Probably the most common question I get when people learn I homeschool 6 kids is how I do it all.

Short answer: I don’t.

Long answer:

I guide them through various English skills; learning to read, spelling, grammar, punctuation and story-writing. I guide their journey through LOTE (Spanish), religious studies, science and health. Once they can read well, much of this is done independently, with me checking in or helping as requested.

But:

I don’t teach my kids music; a music teacher does that.
I don’t teach them sport; various groups in the community do that.
I don’t teach them essay writing; another homeschool dad does that for a bunch of kids. #sograteful
I don’t teach them woodwork; my Dad just taught my boys how to frame a wall and my husband has taught our 12 year old enough about the tools in his shed that he’s able to make pretty much anything his imagination puts before him.
I don’t teach them Maths beyond year 4/5; an online program does that.
I don’t teach them cooking or gardening; they cook and garden alongside me and we all learn as we go.
I don’t teach them art and craft; we have great art books and a weekly homeschool coop and that fills their crafty hearts to overflowing.
I don’t teach my big kids history or geography; that is my husband’s passion so I reluctantly relinquish those much-loved topics to him 😅

It would be a mistake to think that homeschooling parents “do it all” or are everything and everyone for their kids. Apart from being impossible, it would also be rather detrimental. Kids need to know that their parents don’t always have the answers and to be guided to find the solutions for themselves – whether that’s in a book or from someone else in the community or through trial and error.

When we say it takes a village, it’s not just a cute saying. It really does take a village.