A significant number of people don’t believe homeschooling is the right option. So should you homeschool your child?
Research has shown that homeschooled children do well growing up and become successful in their adult life. There are many advantages to homeschooling, but by the same token, it comes with its disadvantages too.
If you’re thinking about homeschooling your children, but are unsure about what to do, keep reading this article. We’ve listed some advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling below.
We hope that by going over these in your own time, you can come to a decision that suits you and your child.
Should I Homeschool My Child – Advantages
Here are some of the main advantages of homeschooling your child:
Choice Of Curriculum
This is most likely the best advantage of homeschooling. Being able to choose what your child studies, as well as the amount of time they spend studying, is important.
In a class full of children, teachers aren’t able to concentrate on your child’s progression. Through homeschooling, you can focus on your child’s weakest areas, then work on improving them.
Similarly, If your child has natural talents or has favorite subjects (like science, art, music), you can choose to spend some more time on these areas of interest, encouraging them to master them in the future.
The homeschooling curriculum may seem less strict, but studies have shown that homeschooled children learn at the same rate that public schooled kids do, even quicker in some cases.
So if you are asking yourself if you should homeschool your child, then this is a major advantage.
Freedom Of Routine
Homeschooling your child means that your family doesn’t have to follow the same demands of a public school schedule.
Many families choose to set their daily routine like a public school one so that their children can have free time with their schooled friends. However, your lives don’t have to depend on school ever again.
For example, some families may prefer to go on vacation during the fall instead of the summer or winter break. If your child learns better on an evening schedule, you can adjust your hours to accommodate their learning style.
Homeschooling your child brings you freedom that public schooling doesn’t allow.
Decreased Safety Concerns
Every parent worries about their child being bullied. Bullying happens to a few children, but the lasting effects can be damaging to their mental health, education, and physical wellbeing.
Through homeschool, you can be certain that your child avoids any bad influences.
Homeschooling your child also keeps them away from high school problems like cliques, pressure, and low self-esteem. Research has shown that homeschooled girls maintain a good level of self-esteem during high school.
At home, your child doesn’t have to worry about fitting in with the rest of their peers – an issue that affects most kids in public schools.
Religion And Core Beliefs
If religion is important to you and your family, homeschooling may provide a supportive environment compared to the public school classroom. Some families believe that American education has deviated too much from its previous religious roots.
Homeschooling can allow these households to teach their children important values that won’t be taught at school.
Even if you’re not religious, race, sex education, and gender are important topics that people have different opinions on. You may want your child to understand your viewpoint before they learn from another environment. Homeschooling can help you teach your child your core beliefs in a safe setting.
Better Productivity
Most schools provide one teacher to teach 20-30 children. The teachers don’t have enough time to spend with each child, so their students have extra work to catch up on if they don’t get to it in class.
The public classroom environment doesn’t support productivity, but homeschooled kids finish more work during their lessons.
They also normally don’t have homework, as it’s finished during their sessions. If you homeschool your child you will be able to provide a much more personalized level of learning.
Improved Relationships & Emotional Stability
People that don’t support homeschooling often claim that homeschooled kids aren’t as social as public schooled ones. This isn’t the case.
Homeschooled individuals are known to control their emotions, be less violent, and be just as social as their peers. As they grow into adults, they become successful at work and at managing a social life.
Similarly, research has shown that homeschooled children can adapt to emotional challenges better than publicly educated ones.
These vary, but they include family deaths, health issues, and moving to new locations. Sometimes moving can’t be avoided, but homeschooled children can deal with moving to a new area better than children in public school.
Adequate Rest
Numerous studies have talked about the importance of sleep, especially when concerning teens. Some children may have to get up hours before school starts to get ready, eat a proper breakfast, and travel to the location.
We’re not suggesting that homeschooled children sleep in all the time, but a little bit of extra sleep can be beneficial for the brain. If your child prefers to work later in the evening, getting a few more hours of sleep in the morning can set them up for a productive day.
Many public-educated children have bad sleeping habits, starting their day tired then returning home drained. If you decide to homeschool your child you can work around a schedule that suits your child’s routine.
Should I Homeschool My Child – Disadvantages
It’s clear that homeschooling has lots of benefits, but it comes with downsides too. Here are some of the negative effects of homeschooling.
Stress Levels
Homeschooling your child isn’t easy; it takes time, patience, and effort. You’ll have to take the time to create lesson plans for your child, then spend some more time teaching them.
As this needs to be done daily, it can be draining, especially if you have another child to look after.
People think that homeschooled kids are naturally good students who listen. In reality, teachers and homeschooling parents will deal with the same issues.
Many people also think that homeschooled kids work out of a textbook, but they’ll still need other creative and hands-on learning activities.
Chemistry experiments, art projects, and in some cases, music lessons are all things that you’ll have to plan. This can be hard, both physically and mentally.
If you decide to homeschool your child this is a huge factor to take into consideration.
Added Costs
Homeschooling is expensive. The majority of homeschooling families live under one income, as one parent teaches their child and the other works for money.
Surviving on one income can be difficult, especially if you used to live on two incomes. This may sound depressing, but a lot of families say that the benefits of homeschooling outweigh a lower income.
Do take note that school supplies cost a lot. Public school is funded by tax dollars, but homeschooling isn’t. You’ll have to pay for textbooks, stationery, and worksheets that all cost a lot of money.
If you homeschool your child, you’re footing the bill.
Less Alone Time
If you’re thinking about homeschooling your children, you’re thinking about their wellbeing. Of course, most parents adore their children, but we all need our space. Homeschooling involves being with your child all the time, during lessons, breaks, and home time.
This can be very overwhelming, for both you and your child. If you want to go ahead with homeschooling, you have to be comfortable with your child 24/7.
You should probably go ahead with public schooling if you can’t do this. Keep in mind that many homeschooling parents view this as a chance to grow closer to their children.
Decreased Extra-Curricular Opportunities
Other than lessons, you’ll have to plan extracurricular activities. A lot of homeschooling parents underestimate the amount of time it takes to plan these activities, becoming exhausted with the work later on.
This increases as children get older, especially if your child develops an interest in sports.
Many community sports outlets are available for young children, but not that many for teens unless they are particularly gifted.
Homeschooled teens don’t have the opportunity to take part in team sports as their public school peers do. You may be able to find a public school that allows your child to take part in their sports activities, but the majority of schools don’t allow this. And this can be a major downside if you decide to homeschool your child.
Criticism
Parents who decide to homeschool their children often receive a lot of criticism from several sources. Parents, the educational system, and the government all scrutinize those who choose to homeschool their children.
Homeschooling is seen as a radical change to society, so a lot of people choose to demonize those who think differently.
If you can stand up to external pressure, homeschooling may be a good route for you, but remember that your child will face similar pressures too. If your child is old enough, it’s important to discuss potential criticism with them, then see if they want to go through with homeschooling.
In Summary
Those were the main advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling. Each parent will have their unique views on homeschooling their children.
If you’re on the fence, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons and see it’s right for your child. Really ask yourself the question – ‘should I homeschool my child?’ before reaching a decision.
The majority of homeschoolers will say that it’s the best decision they ever made, but it’s important to factor in your child’s wishes too, especially if they’re older. No one can make this decision for you.
Take your time and do as much research as possible before you decide on whether homeschooling is right for your child.
My name is Joyce Bailey, and I am a mother of two wonderful children. When I had my first child five years ago, at first I struggled to know which method of parenting I wanted to adopt. Traditional parenting just did not seem right for my family.
