Is Home education for Dads too?

Over the years many people have asked us, ‘How do you manage to home educate seven children?’ and, ‘What are the keys to bringing up your children to follow the Lord?’

Actually like every other parent, we have stumbled through the process of bringing up our children, and many times we have had to ask God to help us, save us from despair, and show us what to do next.  But we do believe there is a responsibility on parents, dads and mums, to teach and train their children. To give them time and attention. And to tackle issues when they meet them.

Home Educating has allowed us as parents, and in particular Charles as dad, to be involved in every area of our children’s lives. In our chapter, we have tried to write down some of the things we have learnt and present ten practical ways that fathers can connect with their families. Our prayer is that by sharing these experiences, dads especially will be encouraged to rise up into their God-given role of being protector and provider for their children.

Charles and Ruth Barber live in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Charles studied Organic Chemistry at Cambridge, has been a Christian minister and more recently worked as a trainer in adult social care. He continues to help lead and teach at Cedar Tree Church. Ruth has a background in banking and worked at Christians Against Poverty as a debt counsellor. She is now the administrator for CHESS, the Christian Home Education Support Service, recently helping to organise a national online conference for home educators. They have seven children: six boys and a girl, who have all been home educated. The oldest three are now at university and the youngest is 13.