Parent, Mentor, Cheerleader: The Many Hats Families Wear in a Child’s Educational Journey (And How They Deserve an Award for It)

Behind every successful learner is a family playing an entire cast of roles, sometimes all on the same day. Parents, guardians, and older siblings are not just caregivers—they’re homework heroes, motivational speakers, crisis negotiators, and snack providers.

On the International Day of Families, let’s take a moment to recognise the many hats families wear in a child’s education. Because honestly? They deserve a standing ovation (and probably a lifetime supply of coffee).

The Homework Coach: Trying to Remember Algebra From 20 Years Ago

Picture this: It’s 7 p.m. Your child approaches you with a math problem that looks like it belongs in a NASA training manual. You take a deep breath, glance at the problem, and confidently say, “Let’s Google it.”

Being a homework coach means trying your best to sound competent while secretly panicking inside. Whether it’s helping with long division (“Carry the what?”), Shakespearean sonnets (“Why couldn’t he just say things normally?”), or physics (“I swear gravity was simpler when I was in school”), parents somehow manage to stumble through. And if all else fails, there’s always YouTube tutorials, older siblings and that one smart friend you message in emergencies.

The Motivational Speaker: Delivering Pep Talks Like a Sports Coach

At some point in every learner’s life, there will be meltdowns over schoolwork. Maybe they failed a test, forgot a deadline, or simply don’t want to write that 2,000-word essay on the symbolism of the green light in The Great Gatsby.

This is when families transform into motivational speakers. Phrases like “You’ve got this!”, “Mistakes mean you’re learning!” and “One day, you’ll laugh about this!” are delivered with the intensity of a halftime speech in a rugby final.

And let’s be honest, half the time, parents are also just trying to convince themselves that everything is fine.

The Life Skills Mentor: Because School Doesn’t Teach You How to Adult

Families don’t just teach academics—they’re also responsible for all the weird life lessons that aren’t in the curriculum.

• Time management: “No, you can’t start your project at midnight and expect it to be brilliant.”
• Financial literacy: “Yes, your entire allowance disappeared because you bought three iced coffees in one day.”
• Critical thinking: “If your friend jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?!” (Classic.)
• The art of negotiation: “You can have one more episode, but only if you promise to actually wake up on time tomorrow.”

Families deserve honorary degrees for the sheer amount of common sense they have to teach from scratch.

The Cheerleader: Overreacting to Achievements Like It’s the Olympics

Did your child score 100% on a spelling test? Win a small school competition? Finally understand fractions? Congratulations—time to throw a party, text every relative, and cry a little.

Being a family cheerleader means hyping up every single achievement, no matter how small. Some children grow up thinking they invented maths based on how enthusiastically their family reacted when they got 2+2 correct the first time.

Even as kids grow older, this role never stops. Whether they graduate, get a job, or simply remember to take out the rubbish without being reminded, families continue to celebrate them like they just won a Nobel Prize.

Why Families Deserve an Award (Or At Least a Nap)

Education isn’t just about what happens in school—it’s about the constant, behind-the-scenes work of families who guide, support, and sometimes miraculously explain trigonometry at the kitchen table.

This International Day of Families, let’s take a moment to recognise the parents, siblings, grandparents, and caregivers who somehow manage to juggle the roles of teacher, motivator, life coach, crisis negotiator, and snack dispenser—all without a manual. Their patience, encouragement, and endless supply of pep talks shape young minds far beyond the classroom, helping children grow into confident, capable individuals.

So, if you’re one of these superhero family members, give yourself some credit. Whether you’ve spent hours explaining algebra, cheered the loudest at a school event, or simply provided a much-needed hug after a tough day, your support makes all the difference. Maybe even award yourself a medal (or at least an extra slice of cake). After all, education doesn’t just happen in schools—it happens every single day, thanks to families like yours.

By Chantal Tarling