It’s that time of year again, the stores are filling with back to school supplies and families are gearing up for another year of learning.
Some parents are tossing around an idea in their head.
One that makes them a little scared, a little excited, and full of questions…
Maybe I’ll homeschool them this year.
It’s a big decision. One that comes with a ton of responsibilities.
When I decided to pull Anthony out of school 10 years ago I seriously questioned my own sanity.
What in the world was I thinking??
At the time I had one reason for it. He was miserable in school. He hated it and was an emotional mess. I knew that I had to try something else for his sake, and for the sake of his education.
I think it was the best decision I could have possibly made, and having him at home, and then having his brothers along side him I’ve learned so many other reasons that homeschooling is awesome!! (I’ve also learned some of the not so awesome things… stay tuned for that post)
#1- Individualized Education– I’ve come to realize that even within my own family, education is not a “one size fits all” endeavor. It’s amazing to me how different brains process, how different children learn in a huge variety of ways, and how catering their education to their learning style makes so much difference! If your child excels in math but not reading, they can be working on different grade levels. You can stick with one topic until they actually get it. You can cater their learning to their interests… the list goes on and on.
#2- No Testing– Unless you live in a state where you have to give a standardized test as part of your assessment for homeschooling your child can go through their whole school career without fear of “the test”. I know so many teachers, parents and students who live in dread of the multitude of yearly “assessments” that are given. Kids whose test anxiety makes them cry, throw up, unable to sleep… My kiddos have no idea that even exists, and I’m happy to keep it that way.
#3- You Know What Your Kids Are Learning– Do you have any idea what your kids are learning at school all day?? Or what they are not learning? I’ll say here that I’m not one who teaches from a particular world view, I’m a huge believer in teaching from many perspectives. But there are a lot of gaps that happen in learning, and frequently those are overlooked. Or you may want them to learn more about certain subjects, or hold off on learning about things until they are mature enough to handle it. When you’re the teacher you know exactly what they’re learning
#4- No Bullying– This is a big one for many families. Kids shouldn’t be miserable going to school. Parents shouldn’t worry for their well being. While I believe some bullying situations can be resolved there are some that are so persistent, that sometimes removal from the situation is the best option.
#5-Less Back to School Shopping– Now there are some homeschool moms who will scoff at this because they have mountains of new curriculum on their dining room table as we speak… but that’s not what I’m talking about. Over the past several years while my friend were out spending hundreds of dollars on new clothes, backpacks, shoes… my kids were sitting at the table in their pj’s happy as could be. There is no pressure for that perfect first day of school outfit, no need to buy clothes and shoes unless you need them… although the back to school sales are still great!!
#6- Less Peer Pressure– I’m not just talking about smoking and sex here, there are a number of things that kids aren’t pressured about. The latest styles, bratty behavior, even bad eating habits… there are so many influences that can affect our kids and having them at home helps meter some of that.
#7- Less Wasted Time- When Anthony went back to school last year he came in awe….”We spend so much time doing nothing” he said. He didn’t realize how much of the school day was spent with changing classes, bathroom breaks, lunch, behavior issues etc. We’ve always been able to finish up our school work in a few hours, and have so much more time for other things.
#8- Vacations Any time– Want to go to Disney World? Go in September when all the kids are in school and the crowds are smaller! Have a family wedding to attend, guess what? You can go! You can cater your family outings and vacations around your schooling, and vice versa. It adds so much flexibility to your schedule!
#9- Kids learn to relate to all age groups– In a traditional classroom kids are surrounded by other children their own age all day every day. As a homeschooler you tend to come into contact with lots of kids of varying ages. Its great because kids learn that age and grade level doesn’t matter, that they can all be friends.
#10- You can cater to your schedule to your family- For the past several years my husband has had Sunday & Monday off… guess what? So do my kids. It allows us to have weekends as a family even though they are not traditional. Have activities you like to do in the morning? you can have school in the afternoon.. the flexibility is beautiful!!
