I was hesitant to title this because “educating” seems so formal and how much learning actually happens “at home” compared to outside our little private living space?
And that’s my point in this blog: If you are parent, you’re already your kids’ primary teacher.
This is my opinion obviously (who’s else would it be?) but you are also your children’s most effective educator also. Even if your child is enrolled in public or private school, but the moment you see them in the afternoon, the lessons begin.
I’ll take a quick moment to interject here: the decision to fully home-educate one or more of your children is to be celebrated. I don’t want to minimize that. Also, I recognize as a home-schooler myself that educating my kids on my own is also a ministry. It’s the path I’ve chosen to educate my kids and that decision can’t be taken lightly (although it’s a decision that is full of joy also)!
Back to the topic at hand:
Parenting is educating!
From the moment your little one looked into your face, neurons started to fire and your precious baby started to learn. And you were the teacher. As she starts to scooch around the floor to reach valuable objects (“Noooo. Doggy toy is not for baby.”) and her babble becomes first words (or the babble that we say are real words out of sheer excitement) and a hundred other ways that this tiny human being with your eyes and endearing dimples, you have to agree she is learning from you.
Whether you choose to home-educate full-time or not, know this: your child is learning from you still.
He or she is studying what makes you happy and what puts you off, when your face lights up and when you get stormy, what things bring praise and what doesn’t. So, be intentional. Hug often. Reward with high-fives … And always celebrate the gift of being your child’s first and life-long teacher.
What about you? How are you being an intentional teacher to your child today?
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