His little hand squeezes mine
As we venture into the darkness
To gaze up at the sliver of a moon
And try to count a zillion stars
Feeling gone “forever” reappears
Awe and wonder for that night
When first I counted heavenly
Stars with my own dear father
By Carlynn McCormick
Home education(1) can have a profound effect on a parent, just as surely as it can affect a child. Sharing a piece of life with your child often brings back memories of your own youth, be they good or bad.
What was your school experience like? Was it fun and challenging? Were you filled with an eagerness to learn? Was it one of the best times of your life?
Or did it sometimes make you feel stupid? Was it scary, embarrassing, or just plain mediocre?
If school brought us happiness, we want the same for our children; if we found it unbearable, we don’t want our children suffering the same fate.
Most parents look for ways to better guarantee that their children’s school experience is a pleasant one. Parents who themselves did well in public school might send their children to public school.
Parents who disliked public education might send their children to private schools that offer personalized attention. When this is not an option, they might set aside a specific time outside of school to interact with their children.
More and more parents choose to home study so they can be at the helm, ensuring their children’s education is both effective and pleasurable.
Secret Revealed
But no matter which path a parent turns to, the question often remains—is there a secret to making subjects effective and pleasurable for my child?
The answer: most certainly!
It has long been an axiom(2) that the children who get the most out of school are the ones taught by parents and teachers who are so passionate about a subject they endow it with life.
And being such a teacher is the “secret.”
Tribute to Life
Perhaps the best way to generate passion for any subject is to embrace it as a “tribute to life.” For example, if you want to teach about biology, take your child on a nature hike. Enchant him by pointing out the beauty of a flower and take the time to feel the softness of its petals. Find delight in spotting a squirrel scampering across your path and in stopping to watch a line of ants busy at work.
Expect your child to ask lots and lots of questions about the wonders of life. Tell him what you know and together research the unknown.
Your Child’s Curiosity
Camaraderie(3) such as this not only creates and instills a love of learning in your child it enhances that same quality in you. Then too, by finding ways to tap into your child’s natural curiosity, you often rehabilitate your own inherent questions about life (all too frequently dimmed by the responsibilities of adulthood).
By revisiting the wonders of the past, celebrating the wonders of the day, or imagining new wonders for the future, you and your child just might set in motion an unparalleled(4) eagerness for knowledge!
2. Axiom: A saying that is widely accepted on its own merits.
3. Camaraderie: The quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability.
4. Unparalleled: Radically distinctive and without equal.
