I think it’s true to say that kids get more than enough education at school. But I also think every parent at some point, considers how to give them a little extra home time. This could be for a whole number of reasons. If you think they’re struggling or falling behind at school, you might want to give your child a boost. You might want to make sure they don’t forget what they learned through spring break. With so much happening in the summer I honestly think it’s amazing kids keep any of the knowledge they learned. There’s also the possibility that you’re considering homeschooling your kids. On this post, I’m going to look at what you’ll need to educate your kids at home and resources you can use. I’ll also offer some tips on how to incorporate education into home life naturally. We should also look at some of the benefits of homeschooling. I know it’s become more popular lately. So let’s get started.
Natural Home Education Possibilities
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There’s plenty of ways that you can quietly and easily incorporate a little extra education into your children’s home life. You could start by asking them to pick a book to read, each month or week, depending on the level they are at. I think this is a great idea during the summer holidays or as I like to call it, the educational drought. It doesn’t matter what book they choose. Although, I recommend you help pick one that is a little above what they’re used to. I’m not suggesting they should be reaching for a dictionary on every second word. But a little challenge is good.
You may also want to encourage them to keep a journal or a diary. This gives them the chance to write more outside of school and has been shown to improve social development. Through a journal, your child can write down their thoughts and experiences. To keep a level of trust, this is not something that you should view or grade. It is strictly for them, and it will be their responsibility to keep it up.
You may also want to encourage them to use mathematical skills at home. When you were in school, I’m sure that you’ll remember teachers always told you math is something you’ll use throughout your life. Now that you’re an adult, you probably think they were talking rubbish. That’s just because you’re using the skills you learned at school without even thinking about it. You might be balancing your checkbook, working out taxes or measuring ingredients in baking. All these little things involve the use of math. If you want to encourage your child, you should include them in these type of activities on a basic level. By doing this, you will also help them understand things that they need to know about later in life.
Resources You Can Use
What do you need to help your children learn at home? Well, I’ve already mentioned a few of things that would be useful, but there are other resources you perhaps haven’t considered. It may surprise you to learn that games have been proven to be educational for children. I know as parents we often think of video games as a purely fun activity for kids. But there are lots of games that are designed for learning purposes. As well as this, some games include puzzles that require a child to use their intelligence. While there are obviously titles you want to avoid, you should look into this possibility.
You can also use another form of entertainment such as cable television. Again, this will be a source you consider purely for entertainment. But there are plenty of channels that could help your child’s education. The history channel, for instance, has programs that will certainly expand your child’s knowledge.
Alternately, you can buy resources that teachers might be using in their lessons. Have a look at BookPagez for more information on this possibility. You might think that this will only be useful if you’re tutoring your child at home. But you could use a resource like this to expand on a topic they were struggling with in class. Or, give them extra attention on a subject that they find more difficult. I would certainly, at least, consider using this type of resource once a week during the summer drought.
Alternatively, you may want to hire a tutor to homeschool your child. Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of this possibility.
Homeschooling
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Homeschooling does have a stigma attached to it that you need to be aware of. If you homeschool your child, you might be seen as a parent who is overprotective. You might also cause your child to make fewer friends than their peers. This is simply due to the fact that they’ll have fewer chances for social interaction. While this might seem like the end of the story, it isn’t.
Educational standards in the country today are, to say the least, questionable. We are no longer at the top of the charts when examining countries, by education. As well as this, there are constantly news stories that must lead you to question of whether public schooling is best for your child. By homeschooling them, you’ll be able to work on their level and at a speed that they can handle. They will also get a lot more attention. This could lead to more positive results in the future.
Of course, to ensure this you will need to be using some of the resources we mentioned. You must also consider the costs. Homeschool is expensive particularly if you will be hiring a full-time tutor.
Ultimately, whether or not to homeschool a child is the individual choice of each parent. As you can see, there are arguments on both sides of the field. That said if you do wish to homeschool your child the resources are available to make it happen.
I hope you’ve found this post interesting. Check back soon for more tips and advice on your children’s education.
Disclosure: This is a contributed post.
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