One of my main concerns when I started homeschooling, and a concern for many others is “What do I do when they want/need to learn something I know nothing about?” Back when I was starting, this was a really big concern. Whatever would I do when that time came? While this concern wasn’t enough to keep me from starting homeschooling, after all I’m pretty sure I know how to read and do arithmetic, it was always there in the back of my mind. So what did I do? I researched, and got some great answers.
The first answer is outsource. Do you realize how many resources you have at arms length alone? Family and friends are a great resource. Who do you know that plays musical instruments, is a great artist, builds houses, knows the law, works with numbers everyday, writes for a newspaper, works for a museum, etc. Once you have a list of your friends and family with all of their talents and abilities you can look around your area for a homeschool co-op. If you can’t find one, look around for different homeschool groups. Sometimes they run their own co-ops and just don’t advertise them. If nothing else they can tell you if there is one in the area and if not it’s a good place to start one. This isn’t even mentioning all of the classes and and lessons available to the public.
The second answer is to learn about it in advance yourself. Learn about what you think you will need help with before your child gets to that stage. Take a college class if that’s what you think you need. Do research on the internet on the subject you are lacking in. Go to the library and check out some books to help along the way. In effect, homeschool yourself.
The third is my favorite. Learn along side your child. This is the option I have chosen. I combine the first and second answer and do it along side Jonathan. There is no way for me to foresee everything that Jonathan may want to learn about. When he asks me about something and I have no idea I tell him so. Then, we learn together. It’s fun to be able to see that light in his eyes and the excitement he has when we are learning something together.
This Isn’t What I Signed up for
The Problems and Solutions of Delving Further Into a Topic