You're Not Homeschooling Because...You Don't Know How to Teach the Hard Subjects

Part 1: You're Not Homeschooling Because...You Can't Afford to

Part 2: You're Not Homeschooling Because...Your Spouse is Against it

Part 3: You're Not Homeschooling Because...You're Overwhelmed by the Responsibility

Part 4: You're Not Homeschooling Because...You Don't Want Your Child to turn out Weird

Part 5:  You're Not Homeschooling Because...You Don't have the Patience and Organization

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Can I tell you the secret to learning ANYTHING?
 
Here it is, friends: 
 
Motivation and Physical/Emotional Maturity
 
Let me give you some examples.
 
*Last year my 70-year-old father decided to start making his own bread and yogurt. 
Motivation + Physical Maturity + Internet =  a guy who is eating healthier and saving money
 
*At her second birthday, my oldest daughter could not yet put together two words into a sentence (e.g. me do).  The doctor recommended a speech therapist.  We ignored the doctor.
Motivation + Physical Maturity + Time = a seven-year-old who can talk your ear off and uses words like 'hypothesis' correctly
 
*We live really close to an indoor pool and an outdoor pool and we use them both frequently (weather permitting).  We also go to hotels a few times each year where we use the pool.  At 2 1/2 years-old my third daughter decided to jump into deep water and start swimming with her sisters and her dad. 
Motivation + Physical Maturity + Opportunity = a 3 1/2 year old who can swim better than her mother
 
*My 41-year-old friend immigrated to Canada 10 years ago.  She learned English, took some courses, got a job and found a boyfriend.  Last year she successfully went for her driver's licence.
Motivation + Emotional Maturity + Practice = a new driver for our old Honda Civic
 
If you believe, as I do, that the goal of 'education' is to create life-long learners, then there is no better way than to give your child the opportunity to self-direct their learning right from the very start.
 
And here's another secret:
 
A person who can READ has the power to learn anything.
 
My dad did 5 highschool math courses by correspondence when I was a teenager.  He succeeded without a teacher because he can read.  I learned how to can and preserve jam, salsa and pickles.  I succeeded without a teacher because I can read.  My Partner-Guy (and this is NOT a cheap-shot.  Honest.) can now change the oil in his own car.  He succeeded because he can read.
 
You get it, right?  If your 16-year-old wants to learn calculus, she'll figure it out herself.
Motivation + Maturity + the ability to READ = a person who can learn anything
 
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This is the end of my series on reasons why you might not be homeschooling even though you are interested in doing so.
 
Do you have any other concerns about homeschooling?  I'd be delighted if you would share them with me.