Maintaining authority in our homes is pretty fundamental to the success of teaching our own kids.
It's pretty fundamental to raising children in general. When it comes right down to it, maintaining authority, in its own right is outrageously important.
It is important, however, to define the terms. Maintaining authority doesn't mean to be in charge of everything, or to be telling everyone else what to do, or to have others naturally defer to you. It doesn't even mean that others listen to you and follow your will.
Being in charge is so much a personal state. Knowing what you are capable of (and what you aren't capable of) knowing what your boundaries are, and the boundaries of others. Realizing your own sense of dignity, and the dignity of others.
If you think back to your schooling, the teachers that maintained authority in their own classrooms weren't yelling at the kids, weren't cocky, weren't bossy or forceful. They were calm. They were in charge of themselves and they understood the dignity of the kids around them.
They had a sense of personal dignity. They respected others, and in turn, were respected.
Maintaining authority is about gaining the respect of others.
To gain the respect of another, we must act with integrity. It's true that if we can't maintain authority in our homes that homeschooling our kids is going to be tough. But life is going to be pretty tough all around, even if kids are in school - if we don't have their respect.
All authority will fall apart.
How do we get authority?
SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT HERE. Alternately, you could try your grumpy face, example given:
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It's pretty fundamental to raising children in general. When it comes right down to it, maintaining authority, in its own right is outrageously important.
It is important, however, to define the terms. Maintaining authority doesn't mean to be in charge of everything, or to be telling everyone else what to do, or to have others naturally defer to you. It doesn't even mean that others listen to you and follow your will.
Being in charge is so much a personal state. Knowing what you are capable of (and what you aren't capable of) knowing what your boundaries are, and the boundaries of others. Realizing your own sense of dignity, and the dignity of others.
If you think back to your schooling, the teachers that maintained authority in their own classrooms weren't yelling at the kids, weren't cocky, weren't bossy or forceful. They were calm. They were in charge of themselves and they understood the dignity of the kids around them.
They had a sense of personal dignity. They respected others, and in turn, were respected.
Maintaining authority is about gaining the respect of others.
To gain the respect of another, we must act with integrity. It's true that if we can't maintain authority in our homes that homeschooling our kids is going to be tough. But life is going to be pretty tough all around, even if kids are in school - if we don't have their respect.
All authority will fall apart.
How do we get authority?
SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT HERE. Alternately, you could try your grumpy face, example given:
