Homeschooling parents have a large array of characteristics… probably too many to mention. My list of characteristics might cause a person to want to defend themselves when labeled with these words without explanation. Here is my list of favorite homeschooling parent characteristics, with explanations included.
Impatient: Not wanting to wait for the Government to fix education, homeschooling parents bypass all of the politics and programs and do it themselves. They believe in the age old saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself”.
Independent: Homeschooling parents do not need anyone holding their hands to help them educate their children. Instead, they rely on what they have learned, researched, and witnessed to guide them along the way.
Not a follower: Homeschooling parents do not need to be leaders, and many of them are not. However, they are certainly not followers. Instead, they choose to pave their own paths.
Stubborn: You can lead a homeschooling parent to a textbook, but you cannot make them use it. Homeschooling parents have a tendency to make their decisions and set them in stone. It takes a lot to distract a homeschooling parent from the path he or she has set.
Irreverent: This is a wonderful quality for a homeschooling parent to have. How else can you take harsh criticism from your parents, siblings, friends, and even the media, and laugh it off.
Selfish: There is a certain amount of selfishness required to homeschool. You have to see your children as yours and no one else’s, and the responsibility to educate your children as yours and no one else’s. You believe other people should feel the same way.
Selfless: Is it possible to be both selfish and selfless? If you are selfless with those, you are selfish about. A homeschooling parent will give every bit of strength and energy they have if it means their children will benefit from it.
Curious: Homeschooling parents can often be found with a proverbial ear to the ground in search of new and interesting information that will help them in their goal of educating their children.
Brave: A homeschooler cannot afford to give in to fear. There are far too many things to be afraid of when taking on the role of parent educator. Being aware of those fears however allows the homeschooling parent to address and overcome each and every one of them. This takes a great deal of bravery.
Dedicated: A homeschooling parent cannot flit around sampling the next new thing. Dedication to homeschooling is a focused dedication for up to 12 years and beyond. They must see this project through to the end.
*Have a question about homeschooling? Just ask.
*Want to know more about homeschooling? Start with the 2006 homeschool blog in review!
* Have you seen the homeschooling curriculum glossary?