The number of children being homeschooled in the United States is growing annually. In fact, that number is up to 10% annually. There are considerable benefits to homeschooling your child since it is less expensive, and you will have complete control over what your child learns. But many parents are doubtful that the public school system is the right one for their kids, and that’s why they turn to homeschool as an option.
In a homeschooling setup, you will need education furniture so that your kid can feel that they, too, are in a school-like setting. Don’t think for one second that you can use your bedroom to homeschool your kid. If you want your kid to effectively learn from what you’re teaching them, you need to create an environment that will nurture that love for learning. Seeing the bowl of fruit on your kitchen counter or their bed just doesn’t do the trick. You will need to allot a specific area or room for homeschooling.
Time Commitment and Personal Sacrifice
Homeschooling isn’t just about teaching your kid their lessons a couple of hours each day. You also need to take them to field trips, grade their papers, do science experiments with them, task them with projects, and schedule their meals. There’s a lot of time involved in teaching your kid at home, no matter how flexible it all seems to be from the outside.
You will also have to sacrifice your own time and space. Parents of children who go to regular schools can do their errands and work while their kids are in school. If you’re homeschooling your kid, you will be glued to them in ways you never knew were even possible.
Financial Constraints
You might have to forego working a regular job if you will homeschool your kid. You’ll have to find a job that you can do flexibly from home; possibly during the kids’ afternoon nap time. This might not be a perfect scenario for households who are dependent on two incomes. Although homeschooling is incredibly cheaper than regular school, losing one parent’s income can still cause financial woes to the family.
Flexibility and Freedom
A homeschool curriculum allows you to choose which lessons to focus on. No one knows your children better than you, so if you think they need more time to learn mathematics, then so be it. If your kid is interested in science or arts, they can also request that more time be spent there. With homeschooling, you are completely in control with what your kid is learning.
Another benefit of homeschooling is the ability to go on vacations without needing to excuse your children from their classes. You can go on trips and travel the world as a family because your children can learn from wherever you choose to be—from hotels, from camping grounds, from the top of the mountains, etc.
Emotional and Physical Safety
Homeschooling will also protect your children from the effects of bullying. Because they are not attending a regular school, their access to bullies is limited. Homeschooled children are also safe from self-esteem issues, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, and gangs.
If you are worried about socialization, you can join groups of homeschooled children and have regular playdates with them. You must also take the time out to engage with your kids not as teacher and student, but as friends. To help them open up to the world and other people, you can enrol them in music, karate, art, and sports classes.
