Every parent wants their child to make good choices. To know that their lives will unfold based on choices that they make each day. The primary goal of a well rounded education is to ensure that the child who receives it, can be a productive member of society. Yet, there’s temptation all around, so how does a homeschool parent convince their homeschool students to make the correct choice all the time?
Don’t Make Demands or Give Threats
Children do not respond well to being forced. If you think about it, no one really likes to be forced into doing anything. The usual situation here is that the homeschool teacher knows what’s right, and then tries to force the homeschool student to do what’s right. This is counterproductive to helping them choose for themselves. You know that an apple is healthier for them to eat at snack time than a couple of doughnuts, but you also need to allow them to make the choice on their own.
Have Patience and Don’t Make It a Power Struggle
Be prepared for the learning curve, and the mistakes that they make along the way, till they eventually get the hang of narrowing in on the right decision. Being authoritative and expecting the homeschool student to do what you ask, is akin to lighting the match on a power struggle. One which will end up blowing up in the homeschool classroom with nothing productive coming out of it. Instead, have patience with them as they come up with their choices.
Keep Them Well Informed
Once they have made a decision, ask them why they think it’s a good choice? Help them unravel the path of pros and cons which lead to making the best possible choice. If they don’t have all the facts to make a right decision, give them the information in a neutral manner. Explain why the apple with it’s vitamins and minerals is more nutritious than the sugar rich treats which will cause obesity and hyperactivity. Again there will be days when the doughnut wins out, accept it and move forward without causing them to feel incompetent for making a wrong decision. Especially when adults also make wrong choices despite knowing better.
