What Is a Homeschool Dad’s Role?
February 8, 2023
Deborah Wuehler
Dad: Support Manager or Six Shooter?
Todd Wilson
Let Him
Stacy Farrell
What’s a Father to Do?
Roger Smith
Dad Doing It
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Mercy Every Minute
Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor
Dad: Support Manager or Six Shooter?
Since this is about dads, let’s hear from Richard, the principal/administrator of our homeschool, to give you his ideas of a dad’s role.
I wish there was a silver bullet for fathers to use that would encourage their wives, but there’s not. Nope, there’s not just one silver bullet, there are several—kind of like a six shooter.
Bullet one: Be a support manager. If the father of the family is not supportive of homeschooling, how can a wife be encouraged? Support your wife. The decision to homeschool needs to be a joint one, and God blesses doing what’s right.
Bullet two: Help your wife prioritize what she does. That means the both of you need to communicate. Sometimes, doing things that are important take precedence over things that are good. Involving children in ministry one day may mean that it’s okay to skip math. Also, maybe you need to help her prioritize other things that happen at home. For example, Deborah needed to work from home on some tasks, but with the interruptions that would have taken place, I needed to help. We discussed what would help her to complete her task. We ended up with her visiting a quiet spot while I worked with the family at home.
Bullet three follows on bullet two: If your wife is following the Lord God, Creator of the heavens and the earth, and He is trying to use her in some form of ministry, my question is . . . are you in agreement, or not? Ministry is work, and it really needs to be a family thing. Homeschooling is also a ministry. If the Lord is calling your wife to a form of ministry, like homeschooling, more than likely, it’s the family being called to ministry. Encourage her! It’s for the glory of the Lord, so involve your whole family as you all need to work together to make it a success, and it’s for HIS glory.
Bullet four: Encourage your wife that this is a journey through the garden, not a trek up the corporate ladder. Enjoy homeschooling, and the freedom as well as the challenges it brings. Time is hurrying by.
Okay, there are a couple bullets missing from this six shooter. Maybe another dad out there can help with some of the other bullets? If you have any to share, shoot them on over to my wife. She may just print them in a future magazine issue (email: senioreditor@thehomeschoolmagazine.com). In the meantime, check out some helpful articles from The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine:
Dads, Homeschooling, and Higher Education Dad as Teacher, Mentor, and Professor, by By Dr. Christopher A. Perrin, MDiv, PhD
Dad Helps with the Home Stretch, by Martin Detweiler
Ways to be the Best Dad in a Crisis, by Christopher Laurie
No matter what you do, make it your aim to please God, and you will be shooting in the right direction every time.
~Richard Wuehler
Support Manager to Deborah Wuehler
Administrator of Adonai Academy
Todd Wilson
Let Him
Let me just say up front that my passion is showing dads how to be more involved in their families and especially in their homeschools. Now if I were writing to a bunch of men, I’d give them all kinds of practical ideas and thoughts on how to do that. But this time, I’m going to address all of you moms who are reading this. After all, if a dad isn’t very involved, he probably isn’t going to be reading this article anyway.
I’m going to share with you the holy grail of homeschooling—how to get your husband more involved in your life, your family, and your homeschool. I can see you nodding your head in disbelief. But I’m serious. What I’m going to share with you has the power to transform your life, your marriage, and especially your homeschool.
It’s not all that difficult in theory. In fact, it all boils down to one very simple principle. I could be putting myself out of business by sharing it with you, because it’s that simple. Are you ready for it?
Here it is: Whenever your husband involves himself in any way . . . LET HIM.
If you ask him to do something, and then correct him, offer unsolicited insights, or tell him why he’s doing it wrong . . . HE WON’T DO IT AGAIN.
So whenever your husband offers to help—LET HIM. Let him do it his way (even if you think it’s the wrong way), the way he sees best, and don’t say a word.
If you LET HIM do it his way . . . he’ll be more involved in your homeschool, family, and life.
Trust me on this one.
Be Real,
Todd
About the author
Todd Wilson is a husband, dad, grandpa, writer, homeschool conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd’s humor and down to earth realness have made him a favorite speaker all across the country and a guest on Focus on the Family. As founder of The Familyman and The Smiling Homeschooler, his passion and mission are to remind moms and dads of what’s most important through weekly emails, podcasts, seminars, and books that encourage parents. Todd, and his wife Debbie, homeschool four of their eight children (the other four are homeschool graduates) in northern Indiana and travel America in the Familyman Mobile. You can read more at www.familymanweb.com.
Stacy Farrell
What’s a Father to Do?
Since our focus at Homeschool Adventure is critical thinking from a Biblical worldview, it’s only natural that we turn to the Bible to discover what role dads play in our homeschools. The Bible is clear. The ultimate responsibility for what goes on in a household falls on dad’s shoulders. One day, he will give an account to God for that duty. Though daily involvement in homeschool will likely differ from household to household, dad needs to lead his family as he is led by the Father. In light of this, three “positions” come to mind . . .
Provider
When provider is mentioned within the family setting, we tend to think of financial provision—bread winner. While that may be the case in many households, the homeschool dad is provider of much more than monetary needs.
- He provides encouragement—a support beam that bolsters and secures.
