Why Do People Homeschool?

This article explores the benefits and advantages of homeschooling children.

In this article, you will find:

Academic advantages
Lifestyle advantages

Lifestyle advantages

  • More efficient use of time. Homeschools use time more efficiently than do institutional schools. The use of time in homeschools is driven the by the educational and other goals for a child rather than by a rigid schedule. Also, homeschools don't use as much of a child's time in administrative and other nonproductive activities. Homeschoolers can usually accomplish more learning in less time than those being educated in institutional schools.

  • Close family relationships. Homeschooled families spend lots of time together. This intimate involvement fosters close relationships between parents and children and between siblings. One-on-one teaching, that is a natural part of the homeschool experience, naturally leads teacher and student (parent and child in this case) to have a deep and intimate relationship.

  • More opportunity for children to learn, think, and act independently. Children who are homeschooled learn to work, act, and think independently. Because they don't live under the social and schedule pressure that is part of an institutional education, homeschoolers naturally become people who evaluate life and make choices based on their own decision making rather than what is expected by a social group or organization. Homeschooled children also learn independently; this training helps integrate learning into the child's life so that they don't see learning as something that is only done in a certain place and at a certain time, but rather is something that is done throughout life.

  • Greater life flexibility and freedom for children and their families. Homeschool is designed and controlled by parents. This provides enormous flexibility for a family's life. Homeschooled families are not limited to living according to an institution's schedule, but are free to plan and live life as they see fit.

  • More influence by adults, less by peers. It seems to make sense that children can be best helped toward maturity by those who are already mature. Unlike institutional schools in which children are mostly influenced by other children of the same age and "immaturity" level in largely unsupervised environments, in homeschool, parents and other adults have a much greater influence over a child's maturation process. Peer pressure, which is widely blamed for so many of the problems children experience, is a very minor or non-existent factor in homeschooled children's lives. Instead of peer pressure being a driving force, parent and family influence becomes a primary influence on how children develop; this is a very good thing.

  • More opportunities for experiences. Homeschooled students can enjoy much greater variety and depth of experiences than can institutionally educated children. Homeschools can include field trips that aren't limited to a specific amount of time and that aren't burdened by the logistical problems of involving large numbers of children in an activity at the same time. These field trips can include those that are tied directly to a student's learning at the time. For example, while studying an historical event, students can visit a related historical site and spend a significant amount of time there (some homeschool families even plan parts of vacations as "field trips"). Other experiences that are very valuable to a child's development also can be included such as service work, part-time jobs, home projects, and others, which become a natural part of the homeschool experience. Homeschoolers learn by doing and experience much more than those being educated in institutional schools. They have more opportunity to apply what they learn to real life and to benefit from the experience that it provides (experience is the best teacher, homeschoolers get more experience).

  • More opportunity for physical activity. Homeschooled children have the opportunity for lots of physical activity. From exercise to sports to playing outside to performing household chores, homeschooled children can be physically active throughout the day. This is in stark contrast to institutional settings in which children are trained (or forced) to lead largely sedentary lives.

  • Safer emotional, moral, and physical environments. Because homeschool is family based and takes place to a significant extent in environments that are controlled or influenced by parents, homeschoolers enjoy protection from some of the problems of institutional environments. This protects children when they are most vulnerable and gives them a secure foundation that prepares them to handle the challenges of life as they approach the high school years and when they enter college or begin working.

  • Better integration of all aspects of life including the spiritual, physical, and emotional elements. Because homeschools are managed by parents and families, important aspects of life can be integrated into a child's development. Being unfettered by government regulations, homeschools can include important spiritual and religious teaching and training along with academic subjects. Additionally, homeschools can incorporate service and volunteer work to help children have a broader perspective of life. In homeschool, all the elements of life can be integrated into a child's development.
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