Oh, such a dreadful day,
I’m glad that I spent it with you…
Such a dreadful day,
You just keep me hanging on…
Sorry, folks, I am paraphrasing a British song from a few decades ago. Sometimes we have a bad day in our homeschool. If I sent them to school, they would have a bad day there or I would have a bad day on the job and the same scenario would repeat itself. Frustration, anger, questioning how we got here, why we must endure such hardships. Blah blah.
On such days, I take a deep breath (or many) and just hang tight. Or loose. Things have a way of working out. We have everything we need to live a comfortable life – and beyond – and we have no reason to complain. See, I knew there was a reason God wanted me to live the first years of my life under Communism. I used to stand in line to get our ration of bread as a child. Surely I can handle a bit of adversity and pressure in the land of the free and the home of the – what was that? – brave.
The thing is, I have started transitioning my children from picture books to chapter books. It’s more than just good news. It’s momentous news. It’s a great beginning to a process that will last at least a year, I think. Or more. My daughter is only four. I suspect we will read picture books for many years to come.
But the thing remains, I started reading to them from Heidi and Lassie. At night, after they already had their picture books read to by daddy, after they have changed into pjs and brushed teeth and grabbed a stuffed animal to go to bed with, I go to their room and sit on a large pillow on the floor in front of the closet and read to them.
One chapter. Sometimes more, sometimes less. It depends on how willing the little one is to pay attention. It depends on how patient I am with their behavior.
They love it. My son probably more than my daughter. He is older and can handle new words. She likes hanging out with mommy.
So I’d rather focus on this than the way this day went.
I could also focus on the fact that I planted my garden this week. It’s not finished, but most of it is there. It’s a new beginning. A fresh start. Another chance to learn how to grow vegetables, how to tend to their needs, how to put my laziness aside in the morning and water the plants no matter how I feel.
I could also focus on the fact that I gave my son his first math speed drills today and he did very well.
Or that we worked on music theory and ear training exercises and he loved it. After several pages, I asked him if he wanted to do more and he said, “Yes, more, more, more!”
Many positive things to focus on in order to look away from the dreadful day we had otherwise.
If I do have a bad day, I would rather spend it with my children and my husband – the people who love me the most and whom I love the most in this world.
I am learning to accept such days will happen. I am learning what to do about them.
What do you do when your homeschool day goes wrong?
Send me a message by pigeon carrier or, better yet, by leaving a comment below.