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Once upon a time, I had been rudely awakened by my alarm clock. Seven o’clock. On the dot.
I intended to wake at that time the night before. Yet, I would have gladly ignored the alarm for another half hour to finish my dream.
When I descended to the main level, I felt draggy and achy. Two kids said they were achy and sick to their stomachs.
This was going to be an unpleasant start to an unhappy homeschool day.
I make my coffee: too much water, not enough coffee grounds. The shot of caffeine that normally energized me was not enough. I might need six mugs.
Homeschool mama self-care means we identify when we don’t feel happy.
Teresa Wiedrick
So how do we address an unhappy homeschool day?
There’s an undeniable reality about homeschool parenting: if you’re happy, sad, mad, or glad, you’ll see it reflected in your kids.
I’m not suggesting our kids are a full mirror image of ourselves.
They have their separate personalities, energies, and approaches, but I’ve learned that if I’m not feeling great, they will feed on my energy.
If I’m chipper, they feed on my energy too.
Kinda like a mama bird feeding her baby birds.
Though I’m not feeding them melancholic pills right before my period. And I’m not feeding them amphetamines when I’m happy.
There is an energy transmitted from me to them that occurs like osmosis of a fluid across the cell membrane.
One doesn’t have to force energy transmission, it just happens.
Drat! If only that weren’t so. If only we could live in our bubbles of irritation when it suited us and react any old way.
We could brood because something didn’t turn out the way we wanted. Then we could eat our chocolate almonds and Lays potato chips in bed and watch Netflix on our iPod all day when we weren’t feeling good.
The osmosis of our feelings can make our days even more challenging. So what to do?
We need to acknowledge our emotions. If we deny our emotions, we won’t be able to address the underlying needs of those uncomfortable emotions.
The consequences will return to us in stilted, dissatisfying connections or destructive engagements with others.
There’s just no way around those unhappy, uncomfortable feelings. We must go through the muck to get out of the muck. Sometimes we need to challenge the thoughts behind our emotions.
Having said that, we are responsible for containing our emotions.
See Dick run.
Jane runs too.
See Dick smile.
Jane smiles too.
See Dick lose his top.
Jane loses her top too.
Just because we have a feeling doesn’t mean we let to react in any way that is instinctive. (We all know that we have base instincts that aren’t always helpful.)
So, I must ask myself, why am I feeling what I’m feeling? I sit with that for a while, and I accept that my emotions are vulnerable to illness and that some mornings I just feel off.
Teresa Wiedrick
Is it true that the rest of my unhappy homeschool day will be miserable?
It sure will be if I assume it will be.
If I assume I will have a decent day, though possibly a slower day, could it be?
So, though the coffee beside me is now diluted AND cool. Even though the piercing pain behind my right ear hasn’t been resolved yet. Even though two kids aren’t eager to do anything but laze on the sofa, I will walk out this door, accept the energy of my heart, be mindful of their energy, and accept the day as it is.
The days will get brighter, they always do.
Just as the clouds of the sky pass through the sky, the energy of this day shall pass too.
Now, I can choose to have a new start to my day, and my espresso machine will have a new start, too.
Big Emotions Journal for the Homeschool Mom
Introducing the Homeschool Mama’s Toolbox, a resource to help homeschooling mothers manage emotions and enhance mindfulness. It includes Dr. Amen’s three questions for self-reflection. Daily meditation practices and a Thought Care Checklist aid in handling challenging situations. Sharpen your mental tools and improve your homeschooling journey today!
People also ask:
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- Dealing with our Homeschool Mama’s Big Emotions Toolbox Part 2
- Book a conversation with Teresa
Teresa Wiedrick
I help homeschool mamas shed what’s not working in their homeschool & life, so they can show up authentically, purposefully, and confidently in their homeschool & life.
Call to Adventure by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3470-call-to-adventure
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Drat that! Why is it that imitation, being the sincere flattery that it is, not always so flattering?
Yup. Not that i think we should take responsibility for their maladaptive behaviours…but we have to figure it our own if we don’t want to watch sone of it transmitted. But its more the underlying tone that i think is even more difficult to address. Cause we don’t see what we need to deal with.
Love it – I so agree with you that the way we feel is reflected in our children. However, I have found lately being honest, particularly with the eldest, is so much easier. Mommy is having one of those days so instead of me losing it we are going to call it – do a as little as possible day, or read as much as you can day, or what movie haven’t we seen day, or let’s see how wrinkly our pyjamas can get day, or yes minecraft is educational day…. lol … I think you get my point. Love to read your stuff – wish we lived closer.
Have a great day – I think for us we will declare it – chocolate is nutritional day!!!