It is not new to homeschool your kids. Although it is more common today, it is not a new idea.
Whether you are thinking about teaching your child at home for the first or second time, there are likely many pros and disadvantages.
We have compiled a list with input from parents who homeschool. When making your decision, consider how each might impact your personal situation and make sure you are making the best decision for your family.
Table Of Content
Pros
Freedom
You can make your own decisions, regardless of whether you call it freedom, self-determination or control. You can travel freely, include religious teachings in your day, and you won’t have any worries about bullying or social pressures at school.
All subjects can be studied at home, from sewing to sailing to science. Homeschooling can encompass volunteering as well as traditional trades and practical skills. Homeschoolers say that there are many teachable moments and that school is not only about school hours.
Flexibility
Who doesn’t want to control their own time? Education at home allows you to control the structure and content of your day. For example, if your child is unable to wake up at 7:00 AM, you can begin school later. Because homeschool timing can be flexible, you can make your child’s dentist appointment on Tuesday at noon.
There is even room to give a lesson back to your kids if they aren’t feeling it. There are many ways you can make it up later.
Individualized Education
Every child is unique. In a school setting, teachers are not able to tailor lessons to each child’s needs. You, on the contrary, can meet your child where they are and customize lessons to suit their individual interests.
Is your child in need of some assistance? Are they asking “Can you do my homework with me? Or maybe we can buy homework answers to check? I don’t understand the assignment.”? Spend an extra 15 minutes to help your child understand fractions. Your older child is interested in outer space? Start an astronomy class with the help of Youtube.
You can also vary your approach to homeschooling from one child to another if you have multiple children. This is true in terms of learning styles, grade levels, and learning styles. You can celebrate every success and achievement together in real-time.
COVID-19 restrictions are minimal
Many parents decided to homeschool during the pandemic in order to avoid COVID-19 restrictions that were placed on their children’s education.
A 6-year-old must wear a mask at all times and keep their friends close to them. This is quite a challenge for most children. Education at home is a way to be free from masks, physical barriers, or other challenges that come with the pandemic.
Stronger family relationships
More time with your kids means more bonding opportunities. Perhaps homeschooling is what you’ve been longing for.
Positive experiences, such as field trips and learning moments that are a-ha, can help build close parent-child and sibling relationships.
Some homeschooling arrangements can allow for more time with parents, even if the work schedules limit their time together on weekends and holidays.
Reduced COVID-19 exposure
It reduces the chance of their being exposed. Many families were anxious about this during the early stages of the pandemic. There are some people who have family members at greater risk for serious illness and/or who live with people who are not vaccinated.
There are still parents who feel uncomfortable sending their kids home even though schools re-open. There are many comfort levels and some people prefer to take it slow.
Cons
It takes a lot of work
Apart from your parental responsibilities, you are also a teacher, tutor, and curriculum researcher.
It is quite possible that this is the worst reason not to homeschool. Homeschooling your children is just too much work.
It is a time-consuming task to create, teach and grade multiple subjects. However, there are many ready-to-use curriculum packages. It can be delightful to tailor education for each child’s learning style but it can also increase your workload.
You may have to work harder if your children are younger than school age.
Spend less time on yourself
Homeschooling is a full-time job with kids at home, so it’s no surprise that you will have less time to spend on yourself. Many parents who homeschool claim that they don’t have enough time to shower, let’s not even mention exercise or taking care of their own health.
Homeschooling can be challenging for parents who have used a quiet environment and do not want their children to disturb them during the day. It may create a need to search for essay writing services UK or the Americas to help both parents and kid.
Inability to work
You can be sure that homeschooling will consume hours of your daily time. Homeschooling parents may not have the ability to work out of the home. Or, they may have to drastically reduce their hours. This may prove to be a significant financial loss for some households.
Too much togetherness
Homeschooling can be a great way to boost the feelings of siblings and parents. But there is no such thing as too much togetherness.
You may find that spending all day, every day, with your kiddos (and they with each other) leads to feelings of frustration or confinement – especially if you’ve already been together nonstop for months due to the pandemic. It is also possible to go through an adjustment period, where your kids will learn to see you (and respect you) as their teacher.
It is important to have breaks. Depending on your resources, you may consider enrolling in a homeschooling enrichment or co-op one day per week to give your kids socialization.
Not Taking Advantage of Certain Opportunities
Although homeschooling offers a lot of flexibility, there are some limitations to it. A homeschool curriculum might not be able offer high schoolers the same range of electives that a large school. (Also, most people don’t have an iron shop in their backyard.
It is important to find alternatives for your child if they want to learn subjects that you are unable to teach at home.
Social opportunities are the same. You, as a homeschooler are responsible for providing social interaction your child will not get from assemblies, school dances, or everyday classroom partner work.
Facing Judgments & Biases
Let’s face facts: Homeschooling does not have the reputation of being trendy or modern. Homeschooling is not without its biases, stereotypes, and people who choose to homeschool are often subject to these prejudices.
Final word
It’s becoming more common for parents to explore the world of homeschooling. This is a wise way to consider all the benefits and drawbacks. We’ve shared all the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision.
