Everyone has bad moments- but don’t let it turn into a bad homeschool day. Here are 5 things we do to turn it around.
Check out my post about Anchors In The Homeschool Day for more ideas!
1. Tea Time
We are huge fans of tea time in this house- we have some sort of tea time almost every day, but it comes in especially handy when we’re having a “bad homeschool day”.
We use this time to regroup and listen to a read-aloud. A lot can be solved with a snack and a change of pace. It doesn’t always look as fancy as this. Plenty of times it’s a mug of tea each and a granola bar or leftover muffin from breakfast spread out on an old blanket in the living room.
Poetry is also a great subject to cover during tea time, as well as artist or composer study.
When everyone’s scattered or we’ve flown off the rails, I announce Poetry Tea Time and everyone’s happy!
2. Burn Off Energy
Sometimes the last thing I want to do when everything’s going wrong is pull out a charming chapter book and read aloud in a sweet voice.
When I’m frustrated with how the day’s going, I usually need to do something active. It’s even more effective if I can give the kids a productive task. Meanwhile I’ll take a few moments to regroup by myself, send up an S.O.S.-type prayer, and get back to it when I’ve calmed down.
One of my best tricks that I keep in my hip pocket is to turn on a dance tutorial or “brain break” video. I let the kids burn off some energy and hone their hand-eye coordination while I finish a task and ask God to change my attitude.
3. Get Outside
I sometimes have to talk myself into this one but it always makes a difference.
It’s a good idea to let your kids know how long outside time will be in advance and set a timer, otherwise you all might be in a better mood but never get around to the “back on track” part.
You could use this time to take on another subject like Nature Study or read a book while everyone draws with sidewalk chalk, but it could also just be a bit of free play.
I find that twenty minutes in the fresh air is plenty to lift spirits and set us up for a better second half.
4. Break Out the Coloring Pages
I’m a huge believer in letting little hands be busy while listening to Mom read. With a Charlotte Mason education, especially in the early years, read-alouds make up more than half of your school day, I’d wager.
For that reason, I find myself reaching for coloring books, or even better, home printed pages that pertain to our lesson, very often.
Last year we used Simple Studies English Fairy Tales literature curriculum and my kids absolutely loved it. As their name suggests, it was very simple but that was just what we needed. We’d read a chapter of Joseph Jacobs’ fairy tales, and the kids would color one of the included coloring sheets that corresponded with that story.
Lately I’ve been printing these Anne of Green Gables quote coloring pages while we read the beloved classic. It’s a bonus that it helps with retention!
5. Words of Affirmation
Last but not least, putting someone in the “hot seat” and showering them with kind words is a sure-fire way to turn around a bad homeschool day.
We started doing this a couple of years ago and it’s so sweet to see their faces light up and their whole demeanor change as we take turns filling up their love buckets.
I find it’s helpful if Mom goes first to set the example. We also will help our kids get the ball rolling if they “can’t think of anything!” by encouraging them to think of something they want to thank the other person for, or something they notice about that person that always makes them happy.
Yes, sometimes it takes a little nudging but by the end of it, everyone has told everyone else something kind. And everyone feels much better for it.
Use These Tips To Stop A Bad Homeschool Day
I hope some of these tips are useful to you and your homeschool. There’s no such thing as a perfect homeschool day, but we can limit bad homeschool moments and keep them from turning into a bad day.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.” -Proverbs 15:1
Above all, remember that we as Mother Teachers set the atmosphere in our homeschools. Difficult as it is, instead of throwing our hands up or resorting to raising our voices, let’s try to implement some of these tools to redirect our days. I’m learning this skill as much as anyone!
Happy homeschooling,
-Tara
Find more homeschool inspiration here!
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