Am I qualified to homeschool my child?

One of the things that discourages parents from homeschooling, is the fear that they are not really qualified to educate their own children. Perhaps they didn’t do well in school themselves, or they don’t have a post-secondary education. Or, maybe they don’t think they have the patience to teach their child.

The truth is, though, most parents are fully qualified to teach their own children. By the time your child reaches school age, you have probably been your child’s primary teacher for 5 or 6 years. And just look at everything your child has learned!

In most cases, you will have taught your child to understand language and to communicate using words. If that’s not enough for you, remember that you have also taught your child to walk and run. And it doesn’t stop there. You have probably taught your child how to behave so he will fit into our society.

If you’re really not capable of teaching, how were you able to teach a child all this within a few short years?

First of all, you may have had support from friends, family members, and experts such as your doctor. In this same way, homeschooling parents draw on the many resources available to them to help them teach their children: teachers, curriculum experts, even other families who have homeschooled successfully.

Secondly, as your child developed, each of these accomplishments was the result of a natural progression and desire to learn. Your child wanted to speak, so you encouraged him to make coherent sounds. He wanted to walk, so you held his hand while he found his balance. In the same way, your child will have a desire to read. As his teacher, you will teach him the steps of reading. He will recognize patterns in numbers. You will help him understand what they mean.

Finally, when you first became a parent, you probably took steps to educate yourself for the tasks ahead. When I first learned I was pregnant, I read every book I could find about caring for newborns and being a new mother. As my children grow, I learn as much as I can about the stages they’ll be going through and how I can prepare myself for them. Homeschooling is no different in this way either. Most homeschooling parents read books, subscribe to magazines and visit online resources to learn how to be the best homeschool parent they can be.

Almost any parent who is committed to helping her child develop is fully capable of homeschooling that child.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Denise Willms is a homeschooling mom of two, and owner of WAHM-Articles.com. You can find more information on homeschooling at www.learnhowtohomeschool.com

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