Why would anyone take on the responsibility of homeschooling their children? After all, there is a public school system outside your front door, just down the street, where you can send your children for several hours a day … and you can have some time to yourself while they are gone! Are you crazy?! Not hardly … you are a great parent! And … you have an ever-increasing home education movement backing your decision. Here are a few of the reasons our parents have expressed:
It has been estimated that only 2 - 3 hours out of each school day is actually spent learning. Of course there are exceptions, but add hours of homework into that mix, as well as getting to and from school, and it's easy to see why many parents have decided it is simply not in their child's best interests to be sent away to school.
Home educated children have a rich and varied social life. They have opportunities for midweek sleepovers, camping trips, and movie nights. Younger kids usually meet weekly in a park or playground with support groups, and share play dates during the week.
- We are concerned about the quality of education being offered. We believe we can do a better job.
It has been estimated that only 2 - 3 hours out of each school day is actually spent learning. Of course there are exceptions, but add hours of homework into that mix, as well as getting to and from school, and it's easy to see why many parents have decided it is simply not in their child's best interests to be sent away to school.
- We choose to teach at home to supervise and develop socialization.
Home educated children have a rich and varied social life. They have opportunities for midweek sleepovers, camping trips, and movie nights. Younger kids usually meet weekly in a park or playground with support groups, and share play dates during the week.
- We don’t want our children to have to go through metal detectors or endure searches by security guards before they can begin their learning day.
Because school violence has increased at an alarming rate to include school shootings and violent physical attacks, the number of families choosing to educate at home has increased dramatically. Parents and kids who no longer feel safe in school often decide to bring learning into their homes.
Almost every week I hear from families whose kids who simply dislike school. They hate being there, are often bullied or frightened, can no longer bear the peer pressure and meaningless busywork, or are "bored out of their minds.”
So, whether this is your first homeschool adventure or you’re a pro at educating at home, remember to make it all the more enjoyable by being flexible with time, keeping your “school” simple, spending the required amount of time for your child…but not being bound to a rigid timetable. If you spend enough time with your kids and employ good home education principles, learning will be fun.
