The Homeschooling Handbook_ From Preschool to High School - Mary Griffith [58]
If they don’t want my help, they make that clear. If they want my assistance, advice, or ideas, I would be an awful person if I left them to their own devices anyway. If I notice what they’re working on or thinking about, I often pull related books or materials out of the shelves to leave on the tables, but they are free to ignore them if they wish. I let them know about community resources they can use and provide transportation or help making contact if they want it. If they seem frustrated, I ask if I can help. If they’re running along with something, I try to stay out of their way and not interfere. Sometimes I blow it, but life is like that. I’ve found I can shut down a child’s interest if I get too involved without invitation, so I try to tread carefully. They all like me, though, so they usually invite me to share their discoveries. I just wish my oldest could occasionally get enthusiastic about sharing earlier than midnight because I have a tendency to drift off on him, having been awakened early by the bouncing babies.
Donna homeschools her three kids (eleven, nine, and five) in the state of Washington. She runs a newsletter and mail-order book company from her home. The kids are an integral part of the business, helping with sorting and mailing and daily operations, as well as testing the books, software, and other materials Donna considers for her catalog.
I believe that I am capable of imparting a love for learning, research skills, and an appreciation for life. My children are self-motivated, self-taught, and mainly experiential learners.
I read for several hours per day; they read for several hours per day. I use computers in my work; they use computers in their work. I write professionally; they write. I cook; they cook. I use mathematics in my business, and so do they.
They are ever present when I speak to sales managers, clients, and publishers on the phone. They are also present when I converse with bank managers for business advice.
Usually the adult work world is separated from family life. Mom and Dad go to work outside the home while the children attend school. I choose to work with my children in tow, and even though it is hard, it is worth it. My children humanize my business. They are constant reminders of my priorities: love, family, and work. I am there when they need me, and we are always working toward a more harmonious and loving family.
I take my children wherever I go, and that includes out-of-state speaking engagements. The more I work, the more I travel, and I am determined to keep them with me through it all. I practice all of my speeches with my children. They are with me every step of the way, from drafts to rewrites to oral practice. They know what it takes to make a professional presentation because we practice a lot (and I need their help).
My boys are learning Spanish from a native Peruvian. She conducts two one-hour classes per week for homeschoolers in her home. They are learning to converse in Spanish and, at their insistence, to read and write in the language also.
The boys study tap and jazz dancing, and Rukiya studies ballet and tap. Latif is on baseball and soccer teams, Kahil plays on a soccer team, and all three children are excellent swimmers.
Looking to the Outside
The middle years are when outside lessons often become important, both for conventionally schooled students and for homeschoolers. Typical are piano and other music lessons; gymnastics, soccer, Little League, and similar sports programs; sometimes foreign language study or other relatively academic supplements. Homeschoolers often go beyond the more usual lessons and sports leagues into more or less formal mentorships and apprenticeships.
Say, for instance, that your son is fascinated by local history and wants to learn more about