Getting Dad Involved in Homeschooling

I encourage you to find a way to get dad involved in homeschooling. Here are some tips to help.

When we first began homeschooling, my husband felt “out of the loop”. He came home at the end of the day knowing that we “did school” but not really knowing what we did, or how the girls did that day. This is different from public school because typically kids come home with homework, notes from the teacher, or graded papers. I realized that if my husband was going to understand our girl’s education at all, I would have to find ways to get him involved.

In most homeschool families, mom does the bulk of the educating. However, dads can get involved too. It is important for them to know what is going on in regards to the education of their children.

One way we do this is during dinnertime the girls tell their dad their favorite and worst part of the day. We call this high and low. Sometimes it is related to school, sometimes not, but it is still a fun way to let dad know how the day went.

Another way to get dad involved in homeschooling is by showing him some of what the kids do each week. Maybe it is a spelling test, a science experiment, or an art project. Let the kids pick something they did in school at the end of the day or week to show their dad.

Field trips are a great way to be involved! We try to plan big trips on days when my husband can go. These are some of our favorite homeschool field trips.  If there is a field trip going on that you know your husband may be interested in, suggest him taking a vacation day, or rescheduling at a time when you can all go together.

Most moms would love it if dad helped with grading papers! I spend time each night going through the kid’s papers and grading or checking work. My husband helps sometimes and when he does, he is always surprised by what the kids have done in school.

What is dad an “expert” in? Maybe mechanics? Carpentry? Math? If so, let dad teach a subject on his own. Life skills are an important part of any homeschool, and if dad has a subject he is particularly interested in teaching his kids, let him! A friend’s husband is a mathematician so he does all of the math in their homeschool. Another’s husband is a certified chef, so cooking skills are right up his alley. Teaching these subjects is a great way to nurture father/child relationships and get some extra homeschooling in to boot!

I encourage you to find a way to get dad involved in your child’s homeschooling. Yes, dads are the principal of our homeschools, and the one who usually provides the financial support, but being involved in the education of our children is also important, and something they may find they enjoy

Author Bio: Misty Bailey is the blogger behind Joy in the Journey and the podcaster behind Joyfully Homeschooling.  Her goal in this online space is to encourage and inspire you on your homeschool journey by providing practical tips for real life homeschooling. Through real stories, real struggles, and real life, Misty encourages her blog readers and podcast listeners to embrace imperfection and strive for a more joyful homeschool.