I have a confession… I HATE bugs. Really. I can’t stand them. You might ask: how can a science teacher not like bugs? I don’t know if I’ve always disliked creepy crawlies. In fact, I’m not sure where it all started. But I do love to study nature (just not when it is living and crawling toward me), and my family is able to study bugs despite my dislike of them.
I am writing this blog in hopes that something that I say will help parents out there who have weak areas in their own lives and feel inadequate at times to handle the calling of homeschooling.
In my family, we still study bugs and creeping things even though I don’t care for them. I’ve found a way around my aversion that works well for us. One thing we do is study dead bugs taken from other homes where they’ve been caught or found. My children also enjoy our many insect books and videos as well as the preserved insects we keep. Dissecting the critters has never been a problem for me, so I also plan on doing that when my children are older.
How do you make it a strength in your home rather than a detriment? Maybe your “bug” is math or literature. Whatever it is, I want to leave you with this piece of encouragement: we can do it! We can educate our children because we know them best, and we want what is best for them. Don’t be discouraged by the “bugs” in your life. Instead, embrace them and see what you can learn.
Kerrie Childress has a love for science that she desires to pass along to every student she teaches. She graduated in 1996 with a B.S. in Biology and Chemistry from Bob Jones University and in 2001 with a M.A. in Health and Exercise Science from Furman University. She has over 15 years of teaching experience in 3 states and several different platforms. Kerrie is also currently teaching on-line for a local community college as well as teaching science classes at Excelsior Classes.
The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the author and should not be taken to represent the views of Excelsior Classes, LLC or the consortium of teachers.
