Hands Off Homeschooling

by Andrea Hermitt | More from this Blogger

25 Jul 2007 08:13 AM

Is it still homeschooling if you are not involved in every minutia of your children's learning? I like to think so. In fact, I would have never started homeschooling if I thought I had to be. I know myself well enough realize I would have had problems in the patience department. So when a veteran homeschooling friend told me that she spent most of her "homeschooling" time driving her kids to and from various lessons, I knew I could jump on board.

From the time when my husband first came home and told me he wanted me to homeschool the kids (years before I came around), he did not have in mind the day-to-day teaching that most homeschoolers do. Instead, he envisioned hiring teachers and tutors to do the "work" while we supervised curriculum and "homework". Of course, he did not take the cost of such a venture into account. Tutor fees add up quickly.

Over the years, we have done a combination of parent teaching, paid tutors, and online learning programs. I have found that there are times when I, as a parent needed to be hands on, and that there were times when I needed to be hands off (for everyone's sake).

I noticed a funny thing though; in following a partially hands-off approach to homeschooling has had some great benefits. By stepping back and allowing the children to attack subjects on, their own has strengthened their problem solving skills. By allowing them to work with other teachers who may be more talented in a subject area, or more patient than I am, has helped them to excel in areas where I have not. It also creates accountability and makes children like mine (who know how to use their charms on their mom) to complete assignments they would rather not.

Meanwhile, by knowing when to step back and use different resourses to homeschool instead on relying on myself for every detail, has made me a more hands-on parent. I have more strength for games. I have more tolerance for jokes and silliness. I have a greater desire for hugs and cuddling.

I do not know about other homeschoolers, but if I had to do all the teaching all by myself, there would not be much of me left for the parenting part.

*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?

Learn more about Andrea Hermitt

Andrea Hermitt is a native New Yorker currently residing in GA. She has been married for over 16 years and has two teenage children.

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Pam Connell (2658) 25 Jul 2007 02:29 PM

This is probably the biggest concern I've had about homeschooling--would I be able to push them as hard as necessary and still be sympathetic mom? My daughter has some speech/language/auditory issues and has to do a lot of drills that are just not fun--I do them with her a lot (vision therapy, reading tutoring etc.) but I wonder if we'd go nuts if we did it all the time. She is happy at our church s school for now so I'm going to supplement a lot at home and see how things work out.

Valorie Delp (49340) 25 Jul 2007 06:02 PM

As a mom that has kids who have to learn how to read. . .I must say that the first year that they read well enough on their own to tackle things. . .is blissful. I only have one who reads well enough right now. . . Until they're reading on their own I find that I have to do lots of helping and directing along the way (without them knowing that I'm helping and directing!)

Andrea Hermitt (5512) 25 Jul 2007 06:05 PM

Absolutely... my kids did not start homeschooling until they could read... if you don't count the summer after Kindergarten when I realized my kid could not read and taught her.