Maybe a student threatened to hit you, or stabbed you with scissors or a student fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm or two students had an all out fist fight in your room – these are all examples from my career. Some days are really, very bad. What do you do? In the moment, you simply do the best you can – there is nothing else you can do. The principal comes and the two of you deal with it. But afterwards, when you realize how really very bad it was, what do you do?

1. If you need to, have someone else drive you home. It really can be that bad.
2. Talk if over with a spouse or trusted friend or mentor or counselor.
3. Acknowledge and process your feelings. Maybe you cry. Write a journal. Punch a pillow. Go for a run in a secluded place and do a lot of yelling. Eventually these feelings will come out anyways. May as well be when you choose rather than having them explode at some inopportune time.
4. Plan what you will do the next time a similar situation happens. This helps.
5. Give yourself a break. We are not perfect. It may take some time. That’s ok.