Teacher, I Ain't

 I've had people say to me that because I have a background in education I am better equipped to teach my child.  Just to let you know, a degree in Secondary Education: History and Economics does not seem to be very helpful to homeschooling my Kindergartener.  Really, since I've become a parent, I find that anything I picked up in my "schooling to school others" has really been thrown out the window. 

If we're being honest, I think my Psychology Major husband has a distinct advantage (with all his experience training computer program lab rats) in this game.

It has been my experience (so far) in parenting that has given me the most insight into how to teach my child at home.  I think the most helpful thing in homeschooling is knowing your child.  Knowing how your child learns and how they respond in situations are going to be the best tools in teaching your child. 

Through Parenting, things I have learned about Silas (and myself):

Lesson 1: It doesn't matter how many warnings are given or attempts are made at making positive transitions, if something fun ends sooner than Silas wants it to, it ends poorly.  It happened when he was a babbling toddler who would throw himself on the ground instead of calmly leaving the park, it happens now when he's a four and a half foot five year old with a wiggly tooth. 
Lesson learned: We can't do anything fun.  Period. 

Lesson 2: I have come to realize I am a much better care taker than I am parent.  I feel quite confidant  in meeting physical needs and helping my children avoid physical harm (Judah combing his hair with Daddy's razor aside--see previous post).  Parenting, however, requires much more logic, planning, reason and strategy.  I am daily afforded the opportunity to be stretched in my parenting skills by having a kid old enough to try talking back, procrastinate, attempt to negotiate and find every single loophole...
Lesson Learned: Homeschooling is stretches your parent muscles much more than building a teacher muscle