More and more parents are opting for their kids to be home schooled. According to studies, there are over 2 million children in the United States studying at home. Homeschooled kids do well in standardized testing, get accepted in prestigious colleges and universities and as adults are considered as reliable employees who are self directed and independent. Because of this, homeschooling has become an attractive alternative to the typical school.
Pros:
Educational Freedom – Homeschooled kids have the educational freedom to learn what they want to learn for as long as they want. The basics are covered but kids can choose to learn about a specific subject (and more) at their own pace and at the time they want to. This means teaching your 10 year-old algebra, chemistry to a 15 year-old or reading to a 4 year old child.
Physical Freedom – you and your kids lives won’t revolve around assignments, school calendars or a fixed daily schedule. Parents and kids can plan their schooling schedules and learning activities at their convenience.
Closer Family Relationships – Mom, dad or both parents can spend lots of time with their kids. This means there is lots of times to foster bonds with family members. Because of this it is also easier to cope together as a family during difficult times such as illnesses, deaths, re-locating and other family upheavals.
Cons:
Financial Restraints – One parent has to serve as your kid’s teacher. This means only one person will earn income for the family. This can be a big sacrifice for families who live on a tight budget. However many home school families that the brief loss of income is worth the time spent together.
Physical Freedom – When kids are homeschooled they will always be with you, especially at a young age. During school hours they are with you and when school’s out and you need to run errands they are also with you.
Limited Team Sports – Lots of home school families band together for team sports and sporting activities but because of the small number of homeschooled kids, there is still a limited number of team sports to choose from. Other home school parents arrange for their kids to participate in physical education classes with the local public school.
Odd Lifestyle – If living outside the norm is not for you, so is homeschooling. Many people criticize homeschooled kids and their parents and find their lifestyle “odd”. Aside from this there are many challenges associated with homeschooling your kids.
