What To Do When Your Day Is A Dumpster Fire

Hey, homeschoolers! Do you ever have days that go so badly that you just want to throw your hands up in surrender? I know I have. In this episode, we'll discuss a better approach than surrender for a day that's a dumpster fire.

But first I want to thank my sponsor:  the Route 60 movie.

Personal Dumpster Fires

There are a lot of reasons we want to give up on a day. Perhaps it's personal. We might have a personal goal of eating better. But we get up and instead of having that egg white omelet packed with protein, we reach for the Pop Tarts that somehow made it into the pantry. After snarfing them and a chocolate milk laced with coffee (better known as a frappacino) down, you commit to having a salad with chicken breast for lunch--only you end up at Sonic for an impromptu family picnic and there is no way you can order a salad when the cheese curds, chili dog, and slushy are just the reward you need after a stressful morning. Now you want to surrender and wait until the next day or week to eat well.

Social Dumpster Fires

Or maybe your day is more of a social dumpster fire. You prayed for patience and you were determined to be the meek and quiet mother that you've read about in books. But then your child couldn't find his shoes before you had to be out the door. A fight broke out between that child and the one he was sure intentionally moved his shoes just to aggravate him. Another child is complaining about how tired they are, how bored they are, or how hungry they are, and your patience commitment is gone.

Homeschool Dumpster Fires

Or perhaps your day is truly a homeschooling dumpster fire. You had your lesson plan that was going to have you on track. You were finally going to get caught up. And then a toilet backed up, the dog escaped the yard, or your kiddo had a meltdown over the math lesson. Suddenly it's noon and you'll be lucky if you make something for lunch let alone get any school done. You may as well give up for the day, right?

Wrong! I have given up on dumpster-fire days more times than I care to admit. I have even felt helpless in the face of them, as though the failure that follows is inevitable. I was having one of these days recently and I was feeling discouraged. I was going to have to wait until the next day to get back on track, right? That's when I remembered something I learned as a child about fires. You may have learned it too. Instead of running away in a panic and surrendering to the flames when you are on fire, you stop, drop, and roll. You may have said it with me! How does this short set of instructions apply to dumpster-fire days? Allow me to explain my thinking here.

Stop

First, stop. The day does NOT have to continue on the same path. Stop what you're doing. Stop panicking and don't give up. This day can be salvaged. I promise!

If you're in the middle of the chili cheese dog, ask yourself if you're satisfied. If you are, stop eating. Don't continue eating in despair or as a punishment. If the cheese curds are long gone, forget about them. What's done is done.

If you are in the middle of yelling at your kids, stop. Put yourself in time out. Take some deep breaths. If you finished ranting this morning, ask your kids for forgiveness now. Then give yourself grace so you can start fresh.