Homeschool Fathers in Leadership
   By Wayne Walker

"And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). Father's Day was last month, but since many homeschooling families take a break during the summer and start making plans for renewing their children's academic studies in the fall, the whole summer is a good time for fathers to examine their role in the homeschool. In most situations, Mom does most of the actual instruction and day-to-day interaction with the children in their schooling, but that does not mean that Dad is off the hook. Fathers, God has given us the primary responsibility for the upbringing of our children, including their education. Therefore, we need to be doing whatever we can to help them in their learning and also to help Mom in her teaching.

"For the husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church: and He is the Savior of the body" (Ephesians 5:23). Homeschooling fathers should be leaders in their homes. In most situations where Dad is gone for a large portion of the day to make a living, we might compare Mom to the teacher and Dad to the principal. In a normal school situation, it is the principal who provides leadership for the whole school and makes most of the final decisions, in consultation with the teachers. One way in which a homeschool dad can exercise this leadership and be more involved in his children's education is in the area of helping to choose curriculum. It may be that Mom feels perfectly competent to choose curriculum and Dad is quite willing to let her do so. That is fine.

However, for many moms, curriculum choices can be a bit daunting and stressful at times. Of course, headship does not mean dictatorship, so it would not be a good idea for Dad to walk in with a catalog, drop it in front of Mom, say, "Here is the curriculum that you will be using," and then walk out! However, it is good for Dad and Mom to sit down together, look over the curriculum choices, and select what they mutually feel is best. If Mom is a little unsure about one or another program, Dad can make suggestions and strive gently to lead in the direction that he feels is best. Why is this important? We need to remember that, as head of the family, the father is ultimately responsible for its direction. Thus, he needs to exercise the kind of leadership that will enable him, as did Abraham, to "command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord" (Genesis 18:19).

Wayne S. Walker is a minister, the husband of Karen, and the homeschooling father of Mark and Jeremy.
Visit him at www.HomeschoolBlogger.com/Missouri