How to Turn a Bad Homeschool Day Around

Several years ago, in the first few years of our homeschooling journey, a wise friend shared the advice I’m about to share with you today. I share it with you because it has helped my perspective and my thoughts on “bad days” so very much. I pray it will do the same for you!

I will be the first to admit that homeschooling has been harder than I ever thought it would be. Having three children in three years took a little something out of me. {grin} I lost my mind right along with my sleep, quiet and clean house. 🙂

So, at some point it became imperative to my state of well being to determine WHAT was most important in our day, to focus on that and to begin to let go of all the rest.

Redeeming a Bad Day @teachthemdiligently.net

What that wise friend told me was this:

If you’ve read the Bible with your kids this morning, then it doesn’t matter what happens with the rest of the day. You’ve already accomplished what is most important.

Friends, I can’t tell you how this helped my perspective. Yes, as responsible parents, we need to make sure they learn how to multiply, divide and read. But, and here is the key, not everyday is going to be anywhere near perfect. And on those imperfect days, if I can have the kingdom perspective that I have accomplished WHAT IS GREATEST, I can be at peace with that day.

My day may go all downhill starting as early as 9am, but if I have prayed with my kids, gone over some Scripture memory, read a Bible story and discussed it with my kids…then that day is not shot. There is redemption in that bad day.

The redemption of a bad day is God’s Word.

When 3pm rolls around and we are STILL working on math, no dinner plans in sight, the kids are fighting and screaming…yet I take a moment to look back on our morning and remind myself that I did pray for my children, I prayed with them, we went over some of our memory verses, we read a chapter from God’s Word. In that moment, as I reflect over how our morning started, God fills me with His peace. He reminds me that one of the big reasons I homeschool is so that we CAN start our days with His Word. He reminds me that His Word does not return void. He reminds me that He is faithful. 

Candace is just a broken, messed up mama in need of God’s fresh, new mercies daily ~ moment by moment. She lives with her husband David in beautiful East Tennessee where they homeschool their three children. You can read about their homeschool journey, her struggle with depression, great books and more at her personal blog His Mercy is New.