21 Apr

Education starts at home with Derek Phillips

We all heard the term education starts at home in our lives.

However; that term means more to us now more than ever!

Before the Covid Pandemic took over the world, dads like me were used to taking their kids to school in the morning and some had the luxury of picking them up from school.

All we as parents had to do was drop them off for the bulk of their education and if needed, we would reinforce some of those lessons at home.

It didn’t feel like we had to handle the bulk of their education until after covid hit but in reality, we always played a huge role in it without even knowing.

Education starts with YOU!

As a father married to an educator, I too took for granted where our kids’ education comes from.

I used to tell my wife, hey you’re the teacher, teach them, you should know how to do this way better than me! Yeah, I was that ignorant but I still did my part.

Like many dads, I showed up for my children’s education. Besides drop-offs and pick-ups, I would make it a priority to be at all the parent-teacher conferences, award ceremonies, and much more. Even until this day, I always look for ways to educate my kids, especially in unconventional ways.

As a husband of a teacher, I had to play the role of what many call the mother. I am the first name on the blue emergency cards, I receive the 1st call when things go well or even when things go wrong. The schools always knew my name because I made sure to show up. I didn’t even realize that I was already involved in their education more than I thought by simply showing up.

I took it for granted at times, no shame in saying that.

My wife had a whole grade to be mindful of so most of their schooling landed on me. It was the norm so I didn’t pay much mind to it. To me, education starts with us, and sometimes we just don’t know what that looks like or that we are even doing it.

teachers + us = our kids win

education starts with you #fatherhoodislit #dadlife

Covid has forced us all to step our game up on the education side and it also taught many of us that although teachers are great, the real education starts at home.

We push our kids to go to school, we push them to wake up when none of us want to wake up, we make sure they head to school with a full stomach so they can learn. We buy them the supplies they need. We find ways to make education fun as I did with chalk when they need to learn something.

We are in a partnership with the school to make sure our kids win in the sport of getting an education.

Teachers teach, that’s what they are trained to do. They apply years of experience to help educate our kids in ways we can’t but WE are still important to the process.

Derek Phillips, the real dads network

This week I asked my friend who was an assistant principal in the Bronx section of NYC to come through and drop some gems for the dads on how we can step our game up when it comes to education.

Derek Phillips has devoted his life to make sure kids of all colors, nationalities and even social classes get the best education possible. In some cases he had to play a bigger role than an administrator, he had to be the big bro, the uncle, and sometimes even the father figure to many kids.

Was it always easy? Nope and that’s exactly why I asked him to come to represent.

I wanted to find out how we the FATHERS can do better for our kids in regards to education. Derek came through and dropped gems from both sides, the teacher side but also the father side so we could really understand why our presence in their education matters.

We talked about report cards, communicating with teachers, and why we the dads have to play our role as educators and put our all into it! We also talked about why a community like the Real Dads Network is needed to help guide us but to also give us some sense of community. You know we dads suck at making friends or even seeking help, with the REAL DADS NETWORK, it all becomes easier!

I always say our presence matters, Derek Phillips made sure to let us know why that same PRESENCE in education is the golden ticket your child really needs in life!

Want to get involved with your children’s learning, tune in! Derek dropped gems!

Hear more on Episode 80 below or on all major platforms like APPLE, SPOTIFY, and STITCHER.