Let Your Kids Watch Lifehacks
Don’t we all just want to know what children need to be successful and worry that it’s all up to us?
I was complaining to my kids about how many “life hack” videos they’ve watched this summer, even though there are worse things they could watch. Hours later, my younger daughter showed me a (homemade, pop-up) birthday card she was sending her friend, the envelope of which had lost its stickiness.
She had sealed it with a melted crayon and stamped it with a quarter. “Problem solved,” she said, satisfied.
She had learned it in one of her videos, of course.
I had just finished watching this clever video, School vs. Teacher, where Prince Ea argues that it’s no longer stores of knowledge children need to be successful in this ever-changing world, but rather creativity and innovation–those are the qualities that will be most sought-after and beneficial. (Disclaimer: no, I don’t embrace all that Prince Ea does.)
And while sealing an envelope is small potatoes, it gave me some confidence about an important trait we all need that I’m thankful my children seem to be learning: simple problem-solving skills and the innovation to find solutions and carry them out.
Our Homeschool Focus
As I prepare to homeschool for our 19th year, I always try to silence the sirens of “the best curriculum” and focus on the main things. Every time I research about “most important skills for success” I usually find a similar list. I’m taking this list I found from (wouldn’t you know it) LifeHack.org and focusing my planning efforts around it. Of course this list is brief, and doesn’t include far more important needs like spiritual life, family stability, etc…it’s a basic outline for educational direction:
- Public Speaking
- Writing
- Self-Management
- Net Working
- Critical Thinking
- Decision-Making
- Math
- Research
- Relaxation
- Basic Accounting
Homeschooling, for us, is not about tests and the accumulation of information (that’s what Google and Siri are for). It’s about a whole-life integration which attempts to prepare our children to be able to have stable relationships, make wise choices, and be innovative and creative as they seek to use their gifts and interests to the glory of God. That’s basically it.
For more on my philosophy of education, browse my other homeschooling articles.
Let me know what your goals are and how your family seeks to accomplish them!
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