Is Homeschooling A Right Fit For Your Children?

More and more parents are wanting their children to receive an education different from what is currently being taught in the public school system. Thus, the rise of the homeschooling movement.

In the United States alone, there are about 2 million children being homeschooled, and the count is rising by about 10% each year.

If you have also been mulling over whether homeschooling is a right fit for you and your children, there are a handful of pros and cons that you need to consider.

Here are some of the advantages of homeschooling:

Increased emotional and physical safety

Bullying, drugs, and gangs, are just some of the dangers that are present in the public school system. Homeschooling avoids these potentially harmful influences, as well as other negative sways such as self-esteem issues and peer pressure. Particularly for girls in their high school years, it is difficult to maintain a high level of self-esteem. Studies have observed that homeschooled girls tend to have their self-esteem intact throughout their high school years. Homeschooled children also don’t have to worry about “fitting in” that plagues just about every kid in every school.

Freedom to choose

Parents who homeschool their children are not constrained by the schedules imposed by the public school system. Your children’s lives will no longer revolve around the school calendar or school hours. You’ll find that you’ll have more freedom to go on family vacations and take back control of your family schedules.

You can teach what you want when you want

This is one of the reasons why homeschooling is very attractive for parents – you can choose your child’s curriculum. You get to decide what your child studies, when they study, and for how long. Children can also spend more time studying on subjects of their interest such as science or art, without the constraints of sharing classroom time with other batches of students. Children have the ability to proceed with your chosen curriculum at their own pace.

Here are some of the disadvantages of homeschooling:

Higher cost

Homeschooling isn’t cheap. Also, it is not subsidized by taxpayers’ money, unlike public schooling, thus parents must cover all costs associated with homeschooling.

Increased stress

Homeschooling takes a lot of time and effort. You are practically your child’s teacher, and will require you to prepare lessons. You then have to teach these lessons and can pretty easily zap all your energy. Homeschooling can be very draining emotionally and physically.

Prepare for kid overload

We love our kids – no doubt about that. But let’s get real – being around your kids 24/7 can be overwhelming. If you decide to homeschool your kids, get ready with your balls of energy and commit to be with them all the time.

Read the full article by Education Corner here for more information on homeschooling and if it is a right fit for your children.

What do you think about homeschooling your kids? Let us know in the comments below!