This question has been asked at least once by every homeschool parent in their homeschooling journey. But the answer is, “Yes!” You are definitely qualified. Let me allay your doubts about your abilities and qualifications.

1. You are a parent.

That is an obvious statement, but it’s because you are the greatest advocate for your child. You want the best for them and that includes a quality education. I bet if your son/ daughter said they would love to learn about dinosaurs you would be looking for videos, books, and resources to help foster that interest, even if you are not interested in it. That is a quality of a great teacher.

2. No one knows your child better than you.

You know when your child is getting overwhelmed; when they are interested in continuing; when they are interested in a subject and really, really really want to delve further into a topic. The classroom cannot provide more than just the necessary things needed for your child’s education since they have so many children to teach, specific topics to cover, and a limited amount of time for each subject. You have the choice to spend what time you need or want on a particular subject.

3. You can tailor your daughter/son’s education to fit them.

Perhaps you have a child who is squirmy, or a child who is quiet and doesn’t enjoy large, noisy discussion groups. You can make your child’s learning environment fit their unique learning style.

4. You don’t need a teaching degree.

You are uniquely qualified to instruct your daughter/son in more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic. Although, it goes without saying, teaching school subjects is essential and must be taught. Consider this, you instruct your child all day in matter such as: personal hygiene; caring for the house; being empathetic; serving others, and the list continues. Ohio has a provision that everyone, no matter your own education, can homeschool their child. CLICK HERE for more information and see item #9.

5. You don’t have to teach every subject.

There are a few people who can teach every subject from K-12, but that person is as rare as finding a real diamond ring in the box of cereal where there is a toy surprise inside of it. There are so many resources now that you can find a class for that particular subject. Here are a few ideas to help teach those difficult subjects.

• Curricula Cathy Duffy Reviews has a list of curricula to help you decide which one is best for your family.

• Online

• Community programs and classes

• Fellow homeschool moms

• Co-ops (after all of the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted)

To learn more about the laws of homeschooling in your state, go to Home School Legal Defense or Home School State Laws.

Have a great week! ~Lisa~