First Time Homeschooling Dad

Hello my homeschooling dads out there. Yes, I know that the moms also read this, but it is intended for the dads to find some encouragement, help, and sanity along the route of homeschooling. So, this is the year that you decided homeschooling was the way to go! This would be the year of no turning back and you would push through! You were prepared for whatever may come your way and that this was going to be awesome! So, first time homeschooling dad… how is it going?

Let’s be honest here. You do anything that is outside of the norm and it can be scary, especially when it involves your kids, your spouse, your money, the unknown. If you were anything like me when it started in my house, I was all in on it. I was excited about it. I loved the idea! As long as I did not have to do anything with it. You see I supported it verbally, financially, emotionally (those nights of holding the teacher), but I did not physically do anything with the homeschooling process. First time homeschooling dad… what are you doing?

Dad, there is more to homeschooling than you think. Even for you…the other half of the team. You see, for this whole thing to work, there must be teamwork between you and the wife. Think of it in this way :

Who The Homeschooling Dad Needs To Be

Who The Homeschooling Dad Needs To Be

See, your part in homeschooling is rather important. You are a huge need in the lives of the faculty and the students. Dad, you should be a rock, a refuge, a solid place for the teacher to rely on. The dad should be a willing, a helping, a patience dad for the kids when they need it as well. Your job is to bring balance to the homeschooling force at times. This will not always be easy and you will at times see that the biggest problem facing the homeschooling environment in the house will be you and you unwillingness to help out. Those are not easy words to hear, but many times it is true.

In my house, I set the mood, the tempo, the balance. You may ask yourself “Okay Mr. Homeschooling Hotshot, just how do you have such control?” The truth is, I don’t. However, I do allow Christ to have control over my house. You see I submit to His teachings, His words, and His will. When I do this, the mood, the tempo and the balance all come into alignment. However, when I try to do things on my own, I also set the mood, tempo and balance in a negative way. First time homeschooler… how is your house set?

Dads out there, I don’t have all the answers. I have not made it to the top of the mountain and gained the homeschooling knowledge of excellence. I make mistakes and fail. Yet I get up each day and go again. I get up each day and pray for my wife, I pray for my kids, I pray that my wife does not kill my kids. You will get calls and text from your wife about how good and how horrible that it is going. Never throw her or the kids under the bus. Don’t tell her that the problem is all hers to handle. Refrain from kicking the door in and demand that the kids straighten up. (Come in through the window for that one. It will scare them better!)  First time homeschooling dad…listen, pray, and think.

 

If you are still floundering out there and don’t know which way to turn, I offer one last bit of advice.  Well two last bits of advice.  First find other homeschoolers out there so you will see that you are not alone!  Secondly, look into going to a homeschool conference.  I can personally suggest a great one that will be coming up next year.  The Teach Them Diligently Homeschool conference will be in a couple of states and is well worth the time for BOTH the mom and dad.  Take a moment or two and head over to their site and see what it is all about.

 

Till next time…
I’m just a husband of a homeschooling mom!

Steve Blackston

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