It is early morning, the sun is just coming up, and you have your third cup of coffee in hand. You just finished a review of everything your kids need to get through the day. You have everything laid out in your head (and on paper, but as we all know, referring to notes in front of your kids is like a gazelle grazing in a lion’s camp – it aggravates the lions and doesn’t end well for the gazelle).
It will be a day of accomplishments and activity. Your husband will come home from work and your kids will have learned enough to move up a grade. Angels will sing, the heavens will open up and you will be declared supermom of the century…
You walk into the homeschool room with your own personal victory music blaring inside your head. All is sunny and bright and under control.
And then you see your kids…
They are not happy campers. As you begin the day’s learning time, your kids become speed bumps to your plan. They don’t want to listen, they aren’t interested and in fact they become progressively more grumpy and less attentive the more you cajol and coax.
Now what?
As a parent, one common tactic in a case like this is ramping up the parental authority to get your kids in line. But take it from someone who has failed with this tactic many, many times: caution with the ‘parental authority’ approach. Even if you are relaxed and happy inside, you will project the very antithesis of a happy momma if you reach for the authority tactic. This is a problem.
What to do? Exactly the opposite of how you feel right now inside: be calm. Embrace the calm. If you stay in your “happy place” without any preconcieved notions about your kids or the day’s tasks, things will go as smooth and as happy as freshly spread sugar glaze on warm cinnamon rolls.
However if you show any signs of aggravation, frustration, or fear, or fondly reminise over those years spent as a corporate executive working for that tyrranical boss who in comparison was ever-so reasonable, you will lose. The day will be miserable. Your children will learn nothing other than the fact that when mommy loses her cool, she retreats to house cleaning and leaves you alone.
Keep your calm, embrace it and move through your day with a loose plan that you know will change and adapt.
And that is the simple secret to homeschooling sucessfully: inner calm.
