The miracle of being your child's teacher

I have been mulling over a post that I recently saw. A mother was asking, "How do I teach my child to read?". I thought, really, it just happens.


I remember being this mother. I remember stressing about how I was going to teach her to read. In my mind teachers had this special ability that they learned in college so that they could teach those things. When I was considering homeschooling I had alot of doubts about whether I had that special ability. Was I going to ruin my child because I lacked the skills to teach her to read? After all, I wasn't a trained teacher. I had some experience teaching, but that wasn't at the elementary level. Could I teach something as foundational as reading?


We decided that despite my questions we would homeschool because it was the best decision for my family. So in we go!


We changed phonics programs three times until I found what worked for us. I read everything I could get my hands on about reading and language arts, some helpful, some not. Finally I sat back this summer and realized she knows how to read. After two years, I'm not really sure how this happened. I mean we did phonics everyday, she practiced reading the words that she could and I read to her. But in the end, it seems to have been a miracle that she actually learned to read.


I still have moments when I don't feel that I have that special ability. I still worry about teaching what lies ahead. What homeschooling mom doesn't? You don't want your child to be the poster child for why parent's shouldn't be allowed to teach thier children. I am gaining confidence though! In the end I feel that watching a child learn is like watching a miracle take place. I am so blessed to be an integral part of my child's education. It's why I love homeschooling!