Tips for Resetting a Bad Homeschooling Day

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In the classic book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” by Judith Viorst, poor Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, has to eat lima beans at dinner, bites his tongue, needs to have a cavity filled, has to get a bath, and then when he finally climbs into bed, his Mickey Mouse night light burns out, and the cat wanders off to sleep with his brother. Yikes!

Bad days happen. So, when you find yourself up to your elbows in a very bad homeschool day, like poor Alexander, take heart—because you can reset your day. Here are some of the ways we turned our bad days into good ones.

Empathize and Encourage

Empathy is a priceless remedy that will help you turn things around. Showing empathy toward your kids can help transform bad attitudes by calming stress, anxiety, and frustration, soothing mild aches and pains, and comforting sleepyheads and grumpy Guses.

Pause learning for a moment and share a story of how you conquered a past or recent struggle. Sharing your experience shows your kids you understand and want to help, whic deepens your child’s trust and respect for you. Also, read picture books about bad attitudes.

Encouragement pairs well with empathy and will help your child to persevere. Suggest your child put his feelings into a letter, poem, song, or illustration, or even to write his or her own picture book with illustrations.

Offer Educational Options

This is definitely one of the greatest perks of homeschooling. For example, let’s say your son is a reluctant writer. He has no idea what to write about, so he stares out the window. Thankfully, there are alternatives. Not every assignment needs to be written, even if it is writing time. Ask him to dictate, act out, or illustrate his story, poem, or book report.

Read aloud to your sleepy daughter or allow her to take a nap and revisit school later in the day. Give your struggling student a hands-on project, or take a step back and review or watch a kid-friendly tutorial.

Practice working with fractions in real-life scenarios, like making pizza and dividing it up or doubling a batch of brownies.

Change the Scenery

A change of scenery can make all the difference. Just moving to the backyard can be the simple fix you and your kids need.

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Or spend the day with Mother Nature and wander around a state park, wildlife sanctuary, nature preserve, or garden.

Teach your children how to forage, a practice that has been on the rise since the pandemic in 2020. For a beginner’s guide to foraging with your kids, visit Wilder Child’s website for safety and how-to tips.

Be the cool mom and dub the kitchen your classroom for the day. Transform simple staples and pantry items into astounding science experiments—make an aluminum foil submarine, create magic with underwater fireworks, concoct some gooey, rubbery slime, and, last but not least, whip up some homemade ice cream and eat it for lunch.

Play Educational Games

If you already own classic games like Monopoly, Risk, Clue, and Yahtzee, you’re ahead of the game. Pun intended. However, you can find great buys at yard sales or at your local thrift or dollar stores.

Also, be sure to visit the My Little Poppies website for the ultimate gameschooling guide.

Work on Practical Life Skills

Maybe it’s particularly hot and sticky outside. This is an ideal time to wash the cars. Get everybody suited up in swim suits, water shoes, and goggles (just in case soap bubbles splash into unsuspecting little eyes) grab a couple buckets, sponges, and brushes. Demonstrate the importance of a pre-wash rinse, how to use a squeegee to clean windows, and the proper way to use a brush to clean the tires, wheels, and grill.

Build a campfire and roast some hotdogs. Make some ooey-gooey smores and talk about the basics of fire safety. Help your kids plan escape routes from their bedrooms and other rooms, and have a fire drill. Talk about kitchen fires and show your kids how to extinguish them.

Demonstrate how to sew on a button, fix a tear, and stitch a hem that’s even all around. Gather in the laundry room for a stain-removal workshop. Show your kids how to remove stubborn stains using common household items such as vinegar, baking soda, milk, and toothpaste.

Call It a Day!

You had such great plans for the day, I can understand, but alas, sometimes it’s just better to simply call it a day and revisit school tomorrow. Consider making a big bowl of popcorn. Gather your kids on the sofa while you read aloud “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.”

Bad days are inevitable. However, showing your kids how to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and try again is a skill they’ll need throughout their lives. So, next time you’re struggling with a bad homeschooling day, try brainstorming with your kids to come up with some different ways to reset the day.