Things mom wishes dad would do to help with the education in the home.
(and other stuff)

It is incumbent upon all of us to be patient with ourselves as we learn line upon line how to teach and what to teach our children as we seek to give them an education. Surely one day they will rise up and call us blessed. Remember that your children are very fortunate to have you for a Dad, and give yourself a few kudos today. You are really something. Marjorie Meyer			The thing I would like to get that I don't, is I would like him to investigate curricula and ideas and theories of education, and problem solving, and make these decisions WITH me. Michelle
My real wish is that he would take time to sit down at night and listen to our stories, and talk to our children about the stories, and give us examples and stories of his life. I'd like him to take time away from his business, and teach our boys how to become men, and teach our daughter what kind of a man to look for. Debbie		Another idea we had discussed doing was having a "Dad's Project” night. About one or two evenings a week he would teach the kids about a certain topic. -Katrina

Including the kids on work and service projects, dragging them away from the house...which gives me 'me time' soaking in the tub, eating peanut M&M's, watching a movie or veg'ing. Personally, I love this one! Dulinda		For him to totally take over science (which he in all honesty doesn't have time for). That and I think it's neat when dad's go WITH the mom on field trips (sure makes them funner-what can I say I dream ALOT. Songbird
	He just involves [our son] in what he is already doing…. [our son] has learned a lot about nature, people, science, math, geography and more just from being around his Dad and sharing in Dad's interests. Cheryl		By thinking about it, I have decided that he helps to create an atmosphere of learning in our home all the time. Cheryl
Even though my [dear husband] is supportive--as in supplying the financial need, I wouldn't mind more involvement and input from him in the academics. … However there is one thing [dear husband] loves to do with our children—play hide and seek, tag, board games, fly kites, bowling--basically all the activities I'm too tired for. Athena
	Don't ask the kids "Do you want to...?" Instead, pleasantly say, "Let's do _____ ". Wait patiently while they get ready and let them really help. Expect that it will take you twice as long and will be twice as messy as doing it by yourself. Mary Ellen
What they REALLY want is Daddy to spend some personal time with them, giving them [his] undivided attention, doing something that they get to choose. It is so important to them! They love it when Daddy reads to them. Laurene		I know I made the right decision. Being the teacher while homeschooling should be a shared task whenever possible between the parents. Fathers must be involved to provide the proper role models to their children. To fathers who "don't have the time", I say make the time. Or else your child will be twenty-one years old and you won't know where or who they are. Ken (not just a father but a dad)
I think husbands; wives, grandparents and other involved adults add a great deal to our children's education. My husband does woodworking and most of the science experiments with our [dear son] and understands electricity and such in ways that are beyond me! However, I do the history and Language Arts [in which] as I am more interested. We all have talents to share. Peggy			I am the "leader" so to speak in our [homeschool] adventure, but my [dear husband] is totally supportive. In fact, we have gone from going year by year to forever. I am able to openly and freely discuss matters with my dear husband. Dana
If there is something I am teaching and my son is not understanding what I am trying to say then he goes to Dad for a different look at things. Robin		Our homeschool is part of our family vision. It is not an afterthought or a "something else to do" and it is not treated in that manner. It is an integral part of our lifestyle. As such my husband and I are both involved, but in differing capacities. Neither better than the other, just different given the different roles we have in our family. He is the head of our homeschool as he is our family. Lynn
	I'm telling you that the discipline problems leveled out dramatically when he got involved with the teaching. He was able to deal with bad attitudes and head them off at the pass so to speak. Our home is our school. Teri
My [dear husband] does not have the time/energy to help me with the day-to-day instruction/decisions in homeschooling, but he always helps by listening when I've had a bad day, stepping in to discipline the boys when they are giving me a hard time, doing the dishes while I put the little ones to bed, helping me problem solve, etc. He also goes over every year's big picture planning to double-check for me that I'm not missing something. Joy
		My husband also attended our yearly [homeschool] conference, too. He was very reluctant to do so, but after he saw so many other fathers there, and attended talks from other men/fathers that were only for fathers, it just seem to put a fire under him. Lauren
	We started a Lego Club in our homeschool group. I do the organizing, but my husband does the coordination with other dads for a "theme" to teach...and does the teaching. I do the homeschooling around here but my [dear husband] and I completely agree on the philosophy of Classical education (and Christian education) that is the backbone of our homeschooling. If we didn't agree on the philosophy, I fail to see how we could adequately homeschool. I tell him about things that have happened (good and bad) and encourage the kids to show him their work, especially that on which they have worked particularly hard. He's home on Mondays (day off) but generally just does laundry or other chores while we do our school. So he's involved but I do all the planning and ordering, etc. Juanita
If our husbands are the principals of our school, what is his job exactly? a) to choose curriculum b) to plan lessons c) to schedule our day d) to discipline our students e) to check work for errors or completion f) to stand between us (the teacher) and the state g) to stand behind us when pressured (by family, friends, neighbors) h) to provide finances i) all of the above j) none of the above What would the principal's job be at a public school? When I start wondering if my [dear husband] is doing his part I ask myself these questions. I was the one wanting to homeschool, he agreed to try for one year. After two months he would not think of sending the children back to school. He has tried to help teach subjects but he is not gifted with the ability to teach. But he does very well at encouraging (and bragging) and providing funds. He has asked if something was really necessary and only said no once or twice. There are days when I wish he were more up on the latest curriculums so I could discuss what I am aiming at, but he does listen. Unlike quite a few fathers we know he knows that his children's teacher has their best interests at heart. Sandy
	He has found a way to attend a field trip this year, he helped my son through the entire process of writing his first research paper last year, he administers the occasional spelling test and is appreciating that simply listening to me can be a real help oftentimes. Lori		Homeschool is an impossible task if it is done without the conviction of both parents that it needs doing. If one is always looking for the other to prove themselves, failure is certain, because someone looking for faults will surely find them whether they are meaningful ones or not. Laura
Believe it or not, my husband is a [public school] principal. He describes his job as "making it easy for teachers to teach". Whatever would come under that heading, from discipline to helping choose curriculum is what he does at work and at home. a mom

This is what my husband does with the kids. They have these choices put in a jar and dad gets to pick one out on a night when we have time to “play”. This is the list that kids (and we) came up with. Yes, there are some things that are in there twice. <wink>

build something with Legos
read from Grandma book
read from Dad's mission journal
build something with Knex
write in journals
make comics
play with dad's trains
play musical instruments
go out for ice cream
play chess
put on a puppet show
make an invention
take a trip to the library
play Nintendo
build something
color
play football
go on a scavenger hunt
mazes
play on the computer
read from Dad's mission journal
sing some songs
logic books
read the encyclopedia
put on a play
do a science lesson
listen to an old time radio show
learn about a country
shoot baskets
make a movie
watch a movie or DVD
play catch
read the encyclopedia
listen to an old time radio show
play "I spy"
play a game from Mom & Dad's closet
play in the play room
do artwork
read a book
learn about a country
wrestle
read from Dad's mission journal
read the encyclopedia
play "Hide and Go Seek"
read from Grandma book

Things mom wishes dad would do to help with the education in the home. (and other stuff)

Things mom wishes dad would do to help with the education in the home.
(and other stuff)