, people will know there is a good reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havejoy Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 You can't help missing if your child is sick but you can call your Primary Pres and let her know you won't be there. Better yet, you could call a friend in the church and ask her to substitute teach your class. She could come by and pick up the lesson you already have planned and it'll be a smooth Sunday in primary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havejoy Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 And, yeah, I know there isn't any such thing as a smooth Sunday in primary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 A lot of wards have several people called to be "substitute Primary teachers" for this very purpose. You should find out if your ward does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 I think alana is referring to times when there isn't even time to get a substitute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 (edited) Yeah, but these people are generally supposed to be prepared if someone calls them in advance or not. Obviously they can't prepare a lesson, but they take the calling with the understanding that sometimes they might be called that morning when someone is sick, or they might find out right before or right after Sacrament meeting. Edited July 20, 2009 by Wingnut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravin Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 And push comes to shove they hit up Gospel Doctrine for volunteers if all else fails, in my experience they can usually scrounge somebody up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havejoy Posted July 19, 2009 Report Share Posted July 19, 2009 Sometimes we combine the classes because we can't find anyone to sub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodigal_Son Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Have you considered www.gotomeeting.com ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Have you considered www.gotomeeting.com ????Most chapels aren't equipped with a wireless network, much less laptops for the classrooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bytebear Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 I think the best thing is to communicate the situation as soon as possible. If you know you are going to miss church, call the primary president or a counselor and let them know before church starts so they will not be wondering where you are. That will make you seem more reliable and less flaky. And it will give them time to arrange for a substitute. No one likes to be caught by surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodigal_Son Posted July 20, 2009 Report Share Posted July 20, 2009 Most chapels aren't equipped with a wireless network, much less laptops for the classrooms.I know. All in jest. My past two trips to Gospel Essentials have resulted in no teacher and me being asked to wing it (I really need to start reviewing the lessons). I don't care. I don't know who didn't show, but I assume there was a reason. No biggie. It's a fun and unique challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alana Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 Have you considered www.gotomeeting.com ????LOL oh man, yeah, I can totally picture them just setting up a lap top in the room while all 8 of my CTR 6-7 class sits there quietly. That is a very funny picture. Maybe if I had some kind of candy dispensing equipment in the room that I could control remotely there might be some what of a 1/2 of a percentage of it working:P Thanks for the hilarious visual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tough Grits Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 I'm in Primary too. I teach Valiant 9 through 12. I am very rarely absent, but our Primary presidency handed each of us a "Substitute Emergency Kit". It is a folder that has a lesson, handouts, and an activity (for my age group there are puzzles and word finds) for a very last minute kind of emergency. You could make up one for yourself to have at the ready for just such an emergency. Make it a lesson from your book, maybe one at the very back. Usually there are more lessons than there are Sundays. Or just choose a generic lesson that is always good to go over, like baptism, repentance, the sacrament, etc. Just find somebody to pick it up on their way to church. But like the others have stated, call a member of the Primary Presidency that morning to let them know you will not be there. Let them know whether you have been able to secure a substitute or not. They will truly appreciate the heads-up. It might be a good idea to become familiar with the parents of the children in your class. I have been in Primary several times and at two different wards. In the other ward, we were instructed to use the parents of the children from our class as the first choice for substitutes. It made sense, and it worked out well. I just contacted each parent asking them that if an emergency arose would they be able to substitute. I made a list of those who were willing to substitute and did not have callings that conflicted with the time of the class. I always kept the list of names with the contact numbers on hand in case of an emergency. Hope those ideas help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alana Posted July 29, 2009 Report Share Posted July 29, 2009 So, I'm back at full force. Thanks for all the suggestions. We used to have an emergency sub list, but now the primary presidency is asking us to find our own subs. This is good and helps us branch out in the ward more, but not so good when church starts at 9am and at 8am my son wakes up covered in spots:P Or the fabulous on the way to church "mom, I need a bowl!!!" holy cow!! Also, we just finished the temple prep class (8 lessons I think) so no more subs needed for that! This experience has thought me that having an extra lesson tucked into my bag or maybe even a talk for when the speaker doesn't show (hahahahahaha... we'll see;) is a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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