Lessons Learned From a Gameshow

Have you seen the new gameshow, "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" I've seen it a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. While I don't think the show is all that great, I have learned a lesson from it. In case you don't know, here is how it works. The contestant comes on the show and is asked questions that most kids learn in 1st through 5th grade. There are some 5th graders on the show who can help out the contestant if they don't know the answer to the questions. The questions are like, "How many sides are there on a trapezoid?" or "Who was the only President to be impeached?" or "What color do you get when you mix equal amounts of red and yellow paint?" Well, of course the part that makes the show appealing to watch is the fact that the grown adults have no idea while the students almost always know the correct answers. Thus the adults feel stupid and have to admit "I am not smarter than a fifth grader!"
Okay, so here is what I've learned. Most adults will not remember most of the "facts" they learn in school. Unless it directly pertains to their life or their job or their hobby, the information will likely not be retained. So, (here's the point) as I am homeschooling Brandon (and eventually Bekah) I need to remember that I should not focus my efforts on them retaining the facts that I teach them. Yes, I'll teach them the names of all the Presidents, but I should not concentrate on them memorizing every one. I need to focus my efforts on training them to love God and love others. I need to work on training their character so much more than I need to train them in chemistry. Don't get me wrong, I think it is important to teach them the "facts," but it should not be my primary focus. Thus, these are the benefits of homeschooling. I can teach what I feel is important. In the long run what I teach Brandon about how to treat others, about values, morals, God's word, etc. is what will affect who he is as an adult much more than what color he can make when mixing paint!