Salute to Homeschool Fathers

by Kirsten Love
Source: Tampa Homeschooling Examiner
June 20, 2009

In honor of Father’s Day, I thought I’d take a moment to recognize all the homeschool dads out there. While it is usually the moms who get all the credit for teaching the kids, where would we be without the fathers? It may be true in many households (mine included) that the mother handles the majority of day to day issues in education and manages curriculum, assignments, and field trips, but the dads play a vital role, too, from teacher to facilitator, and everything in between.

I know that my own husband fulfills the part of principal supporter and encourager. He has always placed the utmost confidence in my abilities to raise and educate our children. When I am wavering about our successes, about whether or not we’re achieving anything at all through this homeschooling experiment, he is there to point out the accomplishments I pass over in my doubting frenzy. Seen through his eyes, our children really are learning and growing into amazing people. Just when I think I’m ruining them or failing to provide the solid foundation I believe to be essential to their future, he is there to open my vision beyond the difficult days so I can see the whole picture. And, I know countless other husbands and fathers are out there, too, praising their kids when they show them the latest science project, patting their wives on the back for tackling another day of fractions when they may have dreamed of just going to the grocery store alone so they wouldn’t feel the need to teach consumer math as they try to put something together for dinner that night.

As far as financial support goes, most of us would not even be able to consider homeschooling without the hard work of all the dads. Again, I can only point to the long hours and days my husband puts in trying to provide for our family’s needs and say, “Job well done.” It isn’t easy being the one who shoulders that responsibility, the one who has to drive away every morning to face the outside world while we may still be in our pajamas getting ready to read together on the couch. Knowing that he believes in us so fervently that he will do whatever it takes to keep our homeschooling lifestyle going, makes us appreciate it that much more. Even when I think I may pull my hair out over another meltdown moment at the kitchen table, I am so grateful for that opportunity to be the one at home with my children rather than out working while they spend the day filling time in a classroom somewhere unable to ask a question unless it will be on the test.

So, to all the dads out there helping to homeschool their children, I hope you’ll read this and know that we thank you. Whether you are the primary breadwinner, late night math tutor, funny storyteller, or simply number one cheerleader, we couldn’t manage without you. You make it possible and you make it meaningful.

Happy Father’s Day!