Feeling insecure about my lack of education

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree with everyone else's encouraging responses!

A couple more resources to consider:

The PBS NewsHour. It's on at 6 or 7pm, depending on which public tv station you watch. They often do really good background reports on current issues, so it's an especially good news source if you aren't already up-to-speed on the issues of the day. And it's great even if you are.

Charlie Rose, also on PBS, usually around 11pm or 11:30, also rebroadcast the next morning or next noon-ish, depending on station. I used to teach at the college level and always told my students that if they wanted to be an educated person, they could just watch Charlie Rose every day. He does hour-long conversations on every topic imaginable: current events, the arts, science, business, etc. One of my favorite topics of his lately is a series on the brain, where he has a bunch of doctors and research scientists who are learning all kinds of things about the brain through new research, much of it possible now because of new imaging technologies. One episode was all about alzheimer's, autism, and depression. So fascinating. Charlie asks great questions. Even if the topic is something I'm not remotely interested in generally, I'll still find the episode really worth watching. Charlie Rose is a national treasure. Wish more people knew about him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't stress about it. A more important tool is to teach your children how to figure out an answer they don't know the answer too. For example, why do the ocean have waves?--- you can say "let's go to the library or internet to figure it out." If you want to go to extreme, take them to the museum and learn why as a follow up lesson I bet you they will retain the information better than have someone else spew out the answer. It will be a life skil and teach them to be self sufficient.

I agree with this. My son is 5 and asks me plenty of questions that I don't know the answer to. As a teacher, I always tell my students that adults don't know everything. People are constantly learning and changing. But I always show them how they can find the answers to their questions by asking someone who might know, using the Internet or using the library.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Think of all the things you DO know! Be proud of what you can share with the kids. Your interests, humor, compassion, respect for others, appreciation of DH's gifts, being honest about your regrets, how to soothe a newborn, etc. These are the things that matter. Anyone who looks down on you for lack of a degree or fancy job should be ashamed of THEMSELVES.

Kids often ask things just to get an adult to pay attention to them. "What do you think?" or "What made you think of that?" shows you are listening. It encourages a child to think and to not be afraid to be wrong. Talking at a child doesn't necessarily teach them anything. same as teaching. Maybe your DH could practice not answering directly next time.

Don't sell yourself short. There are plenty of phds who aren't qualified to walk a dog, let alone take care of TWO kids AND a grown up (your boss). Your DH probably has a long list of things he admires about you that have nothing to do with a degree or Discovery Channel. Maybe he can try to mention some of those things you do well infront of the kids. That way they can learn about respect along with physics.

Try to keep it in perspective. The DC area has a lot of people with BS degrees. (As in bull...)

This is the BEST response here, IMHO.

Notice that even on this thread, posters feel the need to mention their own advanced degrees in their responses to OP. Hilarious!

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks all for the supportive responses. I am especially grateful for the suggestion of things to read and watch to broaden my intellect. Also the wording of what to say ("Let's look it up together") is a wonderful way to learn together and one I will absolutely employ with my extended family kids too.
I have always been embarassed that I do not have higher education. The reason I started feeling especially troubled is my cousin's child asked DH what he does and he explained his work and the child was in awe. (He does something that sounds very cool to children.) The child than asked me what I do and I said I'm a personal asst. He said like what did you do today? And I said I picked up my boss's dry cleaning, made appts on the phone, picked up gifts for his employees, etc. And the kid just looks at me and then goes on talking to DH. It made me feel sorta sad that my day sounds trivial and dumb, you know.
But I do agree and like the idea of "education myself" through other ways. Thanks again!