Inspiring couple Edric and Joy Tan Chi Mendoza generously share key principles about parenting ahead of their Homeschool Intro session in Dubai.
Edric is the president of Homeschool Global, founder of H.A.P.I. (Homeschool Association of the Philippine Islands), a registered financial planner, and host of ABS-CBN News Channel's On The Money.
Joy, a motivational blogger, writes about the joys and honest struggles of marriage, parenting and homeschooling in her blog, Teach With Joy. She is also an author and a home school graduate.
Edric and Joy are homeschooling parents of 5.
They are here in Dubai to officially launch Homeschool Global Middle East. They'll also be doing series of talks about parenting in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Homeschool Intro is happening December 8th, Thursday, 7-9pm at Time Oak Hotel and Suites in Tecom. For more info, please visit this website or call 04-4517122. Please click here to register.
We had a great privilege to talk to the couple about this 'education revolution' wonder. Listen to what they had to say in the following 5-part conversation.
I'm warning you, loads of inspiration ahead.
Seasons of Life
Some parents have this notion that staying at home to take care of children is not noble enough and that it does make us NOT significant enough. Unfortunately, many parents today are mostly driven by the desire to make more money, or to accomplish more things out there.
Edric and Joy emphasize the importance of understanding our ‘Seasons of Life.’
"Give the season of your life to be with your kids, because you only have one season and it's a short season... and you can never bring it back,” says Joy.
Hear them speak more about this beautiful perspective for us to look into:
Check your financial goals
Many OFWs are forced to work overseas and leave their families behind in the Philippines because of financial goals. But, have our financial goals become "aspirational?"
Those who are in dire need find that working abroad is the only way to make both ends meet. The problem is they don't have a deadline - the reason why they keep going.
Assess our seasons of life and ask questions. It's time to revisit where our money is going. Are the reasons why we're sacrificing our own role as parents worth it?
Sandwich Generation
Most of the Filipinos working overseas are living in the sandwich generation - people who are responsible both for bringing up their own children and for the (financial) care of their aging parents. We're sending money to our parents but we have kids of our own. What do we do?
The couple stresses the importance of knowing your goal why you need to work abroad, and for what specific purpose.
Homeschooling in a nutshell
Edric tells us, "homeschooling and parenting are almost synonymous. Every good parent is actually homeschooling, and every good homeschooler is a good parent."
Many of those who heard homeschooling for the first time thought that it suppresses the social interaction aspect of the children. What really is socialization and what makes the thought invalid? Listen how they brilliantly debunk the myth about homeschooling:
"One of the goodness of homeschooling is that kids are encouraged to control their life starting at a very young age." - Joy T. Mendoza
Our boxed mindset often lead us to thinking that school provides the healthy socialization our kids need. It is very comforting to affirm from Edric and Joy that indeed, the most foundational social relationship our kids need is with us, the parents.
Homeschool Global in Middle East
Homeschool Global is a U.S. and DepEd Philippines accredited home education services provider, for Pre-School through to High School. Currently on its 17th year, it serves over a thousand students across 24 different countries. Its mission over the years is to help children achieve true success through world-class home education, walking alongside parents to create the best learning environment for their children.
The Middle East hub will enable parents and families residing in the Arabian Gulf (including United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar,Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Turkey) to enjoy the benefits of the programs, services and local support. Homeschool Global Middle East will offer the full suite of HG services locally through its team of Family Advisors, Academic Advisors and support staff based in Dubai, including portfolio reviews, training sessions, structured learn groups, community events, extramural activities and more. Following an open source curriculum system, students and parents have flexibility to choose from of a variety of curriculum options whilst still receiving a Department of Education (Philippines) and US accredited diploma.
Let's join this power couple this Thursday and discover everything we must know about homeschooling, and assess ourselves so we could prepare for this. Here's their invitation to you.
See you tonight!
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Special thanks to Isabelle of UAE4Kidz for arranging this beautiful conversation. UAE4Kidz.biz is an online resource for parents in the UAE.
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