Quite honestly this list could go on and on… but these are really my top 10!! I’d love to hear from other homeschoolers- what are your reasons?? Or if you’re thinking of homeschooling, what concerns do you have? What is your reason for wanting to?
Follow Krista [email protected]’s board Homeschooling on Pinterest.
7 Big Misconceptions About Homeschoolers
8 Steps to Start Homeschooling
They’re such GREAT reasons. Honestly our biggest obstacle is me. I don’t have the teaching bones in my body, I swear. No patience at all. I need to be writing and doing photography all day long with the kids at school.
That said, I am intrigued by it because of the vacation time, the intimacy, the no bullying… the no testing.
So. Many. Reason.
Great reasons and I love that soo many reasons are learned once you’ve done it for a couple of years.
I LOVE that I’m with my kids all day (it’s also a thing that drives me to be a little insane, some days). But really, I know when they are hurting and I am right there to comfort them. I get to teach them about LIFE and not try to figure out where they learned “THAT”! I get to help shape character and train in good habits. And they get to see me (good and bad) and I’m getting to deal with some of my issues because of them!! LOL!!
With our food allergies, I am soo thankful for home schooling. It’s easy for us to regulate and even learn to cook/bake together… oh, and shop together and clean up after, too:) It gives me chills to think of having them having to be separated at meals and craft/party times when peanuts/dairy items are around. Too sad to hear stories of the food allergy kids having to sit alone at their own table or being sent to a different room if someone brings cupcakes the kids can’t be around :/
Another HUGE thing for me is learning with them!!! How did I miss everything when I was at school??? I have learned sooo much with my kids and have an interest in learning more with them. And those “I got it” moments… hearing my little ones sounding out letters and learning to read or finally getting how to divide. Soo glad I didn’t miss it!!
Soo good for parents to think of home schooling as an option! It’s a commitment… but there are soo many benefits as well:)
I was homeschooled till I went to university–and even then, the amount of time that is simply wasted in university would annoy me. I love how much learning you can do in a short time in homeschooling–I’ll always be a fan!
I have been thinking about schooling since I was pregnant with my first, so this post is helpful. I am pretty sure that I will home school themm, but then I get overwhelmed at the idea of choosing a cirriculum. What if I teach them the wrong things and send them off to college completely unprepared??
We homeschooled our boys this past yr for pre K and K. It was tough BUT so worth it! I agree w all 10 reasons and would add:
1. Sibling bonding. My 6 yr old can change his baby sister’s diaper (only pee pee). The boys are so sweet with her and it’s lovely to see how they are bonding and caring for each other. This is important to me. I want them to have each other for support if/when I am no longer living.
2. Sports and other activities are important to us. A full day at school plus sports and clubs most evenings is just too much.
3. Nobody in my house goes to bed early or wakes early-not even the baby. We are on our own schedule. It’s awesome! Breakfast at 10 am? Sure! Nap time whenever we’re actually tired? Yep! Bedtime after 8pm? Way after! Read another chapter or the entire book?! Okay, why not, we’ll just sleep in the next day;)
Some days are terrible but most days are pretty fantastic! I had bad days as a social worker so I’m no stranger to chaos, confusion, and total exhaustion. At least by the end of my “work day” as a full time homeschool mom I get to see the results of my efforts:)
Those are great additions! Its wonderful to be on the same schedule as your kids isn’t it? I love that even the baby sleeps in, that’s wonderful! And the sibling bonding is amazing isn’t it! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I am seriously considering homeschooling my two boys. For several of the reasons you listed above. However, I’m most concerned about what our children are being taught. I question the common core curriculum and I’
Oh no! I hit post comment by accident! Anyways….I was saying that I am concerned about what the boys are exposed to by other students. Things that go against our family values and them being educated on the playground on things they are too young to understand. We are a very conservative family living in a not so conservative world.
Yes!!! All awesome reasons for homeschooling!