Hard days are opportunities!

I’m going to be very up front and honest with you. Not every day when we homeschool our kids, is going to be picture perfect. There are going to be days that are a struggle, and that is ok! There is not one family out there who doesn’t have difficult days. It’s going to happen, and that is normal. Don’t think for a second that difficult days don’t happen in institutional schools either, because they do, and probably more frequently. Parents just aren’t aware of them all.

When we homeschool, and we have those tough days, do not look at them as a failed day or inconvenience, but rather an opportunity to teach your children how to handle themselves in those times. We all can agree that difficult days do not go away as we get older. It is so important for our children to know how to act, behave, and conduct themselves when they experience challenging days.

There was a time, a couple months back, when it was a particularly difficult day homeschooling my daughter. She was learning a new concept and it was not coming easy for her. She was really struggling understanding it and began to grow frustrated, impatient, and mentally shut down. In that moment I had a choice. I could grow frustrated myself and lose patience, or I could look at this moment as an opportunity to help her work through her frustrations in a way that will benefit her both now, and as she grows older. Not only that, but I would also help her work on her character and heart as they were clearly not in the right place.

In my house, when we have a difficult day, my children’s heart and character becomes the lesson and main focus. Their well-being and how they view themselves in those moments becomes more important than any math or English lesson. Our kids need to know that. They need to know that mom and dad care more about them than whether or not they get something right. They need to know that our love for them does not change, even in the midst of their struggles. We need to tell them everyday that their value does not come from how well they do their work, but that it comes from our Lord Jesus. That is where their true value is and it is more important than anything that they will learn in school.

These are important lessons that kids are not getting in institutional schools. We, as homeschool parents, have the most amazing opportunity to not only teach our children their traditional subjects, but true life lessons that they will carry throughout their entire life! We get to shape and guide our children, not only during the weeknights and weekends, but all day, everyday. So do not look at difficult days as a failure, but look at them as divine opportunities!