Help! I Want to Be Homeschooled.

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I know the homeschool nay-sayers will think I’m making this up, but it is not uncommon for me to hear from kids who want to be homeschooled but don’t know how to broach the topic with their parents. If that’s you, try these tips.

help-i-want-to-be-homeschooled

Talk to your parents.

Every parent is different, so I can’t speak for all of us, but I’d say that most parents want to know what’s going on with their kids. Talk to them. Your parents may have no idea you’d like to be homeschooled or maybe you’ve mentioned it before, but they didn’t realize you were serious.  Start the dialogue.

Wait until a time when they can give you their full attention. Teens, particularly, like to talk about important topics late at night. I’ll speak to my kids anytime they need to talk about something that’s weighing on their minds, but I think it’d be awesome if they’d approach me when I’m still coherent.

Some good times to talk may include:

  • In the car when you’re running errands together
  • At the dinner table
  • On a parent-kid date night

Sometimes my kids find it easier to broach an awkward topic when we’re not face-to-face, so you might consider sending your parents a text or a Facebook message or leaving them a note letting them know that you’d like to talk or even giving them a little heads-up about the topic.

Let them know why you want to be homeschooled.

Homeschooling is not a decision to be made lightly or on a whim. Being solely responsible for your child’s education puts a lot of pressure on parents. If you really want to be homeschooled, your parents will likely want to know why. If it’s just so you can sleep later or stay in your PJs all day, that’s probably not going to fly. Be open with them about what’s on your mind.

  • Are you being bullied?
  • Are you struggling academically or not being challenged?
  • Would you like more control over your education?
  • Would you like the opportunity to study something specific that isn’t offered at school?
  • Is there a problem with a particular teacher?
  • Are you being pressured about alcohol, drugs, or sex?

I know some of those topics can be difficult to talk with your parents about, but the vast majority of parents really want to know when things like that are going on. They’ll want to work with you to determine the right solution, even if it’s not homeschooling.

Help! I Want to Be Homeschooled.

Find out what their objections are.

Many parents probably aren’t going to immediately jump on board with homeschooling. Find out what their objections are. Some parents don’t feel qualified to teach their kids. Others worry that their kids are going to miss out on some of the rites of passage of growing up in a traditional school setting.

Some worry that they won’t be able to homeschool because they work outside the home or are single parents. They may think they have to teach everything and come up with all the lesson plans. They might worry about teaching subjects that were difficult for them in school.

You can find solutions to most common homeschool objections. There are online or scripted curriculum options. There are co-ops , online classes, and tutors. You may be a very motivated student who can direct the majority of your own learning.

If you can find out what your parents’ objections to homeschooling are, perhaps you can brainstorm to overcome them or work out a solution with which everyone is comfortable.

If you want to be homeschooled, but don’t know how to talk to your parents about it and I haven’t addressed your concerns, leave them in the comments. I’d be happy to try to help.

This post is linked to the Hip Homeschool Hop.

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Kris Bales is a newly-retired homeschool mom and the quirky, Christ-following, painfully honest founder (and former owner) of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. She has a pretty serious addiction to sweet tea and Words with Friends. Kris and her husband of over 30 years are parents to three amazing homeschool grads. They share their home with three dogs, two cats, a ball python, a bearded dragon, and seven birds.

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6 Comments

  1. My oldest son was the one who initially broached the topic of homeschooling with me. Before then, I was aware that people homeschooled but had never considered it for our family. I didn’t jump right in and start homeschooling then and there. To be honest, I thought I had too many kids and wouldn’t be able to handle it. It did make me curious, though. I started browsing through curriculum websites just to get a feel for it. Finally, about one year later, after some more prodding by my son and some school-related issues, we finally took the plunge and I’m so glad we did.

    The point I’m trying to make is, even if your parents don’t immediately jump on the bandwagon doesn’t mean they aren’t contemplating it or that it will never happen. There’s always hope!

  2. This is such a great article Kris! I always have my son’s friends saying, “I wish I was homeschooled!” or “Will you homeschool me too?” I’ve even had other parents ask if I’d homeschool their kids lol!

  3. Excellent post. So often we see the initial interest stemming from the parents but forget that there are two parties involved in the homeschooling adventure. I appreciate this practical advice to kids who may not know how to begin. Sometimes we parents are lost in our own world and don’t see right away and this gives the kids a way to take the initiative.

  4. I get this from just about every single one of my daughter’s friends! This is a great resource for kids looking to bring the topic up to their parents. Next time I get a kiddo telling me they’d love to be homeschooled, I will send them here so many their dream can become a reality.

  5. I’d leave my parents with a copy of the first chapter of the Teenage Liberation Handbook, entitled, “First, a Nice Little Story.” I don’t subscribe fully to every idea in the book, but that essay is so powerful. It’s an extended metaphor about a little girl who delights in searching for and tasting new fruits until those fruits are over-processed and forced upon her in school. I’ve thought about passing out copies with trick-or-treat candy. 🙂

  6. Loved it. Just wish my mother would homeschool me online again. Public highschool for the first time, and being a freshman didn’t work out too well…I have pretty bad anxiety, as well as I struggle academically. It was a bad first half of the year not too long ago. I cried and cried, because of how much I hated and didn’t understand. I was forced there, by my mom. My aunt suggested I should go freshman year because it was a good time. Spoiler: it was a horrible time. My mom finally decided to end my suffering there and move me to COSSA. Which is a school for gifted and struggling students. ( it’s actually for autistic and handicapped kids) so that freaked me out. I dont plan to go back! Public school is the worst thing you can do for a previously homeschooled kid. Who liked being home all day away from people.

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