According to the National Home Education Research Institute, there are currently more than 3.5 million homeschooled children in the United States of America. While homeschooling has been growing in popularity for some time now, many still find themselves asking, “Why would parents choose homeschooling for their kids?” While every family is different and I cannot speak for everyone, here are 10 reasons parents choose to homeschool their children.
10. Parents homeschool for religious reasons
Many people automatically assume that homeschoolers make that decision because they want to shelter their children from the “wickedness” of public school. This is most certainly not always the case, but in some situations it is. Some parents do choose to educate their children at home to avoid them being taught things like evolution, gender fluidity, or information about other religions. 20 years ago, religious instruction and preventing children from being introduced to “negative behaviors” was one of the top reasons for homeschooling, but I believe that statistic may be changing as there are many more secular homeschoolers than there used to be.
9. Parents homeschool to protect their children from bullying and abuse
This reason seems to be growing recently. According to this website, more than 20% of children report being bullied at school. For some, this bullying can be ongoing and parents and teachers seem to be unable to find a way to isolate the bully from the victim. In these situations, parents sometimes choose to educate their children at home to keep their children safe.
Children and peers are not the only bullies. Sometimes parents feel the need to remove their children from schools to protect them from abusive teachers. According to this website, it is believed that approximately 10% of students are sexually mistreated by their teachers during their school years. When you consider the stories of physical (not sexual) assault cases as well as emotional abuse by educators, it’s no wonder some parents remove their kids from the public school systems.
8. Parents homeschool so they can sleep in
Okay, so maybe this one is just me, but it’s definitely one of the (albeit silly) reasons I homeschool my children. I nor my husband are early risers. During the short time frame my daughter was in public school, we struggled horribly with getting everyone up, fed, dressed, and out the door every morning. Within just a couple of weeks, we all felt much more stressed and less patient with each other.
I am sure I am not alone in this one, although some parents may not want to admit it, but getting to sleep in a few hours when parents or kids need it is a HUGE benefit of homeschooling.
7. Parents homeschool because they enjoy flexibility
Getting to sleep in brings me to the next point… Parents choose homeschooling because it allows them to have a lot of flexibility with their schedules.
Homeschool families aren’t required to do school for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, 36 weeks out of the year. They are able to modify their schedules in the way that works best for their family. Families can take mini-vacations in the middle of the week, when crowds and prices are often lower. They can do their schoolwork in the evening while Dad is at work to have family time in the mornings. Families are able to spend time with family without having to worry about school excuses.
They are also capable of doing their school work anywhere. They can do their work in the car, in the waiting room, or even on the trampoline. Flexibility is definitely a benefit of homeschooling.
6. Parents homeschool to give their kids more opportunities
As previously stated, homeschooling takes less time than children spend in the public school classroom. As a result of that fact, some parents choose to homeschool their children so they have more time to spend on things that matter more to them. Children may want to have more time on hobbys, to build a small business, or to volunteer. Parents may want have more time to teach their kids “real-life” skills such as budgeting, or trade skills such as plumbing or mechanic work.
When children have more free time, they can truly follow their passions with more fervor.
5. Parents homeschool so they can travel
This was somewhat covered in point number 7, but I’m not just talking about normal weekend trips here. Some parents choose to homeschool their children so that they can truly travel the state, the country, or even the world.
As more and more people are able to work from home, the roadschooling movement has been gaining in popularity as parents are packing their things into RVs and traveling full-time.
4. Parents homeschool to give their kids an individualized education
Individualized education isn’t only for children with special needs. One-on-one learning helps children in many ways. A child who is taught in a one-on-one setting is capable of moving at their own pace. They don’t have to waste time re-learning what they’re confident in, and they’re capable of spending extra time on subjects they struggle with. This also allows children to learn in environments that work best for them. Children who prefer quiet, secluded environments can achieve that easily, while kids who prefer music in the background can have that as well.
Kids who do have special needs definitely benefit from individualized learning, thus the reason IEPs are prevalent in public schools. Unlike in the public schools, however, when a parent creates a learning program for their child, they know that it will be followed, and not ignored. And they don’t have to wait until the next meeting to change things that aren’t working. It also allows parents to see and hear their child’s feedback in the moment to know exactly what their kids need.
3. Parents homeschool so they can prepare their kids for the real world
Parents often choose to homeschool in order to prepare their kids for reality. The reality is, children are going to grow up and need to know how to interact not only with their peers, but with those of different age brackets, cultures, and ethnicities.
In the real world, kids are not told what to do every second of every day. They are given responsibility for their own choices, and must learn to manage their own time wisely, not on someone else’s time table.
Many parents homeschool to give their children a more gentle transition from childhood to adulthood.
2. Parents homeschool so they can spend more time with their kids
This may surprise some of my readers, but some parents actually do want to spend time with their children.
Each and every year I see some parents and children in tears as school starts back. I read social media posts where the mothers have panic attacks putting their children on the bus for the first time. They say things like, “I know I have to do this, but it doesn’t feel right.” For some families, it isn’t right. Some parents and children want and even need that closer bond. They need more time together. And homeschooling is able to provide exactly that.
1. Parents homeschool to lead their children to learn without limits
Parents are learning more and more about the limitations placed on children by the public school systems. They are figuring out that kids are often taught only what’s going to be on the standardized tests. They are finding out that kids are considered nothing more than a number. Parents are learning that public schools limit children socially, mentally, emotionally, and academically. They are choosing to homeschool so that they can raise children who realize learning isn’t limited to a schedule, a classroom, a building, a clock, an age, or anything else. Parents choose to homeschool so they can teach their children that learning is a lifelong, limitless joy that is a blessing, and not an obligation.