I used to think that it was impossible to get my husband on board with the idea of homeschooling. Home education was a completely new idea to him. He grew up in a country where homeschooling is rarely practiced. He was shocked to discover that it’s legal and a popular form of education in the United States. At first, he thought the idea was bizarre, anti-social, and too much for me to handle.
It took him a while to wrap his head around the idea of homeschooling. I had to assure him repeatedly that homeschooling is not social isolation and that our kids won’t be kept in a bubble at home. The social aspect was his main concern. We talked about how there are a lot of options for co-ops, groups, and classes outside of the home. Additionally, I began to research homeschooling intensively. I read books, articles, watched videos, listened to several podcasts, e-mailed universities, and reached out to veteran homeschooling mothers.
I sat down with him and shared what I learned and my goals for homeschooling our children. I expressed that this was an idea that I was very dedicated to and passionate about. We agreed on giving it a try even though he was still very uncomfortable with the idea. At first, it was a challenge because my oldest son is very strong-willed and was not a fan of what I was trying to teach him. I felt embarrassed to homeschool in front of my husband because I felt like he was going to say, ” I told you so.” Nevertheless, we didn’t give up.
In the last year, my husband’s mindset has shifted tremendously. He is now one of my biggest advocates of homeschooling. He is the only one who has had to face numerous criticisms and questions from people abroad and in his social circle. I’m extremely proud of how he has handled the pressure. I would have never imagined this day would come. If you are in a similar position, please don’t give up!
There are several things that I did that could help you if you are in a similar situation…
- Sit down and sincerely discuss why you want to homeschool. Listen to his concerns. Avoid bashing public schools and sounding biased.
- Gather unbiased research demonstrating the pros and cons of homeschooling.
- Email colleges and universities asking their stance on homeschooling. Show him the emails.
- Introduce him to other homeschooling dads, particularly from a similar culture.
- Have a plan for socialization.
- Have a plan for your curricula, learning goals, activities etc.
- Highlight the bonus of exposing them to language learning, traveling, and religion.
- Have a trial period and emphasize that homeschooling shouldn’t be a copy of traditional school at home.
- Document your trial period and activities to show your husband an idea of homeschooling life.
- Show YouTube videos or blogs of other homeschooling families.
I also want to remind you to go easy on yourself. You will feel a lot of pressure to make things perfect but this is unrealistic. There may be a lot of frustrating days the first year but this is a part of the learning process.
