5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials, #2: My Husband

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Deanna

(This week several members of The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew will be giving everyone a glimpse into their daily lives by sharing “5 Days of Homeschooling Essentials.”)

After “#1: God’s Guidance,” the next most important thing I would consider essential to our homeschooling success is, without a doubt, my husband Eric. He is my greatest source of support and encouragement, and it would be so hard to face the challenges of homeschooling without him by my side.

Eric is one of the most hard-working guys I know. He puts in more than 10 hours a day Monday through Friday (and often Saturdays too) at a physically demanding job, then comes home and assumes the title of “Dad” with gusto. Even on the days when he’s completely exhausted, he always seems able to muster up enough energy for a game of Candyland with Elijah, one more time through Arianna’s current favorite book, and a few minutes to admire Ian’s latest creative endeavor.

I honestly don’t know how he does it, but I’m so thankful for my husband’s diligence. His long days at work make my days at home possible. We may not have the fancy house, expensive gadgets, or other nice things we could afford if both of us worked, but he cares more about providing our children with the things that really matter and is willing to sacrifice such luxuries.

Eric’s contribution to our homeschool is not merely financial, however. He never considered homeschooling before I mentioned it (he grew up in private Christian schools and figured we’d follow suit), but he trusts me and has seen how it has benefited our family even just in the preschool years. Now he is my greatest cheerleader, wholeheartedly embracing the homeschool lifestyle and helping in every way he can. He leads our family Bible time each evening, reads to the kids before bed every night, and teaches our boys about things I know nothing about like electricity, engines, and other modern mysteries. Often when he works on Saturdays he takes the boys with him, providing them with a learning experience no classroom could offer.

There are many wonderful resources out there to help homeschool moms do their job well, but all those things pale in comparison to what a supportive husband brings to our homeschool experience. Eric is, in one word, essential.

Come back every day this week to see what other things made my top 5 list, and click on the picture below to see what the rest of Crew is blogging about this week!