If you’re already a parent or plan to become one, it’s essential to be aware of the many myths about the topic of parenthood and family life in general. Unfortunately, human nature being what it is, there is no lack of urban legends, falsehoods, and downright misleading information about the two subjects. Besides two very off-course ideas about homeschooling and paying for college, the current list of common myths covers a variety of topics.
Single parenting, dual career couples, social life, finances, teaching youngsters how to stay safe, and other subjects lend themselves to myth-making. The goal of every adult should be to find out the truth and avoid falling into the easy habit of accepting half-baked opinions and answers. Consider the following assumptions along with their correct versions.
Homeschooling Means You’re Unable to Pursue a Career
Only those who do the teaching need to remain at home. If the idea of homeschooling appeals to you, as it does to many families around the world, don’t assume that you’ll need to stay home and make teaching your full-time job. There are several kinds of homeschools, and some are neighborhood-based. Parents can sign their kids up for a nearby home-based education program and pursue their careers as usual.
For couples who want to do the teaching, only one person needs to do the teaching while the other can work anywhere they wish. In fact, some homeschooler moms and dads who do teach their own kids maintain online jobs in the off hours. For those who choose to opt out of the public education system, there are many other rewards, including the freedom to teach a curriculum you approve of.
Your Kids Will Be Laden with College Loan Debt
There are excellent options for helping them offset the amount they need to pay for college. Moms and dads who send their young adults off to college tend to worry about finances the most. This is particularly true when loans are part of the financial package.
No one wants their daughters and sons to graduate with a massive amount of built-in debt. Fortunately, you can assist in the cause by taking out a Private Parent loan to offset at least a portion of the potential debt your child would face upon graduation. The reason so many people opt to take out parent loans for college is that the debt is not in the student’s name.
That leaves moms, dads, and their youngsters free to negotiate any private conditions, amongst themselves, on settling up later on. The thrust of the arrangement with Private Parent loans is that grads don’t have to face the prospect of receiving a huge loan obligation along with their diploma on graduation day.
Dual Careers Shortchange Children
Millions of kids do just fine when both mom and dad work full-time. In modern times, there are more full-time working couples than any other kind. For decades, hard-working moms and dads have juggled schedules and household chores in order to make everything come together. Some families choose to have one parent remain at home until kids begin attending school all day.
Others opt for daycare programs that are as nearby as possible. However, once youngsters reach first grade, it’s much easier for fathers and mothers to bridge the few-hour gap between the end of the school day and when the adults arrive home. The so-called latch-key kids, especially if they’re over age 12, can usually manage on their own for a short period after school lets out.
It’s Best to Demand Your Children Attend College
There are legit ways to make money online that don’t demand a degree and many young adults do better in vocational and trade schools. Not many years ago, the educational focus in almost every family was on attending college immediately after high school. But, in today’s more varied economy, there are more choices than that.
Besides vocational schools and the military, some high school grads choose to get a year or two of work experience before heading back to the classroom. Others hold down full-time jobs while attending night classes at local community colleges or enrolling in online programs.
Social Life is an Unnecessary Luxury
No social time means higher stress levels in most cases. It’s easy to fall into the professional parenting routine. That’s where adults feel the need to devote every spare minute of their time to raising the young ones. While a laudable goal, it’s neither realistic nor emotionally healthy. For one thing, cutting social time out of your schedule eventually takes its toll on nerves, attitude, and one’s ability to enjoy the company of other adults. Plus, kids benefit from having a few times per week away from dad and mom.
Stranger Danger Lessons Frighten Kids
When done right, self-protection classes can be valuable. A generation ago, schools and social service agencies went overboard with stranger danger programs, some of which pushed the idea that the outside world was a highly dangerous place and that imminent risk was around every corner.
One reaction to the over-doing of the concept was a total elimination of self-protection classes for schoolchildren. In the 2020s, fortunately, several lighter versions of self-defense, anti-bullying, and street sense courses are being offered by community centers and grade schools around the country.
More Money Will Solve Your Problems
Most life problems are rooted in counterproductive behavior, not lack of wealth. It’s not the lack of money that causes the most trouble for families, but the misuse of it. Additionally, some adults discover that the best way to raise youngsters is to focus on teaching proper behavior and maintaining a stable, safe, economically sound home life. The majority of families are neither wealthy nor poor but somewhere in between.
For centuries, grownups who work at normal jobs have been doing a fine job of imparting knowledge and social lessons to young minds. It’s far too easy to assume that more money will automatically resolve common parenting problems. The truth is that money can make life easier, but it takes human beings with solid values to raise children properly.