Whether you're feeling discouraged about teaching your kids something new or you're contemplating the idea of homeschooling your kids but don't feel qualified, I have some encouraging thoughts for you. I know it can feel overwhelming. Especially at times when you don't know where to start. And you might wonder if you're qualified or if you could do more harm than good....anyone else, or just me? I taught for 5 years in a public school setting and it was a wild ride that gave me an impactful understanding to many things and instead of pushing me to think you had to have a degree to teach, it actually made me think the exact opposite! Keep reading to find out 4 reasons why you're qualified (even without a degree) and feel encouraged to teach your babies!
+ You're already teaching them every day!
You teach them how to tie their shoes. How to open a door. How to be kind. How to say "thank you". How to share. How to count to 10. How to eat solids. When you start looking for all the little things you teach your kids, you might see that you've already been teaching them ALL THE TIME. Some things you might be more intentional about teaching and others might just come naturally without you realizing it. Teaching is naturally a part of our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. Who or what is determining that you're all the sudden no longer qualified to teach them something?
And with some things you might be thinking, 'I didn't really teach them that, they kind of just figured it out on their own.' Exactly! Let that be evidence to you that you don't need to be an expert. Kids are capable of so much more than we think and their brains are naturally curious and wanting to figure things out. Sometimes our job is to just get out of the way and let their beautiful brains do their thing. I honestly find it harder to not jump in and assist, but the best kind of learning can come from those moments!
+ Teaching does not have to mean dumping all the knowledge you have into your kids' brains!
When I look back to my favorite times teaching, it's not when I was up in front of a room of kids, telling them something that they took notes on and having them memorize that information. It's when I gave them a task that they struggled with, and I was there to listen to them, ask them questions, and guide them to learning something on their own. It was when we learned things together. It was when we laughed over something silly and made learning fun. Teaching kids can look like something completely different than what your brain associates it to mean (probably because that's how you were taught). We all learn better by experiencing, trying, failing, trying again, having fun, and learning with others. While there are certainly times when explaining is needed, that is a small part. Teaching can take on many different shapes and forms, which is what can make learning so fun and enjoyable. And the best part - there's no right or wrong way. That's the beauty of every person having their own style and doing what's best for their family/kids.
+ You don't have to do it all and you don't have to do everything perfectly!
Everything doesn't fall on you. When I was a public school teacher, I needed help OFTEN. Actually, I wish I had asked for more help. If I didn't know how to teach something, I would seek out help on how to teach it. When I couldn't figure out how to manage behaviors, I tried other ideas that I found online or that people shared with me. And if I struggled teaching something, I could have someone else teach it, whether that be through a video or through a different person, sometimes it was even another student. You're not expected to have all the answers nor are you expected to never make a mistake. Have you ever taught a classroom full of almost 30 seventh graders the WRONG THING? Because I have and let me tell ya, it's actually pretty amazing to come back to them, explain how you messed up, reteach them, and watch them not only forgive you, but also love you more for it. It's pretty beautiful and kids are pretty amazing. We think they look up to us to be the experts, but they don't just look up to us for the knowledge we have. When they see that you're not always perfect, it doesn't make them not trust you or not want to learn from you anymore. The opposite is true. They know they are safe to not be experts either and make mistakes too. They'll love learning from you (and with you) even more when they see your humanness.
+ You're qualified by *literally* just trying
Experience comes in a variety of ways. While it can come from a college degree, it can also come from raising tiny humans. A college student might learn something that a mom might not and vice versa. Both are valuable and bring powerful knowledge to the table. With that said, you do not have to have a degree to teach or even homeschool your children. How do I know? Because I went to college to be a teacher and I couldn't tell you more than a few hours worth of what I remember learning, lol. I had some incredible professors and some amazing mind-blowing lessons. But when I got in the classroom and started teaching, I felt like a fish out to sea. I often felt like I didn't know what I was doing but I just kept showing up and kept trying every day. And honestly, teachers do their very best to make every student have fun and feel loved, and the times where they can squeeze in some knowledge, they usually have a curriculum they are following (or tweaking). You can do that too. And an extra bonus, you can pick a curriculum that you love and that fits well with your family.
In case you were feeling discouraged about being able to teach your kids, I hope you feel more capable with these 4 reasons of why you ARE qualified to teach your kids!
Much love and I'm rooting for you,
Brittany ♡
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