What You Need To Know About The Pros And Cons Of Homeschooling

When I first got the idea to homeschool my children, it didn’t occur to me that I was making a considerable investment of my time (which I find, I gradually have very little to myself), and to some extent money. So I’m really here to walk you through the good, the bad and the ugly.

homeschooling pros and cons

As I mentioned before, when the idea came to me to home school my kids, I agonized over the whole thing, is this really a good idea? Can I really do this? How would I even do this?

The questions went on; then finally, it struck me that, I was married, and I didn’t have to make all the decisions myself, (it’s funny how you can forget the important things until you’ve successfully given yourself a headache and a half), so I presented the idea to my husband, we discussed it and, what do you know, we thought it was a good idea.

Thinking it over

The decision to homeschool your kids should not be rushed, it is best if you take your time; make a list of pros and cons of homeschooling, talk it over with your spouse or family. What are your major concerns? Can this work for your family?

The pros and cons of homeschooling

The pros.....

More direct influence over my children

If they were to attend public or private school, they would have to answer to their teachers, and while that’s not necessarily a bad thing, the school may indirectly teach them values that are different from my own; so, until they are at an age where they can think for themselves and properly make informed decisions, I prefer to keep them close.

More family time

This was one of the huge benefits of homeschooling for me; it meant I had easy access to my kids. I could plan lessons around our lives, instead of the other way around. It also meant that we could have spontaneous vacations.

My husband works from home for a few months each year, so, we could, if we wanted, decide that, in the middle of March we would take a vacation in Jamaica. We could do it, without having to worry about missing school. We could even call the vacation a geography lesson; it could even include lessons about animals and differences in climates.

Less negative peer pressure and more one-on-one learning

I didn’t have to worry about bullies, or having my kids facing potentially violent situations.

One of the major reasons why some kids tend to do badly in school is because there is often only one teacher who had to cater to maybe 20-30 kids; so the kids who need it don’t get that well needed individual attention.

Your kids may even get the chance to have a more varied or rounded education, as you get to choose the basic subjects, and if you or the child have other interests, say, learning Japanese or gardening or something almost bizarre, you can hire a tutor. Later in life, they may also find it easier to stay focused as they are used to working with little supervision, and have already learned how to deal with distraction.

The cons.....

Can I deal with having them around for so long?

I love my kids, I really do, but sometimes I just want to lock them in a room and forget about the key, or even pass them off to someone else; because, let me tell you, dealing with kids, can be overly exhausting.

Constant Vigilance

With my children around I barely get time to myself, my social life has now become almost nonexistent, as I now have to spend what little time I have, organizing events and activities with the local Parenting group and trying to keep my little monsters from drinking the bleach (how did she manage to climb all the way to the top shelve, or even open the cleaning cupboard? The bolt is near the top!!! The top!!)

Limited Socialization

With the way my kids insist on getting into the most ridiculous of situations, and it would seem that the best thing to do is to lock them in a padded room; they really needed to go outside quite often and socialize.

benefits of homeschooling

Yes, I have to be concerned about their social growth. It is through socialization that they learn to define themselves, they learn to relate to each other and later properly function in society.

The decision to homeschool your kids should not be taken lightly. Write don’t your doubts, look up the homeschooling pros and cons . Can you afford to commit to this decision? Is it even the right one for you?

Once you have answered those questions, research, and then do even more research.

 

Terry Robinson
 

Terry is a stay at home mom, who home schools her 3 children. She leads a busy life trying to squeeze in hobbies such as reading and exercise between soccer practice and other activities.