Many moms start planning their children’s lives the moment they find out they are pregnant.
Will you bottle or breastfeed, will you allow plastic or wood toys, will you homeschool or seek public education, will it be Harvard or Stanford?
These questions are all legitimate, and should have your careful consideration; except for maybe which college your child will attend, seeming you don’t know where they are going to excel quite yet.
Although it may seem like light years away when your screaming toddler will be school age, it comes quicker than you could imagine.
It used to be seen that a distinct type of person would choose homeschooling for their family; someone who is ultra religious or socially awkward.
In the past few years there has been a drastic rise in homeschooling, and not in the genres of people you would suspect.
With all there is to be concerned with while sending your child off to school, parents of all races, ethnicities, social classes and religions (or lack thereof) are choosing homeschooling.
The experts weigh in, and choosing to keep the children in the home is not a bad option if you do it right.
Romper had an ace of the field provide his valuable insight:
“Homeschooling has changed so much over the decades,” Barb Harvey, an early childhood expert and parenting coach, tells Romper in an email interview. “I think homeschool children get a lot from the experience and the most important is a good education.”
Harvey, who is also the executive director of Parents, Teachers and Advocates, Inc., says an important aspect of learning is that children — homeschooled or traditionally schooled — understand it is not just about sitting in a classroom. “Homeschooling families tend to take family vacations around what their children are studying,” she says, adding that, for example, a family might go to D.C. on vacation to see more directly how laws are made. “This gives kids the understanding that learning does not always take place in the classroom, but also as we live our lives.”
When the whole family is involved in the education process, everyone benefits; especially siblings who learn from another more quickly than an authority figure in most cases.
John Edelson, founder of Time4Learning, an online homeschool curriculum for K-12, had more to add on the subject, Romper reported:
“Families choose alternative schooling options for a variety of reasons. Some families want a lifestyle that gives them more control over their time. It could be that they simply want more time with their children or the flexibility to pursue family interests such as traveling.”
The beauty of homeschooling is that you choose the curriculum, and you choose the time and location of schooling.
If your children are not morning kids, then start school at 11 to have them at their best. If it’s a nice day out, take your schooling to the park.
Each child is going to have a subject they excel in, and some they find more challenging. Homeschooling gives you the privilege to cater to your child’s strengths so they will never feel defeated in their educational journey.
Romper revealed some of people’s negative thoughts towards a home-based education:
“According to KidsHealth, some of the main concerns that surround homeschooling involve access to school facilities, like a gymnasium, science lab, or art studio.”
These are not as big concerns as most would think. With the growing number of homeschoolers, there has been a flux in extracurricular activities geared toward accommodating this expanding group.
Romper reported:
“In most areas, it’s not difficult to find social interaction,” Camille DiMaio, author of the forthcoming The Way of Beauty and mom to four homeschooled kids, tells Romper. “Libraries are usually great resources for teen activities, as well as church groups, theater groups, and sports groups. Some public school districts will allow homeschoolers to participate in after-school activities — it’s worth asking.” DiMaio also recommends parents look at their local JCC, YMCA, YWCA, recreational centers, and other similar places for activity options.”
And with all of these after-school activities, your child is bound to pick up some friends, and social skills.
There is also homeschool co-ops where children take certain courses a couple days a week together with an instructor. This gives them socialization and a classroom experience, while still maintaining all the perks you get from heading the education process.
The best evidence-based reason that homeschooling does not put your child at a disadvantage is that they do statistically do better academically than traditionally educated children.
Brian D. Ray, Ph.D., writing for the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) reported:
“The home-educated typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests.
Homeschool students score above average on achievement tests regardless of their parents’ level of formal education or their family’s household income.”
So, whether you are looking to homeschool, or just have a preconceived mindset on homeschoolers that is outdated, the experts of the field have spoken.
With that being said, homeschooling is not for everyone, and that doesn’t mean that your child is not going to get a good education.
No matter where your child goes for formal schooling, home or elsewhere, parents can still be involved in the process and keep an eye out for where they can aid in helping their child do their best.
Please let us know in the comments section if you are looking into homeschooling and have concerns, or if you already homeschool and can tell us how it has worked for your family.