8 Practical Ways Men Can Support Their Homeschooling Wives5 min read

Nowadays, homeschooling is growing really popular among a lot of families, one of its primary reasons being the covid pandemic. Since the onset of the pandemic, a lot of families have had their doubts and speculations about the traditional school system. Not a lot of students can cope with the online methods and hence, parents/ guardians have become more or less solely responsible for their children’s education and thus, have started making a transition from traditional teaching methods towards a more bold, untested and unconventional approach- homeschooling. However, with new things come new challenges and one of its complications was an extra responsibility on the mom. A lot of times it happens that men want to help but don’t really know how, so this article talks about the various ways through which they can show their appreciation by being a strong support system and lending a hand to their wives.

Ways by which men can support their wives

• Taking turns teaching the kids in order to break the monotony

Being taught by a single person might become dull and uninteresting for the kids. Similarly, it might be taxing and tedious for the mom as well to constantly teach the kids. In order to combat this problem, men can always schedule in between study sessions in order to break the monotony and stir some excitement among the kids. It will not only be entertaining for the kids but will also give their wives time to slow down and catch their breaths and would be a nice change of pace. For instance- scheduling one class per week won’t be too demanding from the men as well and will give all the moms a breather.

• Help in doing house chores or running errands

Teaching the kids, doing all the household chores and taking care of the entire family will surely overwhelm the moms and hence, it’s advisable to take this pressure off them by taking some responsibility for oneself. The household chores can easily be divided between both the parents and thus, can be done subsequently. For instance- making a schedule where the husband cooks twice a week and goes grocery shopping once a month, will just give all the moms some free time at their expense which can further be used as per their choice. The schedule can be as personalized as one wants, do whatever suits you and divide the chores however you prefer or break the work into various chunks if that’s easier for you.

• Introducing the kids to a new hobby

Education isn’t just about bookish knowledge or mugging up what battle was fought in which year and who won, it’s more than that. It’s about learning, understanding and focusing on the holistic development of a child, which can only be achieved when kids go out and try different things and live new experiences. Taking the kids out for educational trips and introducing them to hobbies such as learning new languages or coding will not only make them smarter but also improve their analytical skills. This will only ensure a purposeful learning experience and a comprehensive approach for them. Not to mention, these will be a few contributing factors by fathers’ in their children’s education.

• Teach life skills

Teaching useful and important skills like how to change oil, plant a garden or build a treehouse are some of the really essential skills that are again not included in any curriculum. Learning about them will only prove to be beneficial for the kids in the long run.

• Always be there when she wants to vent

Sometimes, all a person needs is just someone to vent to. Life can always get overwhelming and with kids and responsibilities it mostly always is. Thus, just simply being there whenever she needs you, and listening to her problems without feeling the need to instantly provide a solution, will be valued more than a grand gesture. Guys have this urge to fix things but letting her rant and talk her heart out is sometimes the only solution that needs attention.

• Respect what she does

People have a tendency to think they are superior to everyone and undermine others’ achievements as a result, their work goes unnoticed and unacknowledged. This not only plants a seed for bottled up anger and frustration but is not healthy for familial relationships. Therefore, in order to avoid that, always appreciate what your wife does, whether she’s a stay-at-home mom or goes for work, whatever it is that she does is equally if not more important than your work and she should get the due credit. Respecting what she does and acknowledging her efforts will just be the extra bit of emotional support that she needs.

• Give your wife a day in/ day out

A break once in a while is necessary for everyone and especially for those who work so meticulously and wholeheartedly. Give your wife a little break, fix her a spa appointment to relax and unwind or take her out on a date night or simply take her shopping and spend time with her. All these things are just the little token of appreciation that says, “you have worked so hard, now you need a break. So let me pamper you”. This will also strengthen your relationship with her and make her feel one of the most significant aspects of your life.

• Be ready for the chaos

Since homeschoolers usually have all their study material scattered in the entire house which might be uncomfortable for others but understanding what comes with this responsibility is important. There are going to be maps stuck on the wall, various chemical equations and Math formulas are written on a page stuck on the bathroom mirror, books in nearly all the rooms, just to name a few. The whole house will start to resemble a classroom but being patient and accepting of the change is the only way to ensure the successful working of the homeschooling system.

There are going to be tons of changes, therefore, being accepting of those changes and being compassionate about the needs of everyone in the family is the only way to assist your wife in homeschooling the kids, making sure that the process doesn’t disrupt and runs as smoothly as possible.