- He provides a listening ear—a sounding board off which to bounce ideas.
- He provides leadership—an example to follow in both spiritual and practical matters.
Protector
While there are unfortunate exceptions in this fallen world, it is a healthy man’s nature to protect those he loves. Though physical threats present from time to time, the homeschool dad’s defense extends beyond the tangible.
- He protects against unrealistic expectations—that threaten Mom with the burden of perfectionism.
- He protects against footholds—that threaten to infiltrate through his children’s eyes and ears.
- He protects against fear—that materializes from peer pressure and outside opinions.
Principal
The principal of a traditional school oversees staff, fosters a healthy environment for learning, and disciplines when necessary. The homeschool dad assumes a similar role.
- He equips the teacher—ensuring her needs are met.
- He corrects the students—guiding them in the way they should go. (Prov. 22:6)
- He leads the home—promoting an atmosphere that is conducive to growth.
If I had to give one piece of advice regarding dad’s role in homeschool, I would simply pass on what one wise father told me in an interview: “Be a student of your children. Build them up in gift areas and be a friend in areas where they struggle.”
His love,
Stacy
About the author
Surprised by Jesus, Stacy went from an unmarried, childless, 30-something career woman to a Christ-following wife of more than twenty-eight years with two sons she homeschooled K-12. She battled fear and overwhelm, but survived and thrived. Author of more than books—including the award-winning Philosophy Adventure and newly released Food Prep Guide, she loves to equip and encourage homeschool families. Visit her at HomeschoolAdventure.com or at her newly-launched site: FoodPrepGuide.com.
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Roger Smith
Pillar of Knowledge
Roger Smith – Dad Doing It
Dad’s influence is underrated. Children do better when Dad is present, engaged, and establishing values. Rodney Atkins, a country music artist, has a song, “Watching You” that depicts the power a father has as his child watches him.
Dad, your words matter. Your actions matter. Your presence matters. Give attention to each of these. Raising children is not just a mom’s responsibility. Dad is the one who sets the standard of what is right for them in life.
As a busy physician, I had little time outside work, but I was determined to make the moments count. A brief devotional discussion happened at breakfast, and after my often-late return home from work, I would read aloud some of the book Jan had begun with them, and then I put them to bed. It was all the time I had in those days.
No matter the demands, you can find some meaningful moments.
Five words important to a child are “I am proud of you”—words of value that communicate what you see them becoming—a person who is good and right. And that is power for them to face life.
Your life and your words propel your children forward.
About the author
Dr. Roger Smith is a family doctor in rural Louisiana, where he and his wife, Jan, raised four adventurous children who are all grown, making their own mark in the world. He speaks and writes on parenting issues and produces brief videos that can be found on Facebook @ParentingMattersNow.
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Today’s generation of teens still wants to know that adults believe in them so they can believe in themselves. In Disconnected: Connecting with Teens in the Digital Age, you’ll find insights to help both parents and teens build strong, authentic relationships based on affirmation, encouragement, compassion, and guidance. Parents can gain insight into how to better relate to the teens in their lives, and teens can find encouragement that they are not alone. Stay connected!
Am I caring more about God’s plans for my child or my reputation as a homeschooling parent? From her homeschool in the Philippines, Katherine Tanyu addresses “The Danger of Prideful Parenting” in this recent article from the digital side of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine.
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Stephanie Morrison, Canada Team Manager from The Old Schoolhouse®, shares thoughts on the unique role fathers may play in home education in Episode 2: “What Is a Homeschool Dad’s Role?” Plus, hear wisdom from seasoned homeschool dads speaking at the recent Virtual Family Retreat. Don’t miss this episode’s show notes, full of links and more resources on this topic.
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Contest Corner
for the month of February
The Spirit of a Revolution, Boston: Liberty’s Cradle
Note: The climax of this novel is the Boston Tea Party which celebrates its 250th anniversary later this year. The novel is full of factual information that can be used with related studies about this time in history.
Cam Molineux
https://cammolineux.com/
In our homeschool, we are doing a deep dive into American history. So, the novel The Spirit of a Revolution, Boston: Liberty’s Cradle, by Cam Molineux, was perfect for exploring beyond the typically taught ideas. Focusing on William Molineux and the events preceding the Boston Tea Party, this novel takes the reader into the daily life of prominent Boston residents and the struggles they faced as the conflict between the colonies and Great Britain grew.
From the first chapter, the novel draws the reader into scenes of personal conflict and struggle. What should one do when faced with growing antagonism between a governing body and individual freedoms? The reader can sympathize with Mr. Molineux as he tries to best combat Parliament’s tyrannical laws. Beginning with the summer of 1764 and moving through the Boston Tea Party, it is an easy read and flows well. We used it as a family read-aloud and often made notes to stop to look up more information on specific events.
As a homeschooling mother, I appreciated the author’s ability to draw the reader into the story. As well-known as the Boston Tea Party is, much day-to-day information about this time was not found in a typical textbook. The author is also a descendant of the main character and incorporated that knowledge of her family.
The novel best kept the attention of my ten-and-older children. It was an excellent way to set the tone for a deep dive into American history.
Go to the contest page of our site where you can ENTER TO WIN the book The Spirit of a Revolution, Boston: Liberty’s Cradle.
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