Pros and Cons of Homeschooling by Cindy Downes

I found this wonderful pro/con list of homeschooling on the net. It is by a veteran HSer. Remember, the pros and cons isn't a "one size fits all" but you might find some aspects you can relate to !

Someone recently asked me to give my honest pro and con of homeschooling. After twenty six years in the homeschool world, here is my answer:

The cons include:

1. Homeschooling doesn't guarantee that your children will ace every course, have no problems, get into an elite college on scholarship, obtain a high-paying job, get married and have their life turn out perfect.

2. Homeschooling is a lot of work and takes most of your free time even if you are eclectic or use unit studies. Children take time!

3. You will endure a lot of pressure from the world, your family and friends, AND yourself that will make you think you are "ruining" your kids.

4. You will have bad days. It can be real frustrating to spend time preparing lessons and getting equipment together only to have a "bad" day or a child who doesn't seem like he is learning. Every homeschool mom will tell you there will be days (or even weeks at a time) when you will feel like nothing is going right.

5. Even though you can homeschool cheaper than sending them to private school, it still costs money to provide an excellent education at home. You WILL have to sacrifice in other areas of the family budget in order to have the money you need to homeschool.

6. You kids will most likely go through periods of time, both during their homeschool life and after, when they wish they were not homeschooled. You (the parents) must be the one who makes the decision and sticks with it. That takes a lot of determination.

If you allow God to take control, and you do the best you can, and forgive yourself on the bad days, the pros include:

1. Your child WILL receive a better education in the areas that are most important to him. By homeschooling, you are able to focus your child's education on courses & activities that will help him do what interests him instead of doing what everyone else is doing.

2. Your child WILL learn to think for himself and be self-educating which will help him throughout his adult life. Even though he won't learn "everything he needs to know," by the time he graduates, he will know how to find the answers for himself, something not likely to happen in a regular school.

3. You can arrange your school day around your spouse's schedule so that everyone has quality time together, creating special family memories that your child will never forget. Most homeschooled families become very close. And, even if he becomes a prodigal son, he will think back on these times and remember what life is like in a loving and caring home. Eventually, he will tire of the "world outside" and will come back home.

4. YOUR character traits and behaviors WILL show up in your children. As you are training your child, you will also be training you. It will make YOU a better person!

5. You child will eventually tell you that they were glad that you homeschooled them for a variety of reasons. Their reasons change as they mature and have families of their own.

6. When you are all done homeschooling, you will know that you have done the best job you could have done for your child. You will have prepared them the best you could and given your child what they need to go out into the world.