Reasons to Homeschool

"Why do you homeschool again?" is a question I'm sure all homeschoolers have had asked of them time and time again. Nothing wrong with the question, but sometimes the question is really not a question at all. Sometimes it's more like a criticism wrapped up in the form of a question. Have you ever had one of those? You can always tell by the tone of the question. Am I right?

Maybe we should all have t-shirts printed just to free up our conversation for other things? I don't mind talking about why we homeschool except for those instances when the person I'm discussing it with is so incredibly closed minded about the issue, that they can't even consider it's many benefits.

There are a lot of people who seem to think homeschooling is unhealthy, unrealistic, and/or just plain wrong. I would guess that many of these individuals have misconceptions about why we homeschool and possibly have not witnessed the triumphs, first hand, of a homeschooling family.


So, why do I homeschool? Your list might be different than mine, but here's my reasons... just in case you're interested! I'm still working on the t-shirt. tee hee

1. To assure that my son doesn't fall behind in his lessons (he doesn't focus well, doesn't listen well, and would just as soon sit and stare at a wall... if I weren't sitting right there with him)

2. Experience the luxury of choosing the curriculum that best suits my children's learning style and level of readiness

3. Limit exposure to teachers with an agenda to brainwash my children into adopting their warped social values or twisting understanding of how the world should be (basically limit their exposure to secular education).

4. Eliminate 7 hours of school, followed by an evening of homework. I think kids should be free of homework in the evening... especially if they've been in school all day long.

5. One-on-one teaching is just better than a student to teacher ratio of 20 to 1 (sometimes even more than that)

6. Knowing for certain that my kids are learning EVERYTHING they're supposed to learn and that nothing has been glossed over. We don't proceed to the next page, book, or level until we have it right.

7. Reduction in peer pressure to act in ways or participate in activities that they otherwise wouldn't.

8. No school wardrobe to buy, no overpriced school lunches, no fund raisers where I end up buying the bulk of the products... equates to a lot of savings for our family.

9. We can take a vacation anytime of the year, plan our own school calender, choose our own hours, take as many field trips as we choose, and basically do things our own way.

10. Less comparison between my kids and those at the same grade level. No labels placed on my kids... like special, delayed or even gifted. My kids will be less likely to develop feelings of inferiority or superiority based on their performance or level of understanding.

11. Incorporation of our faith into our studies.

12. We can instill our own values into our children rather than having a virtual stranger teach them right from wrong.

13. More time to explore their individual passions, sometimes even incorporating them into their studies.

14. Reduction in teasing or the pressure to fit in.

15. More time to bond as a family, to enjoy our time together before they're grown and out on their own!