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When it comes to homeschooling and motherhood, you will have bad days. There’s no way around that. It’s what you do with the bad days that will make all the difference.
Whether you’re dealing with a toddler who is in a fit-throwing phase, an older child with a bad attitude, or you are struggling with a child who won’t do their work, a bad day doesn’t have to throw everything off the rails!
The first thing to do is to pause and pray.
Sometimes we can get caught up in our kids’ big emotions – or our big emotions – and we forget to ask the Lord to take control of the situation. We forget to ask for His peace. We forget that He is bigger than all the emotions and all the mess.
Here is a simple prayer:
Breathe out the chaos of this day.
Breathe in the peace of Christ.
Refocus.
Refocus your energy on doing the next right thing. What do you need to do to move past this tantrum or this hard moment?
When things are off in our household, I find that these help turn things around:
- getting outside – either a hike, a walk around the block, or just sitting in the backyard
- a snack
- music and/or a dance party
- hugs and snuggles
- quiet time or space away from each other
- a distraction or redirection to a different location or activity
Recognize what’s going well.
When everything feels like it’s going wrong, start focusing on what is going well. Maybe your toddler is throwing fits, but today she shared her favorite toy with her big sister. Maybe your son has a bad attitude about chores, but he has been a great friend to a kid who was feeling left out.
When we shift out focus from the bad to the good, it changes everything!
Turn around your own attitude.
It’s hard not to take a bad day to heart, but bad days don’t make you a bad mom. Remind yourself of this on those days when you feel stuck in a downward spiral. Your worth as a mom isn’t dependent on your kids’ behavior. There will be bad days. But you’re still a good mom!
What do you need in the moment to turn things around for yourself? Get in the Word and ground yourself in the Truth of who you are as a daughter of the King. Go out with a friend. Spend time watching your favorite show with your husband. Do something that helps you recharge – check out these 15 ways to recharge if you need some ideas.