Integrating Grandparents into Homeschooling
Monday, October 30th, 2006By Mimi Rothschild
I found a fascinating article in my newsfeed. It’s short, but it had me thinking all morning. WHAM-TV declares that homeschooling among grandparents is on the rise. Offering only one example to back this claim up didn’t do a lot to convince me that this is actually happening across the country. However, the idea piqued my interest.
If you think about it, the relationship makes perfect sense. Some grandparents have little to do during the day. They are often lonely and despondent, with their best years behind them. Most grandparents would jump for joy at the thought of spending more time with their grandchildren.
At the same time, a lot of parents forsake homeschooling for financial reasons. Both mom and dad have full time jobs. Therefore the educational needs of children are pushed to the back burner.
This innovative educational relationship seems wonderful to me. Grandma or grandpa get to spend more time with the kids, passing down wisdom and experience that can only come with age. Mom and Dad have more free time. The children are benefited by the opportunity to spend more time with their grandparents. This kind of relationship is a fantastic way for grandparents to share love and wisdom with their grandchildren. What better way to learn history than from those who have lived it?
On year I had my two oldest children meet with their grandparents for an entire day. Armed with tape recorders, they interviewed them about a variety of different topics such as the Depression, World War II, the birth of radio and television, and the experience of raising yours truly. Both the children and grandparents were enriched through this priceless interaction.
If you have grandparents who live nearby, I would encourage you to think of innovative ways to include them in your children’s homeschooling. You don’t have to hand over the entire year. Perhaps they could teach a single course or take them to a WWII museum for a field trip. If only for a day, grandparents have a lot to offer.