What to Do When Your Homeschool Day is “Ruined”
A huge reason for new homeschoolers giving up on the idea is that they felt like they were doing a bad job or failing at it.
Listen up. I’ve been homeschooling since 2014, and I can say without a doubt that BAD DAYS HAPPEN. UNPLANNED THINGS HAPPEN.
Here are a few unplanned things that have happened to us:
unexpected grocery trip
car trouble
clothes dryer out of commission—trip to laundromat
helping “Dad” with work
sick child
no internet/power
snow day (it’s rare here, so you HAVE to go play)
helping a family member in need
What are some unplanned things that have happened to you on a school day? Give a comment below and tell how it went.
Now let me say, I try not to let these things “ruin” my homeschool day. However, to a new homeschooler, it can feel like the day is ruined when plans don’t occur the way they were intended.
Remember the ultimate goal is learning!
Did your child learn that day? WHAT did your child learn? Perhaps it wasn’t the difference in an isosceles triangle and an equilateral triangle, but was it NEEDED?
They might have learned how to be flexible and change plans on a dime, prioritizing what’s important.
They might have learned how to put others first.
They might have learned how to shop for a needed item or follow directions for installing a part.
They might have learned any of the important skills of grocery shopping (comparing items, estimating, locating products).
Just because the learning wasn’t planned or written down in your planner, doesn’t mean it wasn’t needed or valuable.
If it helps, you can jot down what you did that day in your planner so that you can look back and see that it wasn’t truly a waste. Talk to your kids about what you DID learn that day.
Read.
If nothing else happens on a day that has gone awry, read to your children. It is an important bonding time—a time you can assess how much vocabulary your child knows or how they are understanding things. It can be a simple picture story with a few sentences per page, a chapter book, or even a nonfiction books with facts like science or social studies. You can even read motivational books or the Bible and discuss some topics there. Count it as a “values” class.
If you recognize the true importance of reading (even with the older kids), you will walk away from this activity feeling good about your day.
Do Math.
Some friends of mine will say when their plans for the day are foiled they will at least stick to doing math. That might be half of the lesson, a math app, or one simple page of practice. Since math continues to build and build (and it’s easy for some children to forget when too much time is lost), they may prioritize math.
Give your children creative time.
Creative time can be pretend play, art (paint, crayons, etc), music. Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in academic subjects only and forget to allow time for our kids to be creative. When the academic subjects aren’t possible on a crazy day (maybe because your child requires so much assistance), allow for creative time. It’s something that is often overlooked and undervalued. Your child should have time to explore creativity in childhood. Children are proud of what they create and should be encouraged to try. If your child is addicted to screen time, it might be difficult at first, but allow materials to be set out to encourage creative play and sit down for 5-10 minutes to show how to use those materials. Sometimes my children pull out their journal, draw a picture of their day and write something about it.
Watch a documentary.
Sometimes my children will complain about watching a documentary. Usually that will happen if they already have in their mind some show or movie they want to watch. However, many times, they are interested in watching along with me. There are some documentaries that appeal more to children. It might be one focused on animals, the weather, or something from history. Youtube has some kid friendly channels with shorter videos that also share info that interest children. You’ll be surprised at what might interest your child or create a spark to learn more on a specific topic.
Clean.
If school work isn’t getting done that day and you only have a few minutes, you can try a “cleaning blitz” for 15-20 minutes. For our family, we set a timer and put some music on. Sometimes I make a short checklist for the children. This is mostly a maintenance cleaning, like picking up random items around the house or in their bedroom. It could also be a quick clean up of the car. Sometimes having 20 minutes of clean up time can help the next day go smoother.
Rest.
You know what? It’s ok to rest when you’ve have a rough day that didn’t go your way. You don’t want a series of bad days, and going without rest when you need it can set you on that path. It is ok to rest. It might be quiet time, a nap, or even resting while the kids play outside for a few minutes. There have been homeschool days where I make all three of my children lie down (due to sleepiness and poor attitudes). I choose my battles. I’ve had 3 young children within six years of each other. I have to keep my sanity, and honestly, I think taking away kindergarten nap time in the public schools has contributed to grumpier children having more meltdowns during school time. (I’ve taught in public school just down the hall from kindergarten, and I’m completely convinced they’d benefit from more rest during the day.)
What else can YOU think of?
What have you done before when your homeschool plans are foiled, and how did it work out?
If you’re interested in knowing more about homeschooling, you can check out my free Survival Guide for the New Homeschool Family.
Remember, YOU are your child’s most influential teacher!