Valorie Delp recently wrote an article entitled 10 Ways to Support Your Child’s Teacher the article had lots of helpful advice for parents of schoolchildren, but her tips applied to anyone with children. Likewise, I would like to talk about 10 ways for a homeschooling mom to support herself. Being both mom and teacher is a big job, so here are 10 ways for us homeschoolers to support ourselves.
1. Set expectations at an early age: Remind your kids on a daily basis that they can do anything that they put their minds to. Let them know that you expect them always to do their personal best. Encourage them to always do a little better than the last time.
2. Play with your child: By playing with your child, you will get to know them better and they will get to know you. Parents who play with their kids establish a deeper bond.
3. Create a learning environment: In a learning environment, playtime is not distinguishable from learning time and learning is never boring, but natural.
4. Purchase educational games: Scrabble helps with spelling skills, Monopoly teaches money skills, Chess teaches critical thinking. These are just a few of the available games on the market from which a child can learn. If you cannot find a game to teach a particular skill, you can always make up one.
5. Don’t answer questions: Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Where do babies come from? Stop answering the constant barrage of questions from your children. Instead, help them to look up the answers. In time, they will spontaneously research anything they want to know.
6. Add music to your home: As Valerie Nelson states in her blog Music Education, “Research reveals that when young people study the arts they show heightened academic standing, a strong capacity for self-assessment, and a secure sense of their own ability to plan and work for a positive future.” Play music in the home, and encourage your kids to play instruments.
7. Build a library: If you build it, they will read. Always have books available for your children to read. Purchase age appropriate classics as well as popular books, comic books and magazines.
8. Set an example: If your children see you reading, writing, researching, and just enjoying the process of education, they will do the same.
9. Do not try to do it all yourself: The worst thing a homeschooling mom can do is to try to do it all herself. You cannot be mom, housekeeper, and taxi driver, teacher of six subjects, plus music and physical education too. Delegate some duties to others; hire out a few as well. Learn to relax and do not expect it all to be done completed to your standards.
10. Get a life (outside of homeschooling): Get a hobby, go out on dates with your spouse, and pamper yourself on a regular basis. Your kids will be happier and more eager to learn from you if you take care of yourself.
Related articles: 8 Things Dad Can Do to Support his Homeschooling Wife