The thought of homeschooling can be very intimidating to some. As parents, we often feel like we need to have all the answers. If we don’t, we can’t homeschool.
Well, it isn’t true!
All the way back in 1999 (I know a looong time ago.), I was student teaching. While I was teaching, a student asked me a question I had no idea how to answer. Suddenly, I knew what it was like to be a deer caught in the headlights.
I was in such a panic. I felt like I couldn’t let these kids know I didn’t have all the answers. They’d think I was stupid. I’d lose their respect.
Luckily, my mentor teacher stepped in. She told the student it was a very good question. She suggested he investigate the answer.
My mentor teacher let me in on a little secret; YOU DON’T NEED TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS.
She’s right. But I would add it is okay to let others know you don’t have all the answers.
Why?
Let’s be realistic. Do you seriously believe anyone knows all there is to know about a topic? Do you expect them to?
Probably not. So why place those expectations on ourselves?!
Homeschooling is challenging enough without expecting we need to know it all.
Admit You Don’t Know
Get it out of the way. Just admit you don’t know it all. It is quite liberating. I put no pressure on myself to have all the answers. If you treat it as no big deal, your kids won’t either.
For some reason, we have it in our heads that teachers must have all the answers. If we didn’t go to college to be teachers, we can’t possibly teach our kids.
You’re right; you don’t know all there is to know. Guess what? I taught for nine years. Not one teacher I encountered had all the answers to every subject they taught.
I think our kids can learn some valuable lessons from us when they know we don’t have all the answers. They learn:
- It’s okay not to have all the answers.
- Life is about learning.
- How and where to search for answers.
It’s Okay Not to Have All the Answers
It is true. Our kids need to learn this. The sooner the better. They don’t need to be like me standing in front of that classroom in a panic.
I could have admitted I didn’t have the answer that we could look it up. That is a valuable skill. This leads into my next point:
Life is About Learning
When we don’t worry about having all the answers, we can teach our kids that life is about continually learning.
I don’t worry about not understanding something or knowing the answers with my kids. They’ve seen I am always seeking answers and learning. In some cases, relearning things I forgot.
I didn’t learn all there was to know in school, and then it all stopped. My kids will see I am always learning and improving.
Kids Learn How and Where to Find Answers
If we are always learning, we are always searching for answers. We
As homeschool parents, we may need to show our kids how to Google their questions. We may need to show them how to search in a book or a YouTube video.
Sometimes we need to show our kids we look to others for help. It may be another homeschool family, a tutor, or an expert in the field. There are so many resources out there to help.
It seems the biggest fear for homeschool moms is the fear they don’t know enough to teach their kids.
I disagree.
We live in an age where information is right at our fingertips. There are online classes, lesson plans, unit studies,
Look, and you can find what you need to homeschool your kids. Even if all you need is some encouragement.
Homeschooling can be scary. We encounter topics we have never learned or vaguely remember doing. We may feel we are not smart enough, especially as the high school years loom in the distance.
You’ve got this, mom!
Don’t feel like you CAN’T do it. Show your kids you are learning right along with them. If you don’t know the answers, you will find it, or find someone who does. We may even need to find someone else to teach a subject. The schools do. They have teachers just for English, math, and science. You can outsource, too. They certainly aren’t expected to do it all.
If we are willing to learn and find solutions, we are teaching our kids that life is a learning adventure. They learn we don’t have to do it alone. No one has all the answers and that is okay!
Happy Homeschooling!
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