With all that’s been going on in recent times, perhaps you find yourself questioning if you should homeschool, and rightfully so. Beyond not wanting to send your children into a system filled with new mandates such as wearing masks all day, routine temperature checks, and having to constantly be six feet away from their peers, there are other reasons why you should consider educating your children at home.
4 Reasons Why You Should Homeschool
Homeschooling provides less stress on your children.
Before today’s new mandates, there were others put into place years ago that put unneeded stress on teachers and students. With the new common core standards came rigorous testing and in return began shifting learning to a systematic learn-for-the-test kind of education.
Although there are states that require annual teaching and showing proof of homeschooling, more states than not have pretty relaxed homeschooling laws. This means you can almost instantly take the stress off your children by simply removing them from the classroom.
You have control over what your children learn.
One of the biggest perks in homeschooling is having control over what your children are taught. There are a wide range of curriculum resources available and you can use just about anything you can imagine as a learning tool. Most parents find that having this kind of flexibility decreases the need to learn specific concepts by a particular age. Instead, they are able to cater their child’s education… which points to the next reason.
Homeschooling gives you the opportunity to cater your child’s education.
If there’s one area that public and private schools are missing the mark in, it’s this one. The education system today wants all students to learn the same way. It’s evident in what is taught and how it’s taught. Homeschooling, on the other hand, gives you the opportunity to map out an educational plan for each of your unique children.
Any veteran homeschooling mom of multiple children will tell you that each of their children are different and have their own unique ways of learning. One child may thrive from using textbooks while another one thrives best with hands-on activities. Educating your children at home allows you to accommodate those needs.
Homeschooling fosters family and community relationships.
When a family is able to spend more time together, they grow closer together and make memories that will be talked about for years to come. Homeschooling families are also able to get out and about more whether it’s through errand running or by taking field trips. Life becomes naturally lived together which also fosters many other life skills.
How to Start Homeschooling
If you’ve read this far and you’re thinking, “Yeah, I totally want to homeschool – but how do I get started?”, you’ll find peace in knowing that getting started is as easy as one, two, three!
First, find out your state’s homeschooling laws and what types of documentation are necessary for you to complete in turn in. Some states require registration while others may require enrollment under an umbrella school. Download any documentation and make note of any important people to contact.
Second, take time to understand how your children learn. Figure out their learning styles and in what ways they thrive best. This will come in handy when it’s time to research and purchase (or find free) curriculum resources. There are online tests you can take and some curriculum companies even allow you to try samples of their curriculum before you buy.
Lastly, establish a plan. Choose how you want to homeschool – the traditional nine straight months with holiday and summer breaks, year-round, or something completely different. You’ll also want to get an idea of what a typical homeschool day will look like for your family. This is where a good homeschool planner will come in handy.
Contrary to popular belief, homeschooling has more pros than cons. No, it’s not always easy but it is always worth it. With the mass amount of resources and support groups available today, you never have to worry about doing it alone. If you’ve been thinking about homeschooling, I’d say take the leap of faith. You can do it!
Yeah, something I am also recently reading about, but I have concerned about how do we replaced the peeps communication skills and communication skills they adapt by just being in the classroom… how can one recreate those sets of the environment…