Most parents drop their kids off at school and hope for the best.
But outsourcing our kids’ education to the school system isn’t enough.
Parents must put their own skin in the game 👇🏼🧵
But outsourcing our kids’ education to the school system isn’t enough.
Parents must put their own skin in the game 👇🏼🧵
Skin in the game is a simple but powerful idea.
In essence, it’s when we dig into the work instead of delegating to others.
For parents, it means teaching your kids a little yourself rather than outsourcing all of their education.
In essence, it’s when we dig into the work instead of delegating to others.
For parents, it means teaching your kids a little yourself rather than outsourcing all of their education.
Having skin in the game is so valuable for three reasons:
1. It ensures kids experience stability throughout their education.
2. It gives parents more insight into the needs of their kids.
3. It gives you an avenue to dynamically fill gaps in their learning and development.
1. It ensures kids experience stability throughout their education.
2. It gives parents more insight into the needs of their kids.
3. It gives you an avenue to dynamically fill gaps in their learning and development.
1. Stability
Every fall, kids must establish a new relationship with a new teacher. This can make kids feel unknown & misunderstood.
But if their parents are deeply engaged, kids have a throughline, a caring voice who knows them.
Teachers come and go, but parents are forever.
Every fall, kids must establish a new relationship with a new teacher. This can make kids feel unknown & misunderstood.
But if their parents are deeply engaged, kids have a throughline, a caring voice who knows them.
Teachers come and go, but parents are forever.
2. Insight
No standardized test or expert opinion can compare to the knowledge that you will gain by teaching your kid yourself.
As a result, skin in the game makes it much easier for you to make the hard but necessary choices required for them to excel in their education.
No standardized test or expert opinion can compare to the knowledge that you will gain by teaching your kid yourself.
As a result, skin in the game makes it much easier for you to make the hard but necessary choices required for them to excel in their education.
3. Fewer Gaps
Teachers are responsible for educating dozens of kids. The best teachers will try to adapt to each student, but they can only do so much.
If you’re directly involved, you can focus more on their favorite subjects & provide extra help when they’re struggling.
Teachers are responsible for educating dozens of kids. The best teachers will try to adapt to each student, but they can only do so much.
If you’re directly involved, you can focus more on their favorite subjects & provide extra help when they’re struggling.
Teaching makes many parents nervous.
Many are overwhelmed with packed schedules. Others lack confidence b/c they’re not trained educators.
These are legitimate concerns.
But in reality, you don’t need an education degree or lots of free time to benefit from skin in the game.
Many are overwhelmed with packed schedules. Others lack confidence b/c they’re not trained educators.
These are legitimate concerns.
But in reality, you don’t need an education degree or lots of free time to benefit from skin in the game.
You can choose from a spectrum of options.
On the one side is homeschooling, where parents do all the teaching themselves.
On the other side is traditional school, where parents outsource the work to others.
On the one side is homeschooling, where parents do all the teaching themselves.
On the other side is traditional school, where parents outsource the work to others.
The goal is to move as much as possible from the left side of the spectrum to the right.
But you don't need to go all the way to homeschooling. There's lots of room in the middle.
As you explore options in the middle, here are five things to consider:
But you don't need to go all the way to homeschooling. There's lots of room in the middle.
As you explore options in the middle, here are five things to consider:
1. Learn the different educational options available for your kid
Take responsibility for making researched, intentional decisions. Experiment with different programs, methods, and alternative schools. See what works for *your* kid.
Take responsibility for making researched, intentional decisions. Experiment with different programs, methods, and alternative schools. See what works for *your* kid.
2. Pick one subject your kid will learn at home
Pick something you loved as a kid. Maybe it’s history, literature, math, or programming. Only a couple of hours per week will make a huge difference.
Even if you get some things wrong, you’re engaged.
That’s what matters.
Pick something you loved as a kid. Maybe it’s history, literature, math, or programming. Only a couple of hours per week will make a huge difference.
Even if you get some things wrong, you’re engaged.
That’s what matters.
3. Dive into a passion project with your kid
Maybe your kid loves baking or building or coding websites. Pick one to do together! If your kid wants to dance, learn to dance too.
The key is to grow together, set a positive example, and keep it fun.
Maybe your kid loves baking or building or coding websites. Pick one to do together! If your kid wants to dance, learn to dance too.
The key is to grow together, set a positive example, and keep it fun.
4. Let kids change their minds
Let’s say you pick the best alternative school, subject, or passion project—but your kid hates it. Then move on!
If you didn’t like something, you’d quit. Give your kid the same opportunity.
What matters is that you’re involved in the process.
Let’s say you pick the best alternative school, subject, or passion project—but your kid hates it. Then move on!
If you didn’t like something, you’d quit. Give your kid the same opportunity.
What matters is that you’re involved in the process.
5. Don’t blame teachers, schools, or tutors
It’s easy to want to off-load responsibility when things go wrong, but don’t fall into that trap.
If things aren’t working, face the challenge head-on and find new solutions.
That's the core principle of skin in the game.
It’s easy to want to off-load responsibility when things go wrong, but don’t fall into that trap.
If things aren’t working, face the challenge head-on and find new solutions.
That's the core principle of skin in the game.
I wish I could say this is easy, but it’s not.
However, I can say that the effort is *absolutely worth it*
As with the rest of life, the best things are the hardest.
Lay it all on the line.
Put your skin in the game.
However, I can say that the effort is *absolutely worth it*
As with the rest of life, the best things are the hardest.
Lay it all on the line.
Put your skin in the game.
I explore ideas like this in Fab Fridays, my newsletter on childhood education with a twist + new ways to learn.
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Subscribe below! 🤸🏼
afabrega.com
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