How can Dads be involved in homeschooling?
When Phil’s wife took on a full time job role, it was up to him to fill the shoes of a homeschool parent. While he also worked full time, he found the benefits of homeschooling to far outweigh the challenges and stresses.
Adjusting
When Phil took over, the kids had to go through an adjustment period. He had a different way of doing things than their mom had done. He found it challenging to know how much oversight to give while also keeping attitudes positive for a good learning environment. Needless to say, it took time for everyone to get in their groove.
Prioritizing
As a working Dad, he also had to reprioritize when it came to his daily life. Much more of his time now had to go towards education. He had to take time out of his day to spend with the kids and go over schoolwork and answer keys. All while balancing his day job. It wasn’t easy, but over time these priorities fell into their rightful place.
Benefits
These challenges quickly fade when Phil looks at all the benefits of being a homeschool Dad. One of these benefits is the education of his kids. Through the different styles of homeschooling, the kids became more independent and self taught. With Phil’s family doing more independently, they have actually advanced past what their “traditional” school grades would be doing, and are doing university classes in high school.
More importantly for Phil, he was able to spend so much time with his kids, and invest in their education. Whether it’s spending time learning or driving to the grocery store, they can have educational conversations and grow in their relationship. The depth of relationship that Phil grew with his children is something that will last forever.
So what would Phil say to any family or Father who is considering homeschooling? “Go for it,” he says, “it’s worth it, no matter what.”