I get it, I do, there are some who will read the title of this post, roll their eyes and say, NO WAY! Yup, I was there too. I had zero intention of homeschooling my children, I mean ZERO. To me, that was for other, more patient people…and besides Homeschoolers were kind of, well you know, weird.
However, we did choose that path and I am here to say that EVERY parent should at the very least, consider the option.
#1 Someone is going to be brainwashing your child, it might as well be you
A very wise, and seasoned homeschool mama said this to my friend once, the sage advice is profound. Like it or not there is a worldview that is taught in the public school systems. If you think about it every textbook author has a worldview and it comes out in the information provided and the spin in which it is given, history is a great example of this. Therefore, your child will be indoctrinated with someone’s worldview; it might as well be the one you want them to have.
#2 No one will be more invested in their success than you will
No matter how many classes on creative teaching techniques, classroom management, and childhood development your child’s teacher has taken, he or she will never be as vested in your child’s success as you are. I don’t mean this to be disrespectful to the amazing teachers out there who do a fantastic job, but none of them will read book after book on learning style just to figure out what is optimal for one child, yours. But you might.
#3 They don’t keep
Children don’t keep, they grow exponentially faster than you can imagine. Another wise person once said, “The days are so long…but the years are so short.” Never were truer words spoken than these. Yes, it can be harried, yes it can try your patience, but being with your children for endless amounts of time allows you to enjoy the short season that God has allowed you to influence them. Frankly this was the part of homeschooling that really freaked me out…no breaks??? Nope, but you know what? I love it. I have found that the old adage that absence makes the hear t grow fonder is definitely not true of children; rather the heart of a mother grows with the daily interaction she has with her children. It’s true.
#4 Your family dynamics can be closer
Let it be known that whatever the dynamics are they will be amplified by being around one and other so much. However, I have found that with loving care and discipline in place, our home is a pretty peaceful place. Our children are so much closer than they were when they were separated by age and grade for so many hours in a day. Also, my younger children have the luxury of knowing the older ones so much better because the older ones are not gone for 25 hours or more a week.
#5 You have more flexibility
When there is a health scare, a death in the family, a diagnosis requiring frequent medical visits, or a desire to go on vacation in off-season, you can make it happen. The flexibility that homeschooling affords cannot be matched. We have taken off to Florida in September when there is bountiful sun but few tourists, we have added a special needs child to our family and accommodated more frequent medical appointments, and we have been able to help others. All of this is because of being flexible. Learning does not have to only happen between the hours of 8am and 3pm, it can happen anytime, anywhere.
#6 You can individualize lessons
If you have a kiddo who loves legos but hates to read, you can get creative and turn the lego guides into reading materials. You can let your horse loving child learn science through equestrian activities, really the sky is the limit (and your own creativity coupled with some fancy Google searches).
#7 You can live learning
Before the advent of public education, children learned through every aspect of their daily lives. My children learn home economics through being responsible for a meal once a week. You can truly allow learning to unfold in your daily lives from elementary students learning addition and subtraction at the grocery store to older children learning social studies and cultural differences through volunteering in the community.
#8 You help shape your child
When you homeschool you can shape and fashion so many more aspects of your child’s development than when you have to contend with the immense peer pressure and influences of the school system. You have more time for bonding, sharing ideas and information, and steering them away from areas you are trying to shield them from. Most homeschooled students will tell you that some of their biggest influences and role models are amazing real people that they encounter, not the stars and athletes they see on television.
Every parent should at least consider these 8 things; I realize that for some it is much harder than others to make the choice to homeschool. I get it, really I do. We gave up a very sizeable income after I was in my career field for 15 years making REALLY GOOD money. We gave it up and I wouldn’t change it for the world, just some food for thought…and consideration.
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