I used to think homeschool kids and families were weird. I don’t really have any specific anecdotes as to why I feel that way- more so just an impression that I developed over time. It probably comes from not closely knowing any homeschool families growing up. That’s the stigma though, isn’t it? When you bring up homeschool families or kids the first word that pops into anyone’s mind is *weird*.
I would say in recent years, especially since 2020, it has become more mainstream. Many families are now choosing to homeschool for various personal reasons. I thought that I’d share why my family homeschools.
Many cite the reason of indoctrination. You don’t want someone filling your child’s head with nonsense at a time when they trust adults wholeheartedly. While I definitely find this valid, it’s not the only reason for homeschooling.
Safety is another justification for homeschooling. Parents hope and pray for the safety of their children every single day. While living in a small, rural or suburban neighborhood may ease your mind when it comes to school safety, we can never know when and where tragedy may strike. If your kids are home with you, that though can be forgotten.
Real-world experience is another sizeable perk of homeschooling. Kids can learn more about money, taxes, gardening, farming, the list goes on and on. As kids age and grow there are so many opportunities for them to gain real world experience. Ask anyone how prepared for life they felt after leaving high school. I had no idea how to do my taxes. I still know nothing about changing a tire or the oil on your car. I had no idea what it took to buy a home. When I got my first job, I really had no idea how to budget my salary to pay for my rent, student loans, car payment, phone payment, etc. to make it last for the month and still have money left for a rainy day. Homeschooling immerses your child in all of those experiences which makes them more prepared than their public-school peers.
I could keep rattling on reasons for homeschooling because I truly feel like there are so many perks. I have become such an advocate for homeschooling in recent years. While all of these reasons are valid and true, there’s one simple reason why I homeschool:
No one cares about your kids more than you.
No public or private school teacher, tutor, principal, ANYONE will ever care about your child more than you and your spouse. Why are we giving our children away to people who don’t really care what happens to our kids? I do believe for the most part teachers do care about kids. I used to teach public school and my coworkers, with a few exceptions, were excellent educators. With the amount of kids teachers have in their classrooms, all with varying needs and learning styles, how can we expect teachers to care immensely about each individual in their room? We can’t. Most teachers are also parents and trying to get home to their kids too.
Who is going to be the better teacher- the teacher with 25 kids in their classroom, all with varying needs, some likely receiving special education services, likely some gifted students, students with varying degrees of behavior, their own mind thinking about their own kids and their own problems, the list goes on. OR the teacher that has 3 students and can focus their time on each child? The teacher that knows every quirk they have, what makes them so special, and is their entire world.
