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Sometimes this mom job is HARD. Attitudes flare, tempers rise, and chaos reigns. We need a way to turn around a bad homeschool day.

Homeschool moms are in the unique parenting position of always being around to see our kids at their best. The flip side is that we are always around to see them at their worst. And sometimes they see us at our worst too. Yikes.

Last week my family had an awful morning. Before 8 am my kids were physically fighting and had to be separated. I had to take away electronics. Again. I hadn’t even had my first cup of coffee!

The day only seemed to get worse as everyone’s patience waned. Siblings know just what buttons to push, and they were pushing them with all their might.

I had two choices.

Throw my hands up in the air and declare it an awful day.
Take control of the situation and try to reclaim some peace.

I decided to give it my all and find some joy in the day.

Super Simple Ways to Turn Around a Bad Homeschool Day

Go on an impromptu field trip

I pulled each child aside and told them we were going on a surprise field trip. We got in the van and drove down the road to a local pumpkin patch.

The pumpkin patch wasn’t really in my plan for the day, but the weather was perfect and we needed a distraction and some fresh air. Wandering through the quiet field searching for perfect pumpkins gave us space to breath. I could see the tension leave everyone’s bodies. By the time we loaded up the van with orange pumpkins, sweet corn, and enormous squash, Hannah and Ben were laughing and in a much better mood.

Sometimes a change of scenery and a break in routine is all we need to turn around a bad homeschool day.

Check out my list of field trip ideas.

Light a candle

Candles make a home feel cozy. The soft glow from the flame helps my family relax. We typically light candles in the evening as a signal to rest and relax, but sometimes we need that visual reminder during the day too.

Strongly scented candles sometimes bother me, so I try to stick to unscented candles. I do occasionally light scented candles in open areas of my home. Just make sure it is a scent you like. Moods won’t improve if everyone gets headaches!

If real candles make you nervous, check out the new flameless candles. They flicker just like real candles!

Tea with poetry

Tea with poetry is an awesome way to turn around a bad homeschool day. Raid the pantry and freezer for easy tea party treats, pull a poetry book off the bookshelf, and brew some decaf tea. Tea with poetry doesn’t need to be fancy.

Read how I put together a simple tea with poetry with minimal effort.

How do you turn around a bad homeschool day? Share this post with someone who is having a bad parenting day!

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