In Case Today Is One of “Those” Homeschool Days

In Case Today Is One of “Those” Homeschool Days ~
Written by Melissa Camara Wilkins

I want to let you in on a homeschooling secret. You might already know this one, I understand. But if you are anything like me, you still need to be reminded from time to time.

So here it is:

There are days when everyone wakes up hating math.

(Or science, or history, or read-alouds. Take your pick.)

This does not mean that everything is broken, it does not mean that we are terrible homeschoolers, and it does not mean that we need to burn the whole thing down and start over.

It just means everyone woke up hating math.

Yes, the math was fine yesterday.

Yes, the math is important.

Yes, you want them to grow up to be responsible adults who can double a cookie dough recipe (multiplication, fractions) and tip a barista (decimals, percents, addition) and pay for groceries (budgeting, subtraction).

But still, some days everyone wakes up hating the math.

The math is so boring. The math is impossible. The math is loathsome. The math is probably trying to eat us in our sleep.

Etcetera.

It happens.

Sometimes snacks will help.

Sometimes an exercise break will help.

Sometimes working together will help.

Sometimes taking the books outside will help.

Sometimes playing a game instead will help.

Some days NOTHING will help and it’s not your fault and it’s not your kids’ fault and it’s not the math’s fault. (Well, MAYBE it’s the math’s fault.) It’s just one of those days. It happens.

Tomorrow is another day and everyone gets to try again.

Note: If everyone hates the math every day, that is a different problem with a different solution.

But if everything was okay yesterday, and today you are thinking: WHAT HAPPENED to turn my previously-darling children into anti-math fiends in the night???

Don’t worry. Maybe it’s the moon, I don’t know.

But I do know that tomorrow is another day and we all get to try again.

That’s what I wanted to remind us all about…in case today is one of “those” homeschool days in your neck of the woods.

P.S. – An extra bonus secret of life:

The same things is true FOR US PARENTS, TOO.

If yesterday things were okay but today you woke up ready to tear it all down, maybe check if you’re hungry or tired or need some fresh air or need to move your body?

Or if you just need to have a conversation with another adult, preferably about something other than peanut butter sandwiches and multiplication tables?

Maybe try that first, before deciding you need a whole new life/family/city/curriculum. That’s all I’m saying.

You get to decide what’s going to be enough for today. It’s okay to just do that and let the rest go.

And remember that you get to try again tomorrow. Tomorrow is always another chance. For our kids, sure, but for us, too. Every single day.

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