Are you are capable?
If you can read, write and do basic math, then you are capable. The un-schooling pioneer, John Holt is worth quoting, “In practice, educators who worry about “unqualified” people teaching their own children almost always define “qualified” to mean teachers trained in schools of education and holding teaching certificates. They assume that to teach children involves a host of mysterious skills that can be learned only in schools of education and that are in fact taught there; that people who have this training teach much better than those who do not; and indeed that people who have not had this training are not competent to teach at all. None of these assumptions are true.” (from Teach Your Own)
If you are a parent, you are the most qualified. You love and care for your children better than anyone else, these motivations drive us to train our kids for adulthood and to teach them about life.
If there is anything you need to learn about teaching? Absolutely! You should learn what a child is capable of, then learn patience. You should learn that you don't know everything, so you need to learn how to learn. The wonderful thing about this is that you will be learning with your child many things that will be new for both of you. The difference between you and your child is that you are the guide--what more does a parent need to be?
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