50 Reasons Homeschooled Kids Love Being Homeschooled
In the blog world, we hear a lot from homeschooling moms, but not so much from their students. I often have people find my blog by searching things like, “Do kids like being homeschooled?” or “Why do kids like to be homeschooled?” So, I asked the folks on my Facebook page to ask their kids why they liked being homeschooled and let me know what they said. I asked mine, too, and compiled the answers for you.
I heard some of the same answers a lot. Some were pretty unique. Some got my added commentary, and some stand alone. So, if you’ve ever wondered why homeschooled kids like being homeschooled, here are the results, in no particular order after the first two, of my really unscientific poll.
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1. Sleeping in. It appears that the number one thing most kids like about being homeschooled is being able to sleep late. Now, before all the haters get up in arms, I asked kids. Did you expect academic answers?
And, rest easy. They’ll still be able to get jobs when they’re older. My daughter, who graduated last year, now has to be at school – and often work on the days she doesn’t have school – much earlier than she ever used to get up. She has adjusted just fine. Many studies have shown that teens need more sleep and schools should start later to accommodate them. See? Homeschoolers are just ahead of the game.
2. Doing school in their PJs. Again, I know there’s a whole school of thought out there that people work better when they get dressed for work and even lots of homeschool families don’t like the stereotype that homeschoolers stay in the pajamas all day – but don’t tell these homeschooled kids that!
There are a lot of them who like that perk very much. Our family is half-and-half. Josh and I are usually dressed – though, when it’s cold there are lots of days I stay in yoga pants all day – but the girls are generally in PJs. (Okay, not Brianna anymore. She’s graduated and going to cosmetology school. They’d probably look at her funny if she showed up to school in her jammies.)
3. It’s safe at home. I thought that was such a telling response and kids gave this one more than once. No matter how much people may accuse of sheltering our homeschooled kids, they see the news, and they are very concerned about school shootings. I know lots of young kids in public school. Those essential lock-down drills are incredibly unsettling. My heart breaks to know that kids anywhere have to practice hiding under desks in case a shooter ever comes to the door.
4. They can spend time following their interests. No, they’re not just talking about video games. They’re talking about music, art, computer coding, cooking, photography, archery, and a wide variety of other interests.
5. The food is better.
6. The field trips are awesome.
7. The teachers don’t pick favorites. (Just for the record, that might have been my favorite response.)
8. They don’t have to be confined to a classroom. School can be done anywhere – even in the tree in the backyard.
9. Freedom. Freedom includes being able to: go to the bathroom when you need to, go outside when you want to, eat when you’re hungry, listen to music while you work, or take a break when you need to.
10. They love having educational choices. Homeschooled kids say they like being able to:
- Delve into their favorite topics
- Have some input in choosing their curriculum
- Follow their interests with electives choices
11. Kids love being able to work at their own pace and level. They can take their time when they don’t understand something or move quickly through the material when they get it. They can work at, below, or above “grade level” depending on their needs. And, they don’t have to wait until everyone else is finished to move on.
12. Hot chocolate during math time or hot tea during history. Hey, sometimes it’s the little things, especially when it’s as cold as it’s been around here lately.
13. Being able to do school in princess dresses. This was the answer from one respondent. I’m sure it holds true for pirate and superhero costumes, as well.
14. No bullies.
15. Being able to do school with pets. Have you seen the recent studies that show that reading to dogs helps improve the proficiency of struggling readers?
16. Homeschooled kids enjoy being able to go places during the week without fighting crowds. Their moms like that one, too.
17. Kids and parents alike enjoy family read-aloud time.
18. One-on-one teaching. One respondent said it best, “Because my mom is my teacher, she will explain things multiple times, multiple ways until I understand it.”
19. Flexible schedules.
20. Doing classes with friends. Yep, you read that right. So many people still think that homeschooled kids are isolated, but there are so many opportunities for them to work with other kids in a classroom-style setting, whether it’s classes for homeschooled kids, an organized co-op, or just a couple of families getting together to work on a few subjects.
21. No homework. Don’t misunderstand – they don’t mean having less work than their traditionally schooled friends. Instead, they’re referring to having a schedule that allows them to get their work finished before outside activities, such as sports or dance so that they don’t have to rush home and do homework before bed.
22. Reading great books.
23. Being able to pray, read the Bible, and talk about God.
24. Homeschooled kids love being able to be themselves. I have to share this one quote from a 9-year-old girl because I thought it was amazing: “One of the best things about being homeschooled is that I get to be the real me, and not have to hide my gifts. My thoughts can be my own, and I get to think and discuss and move and explore, and not be forced to memorize stuff…I just know stuff because I get to think about it and make it matter to me.”
Yes, that!
25. Learning for the sake of learning. They don’t dread school – they enjoy it.
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26. Spending time with family. One five-year-old said, “That we don’t have to miss [mom] at all.” Doesn’t that just warm your mommy’s heart?
27. No uniforms. Well, unless you count the PJs.
28. Seeing the world from a different perspective. I just have to share this comment from Facebook follower, Alicia: “When I was 20 years old I nannied for an American family in France. One day we were at the military museum in Paris, and there was a cross-section of an old battleship and I took the five-year-old I watched and showed him all the different things on the ship: the cannons and artillery, the mess hall, etc. His mom (who was an engineer) sat back and watched and afterward thanked me and said it would never have occurred to her to point all those things out to him. My favorite thing about being homeschooled is that it never occurred to me see things like that and not share them.”
29. Spending time with the non-teaching parent. So many parents work shifts other than the typical 9 to 5. These working parents often miss so much time with their families. Homeschooled kids can spend time with their parent whenever that parent isn’t working.
30. Going on vacation during the off-season. Yep, homeschool moms like that, too.
31. Not having to catch the bus before the sun comes up! That probably goes along with sleeping in, but kids specifically mentioned not having to catch the bus early so many times that I included it.
32. No busywork.
33. Getting to surf when the waves are good. I only saw this reply once, but it was so unique, it made the list.
34. Not having to worry about peer pressure or being popular or labeled.
35. School breaks can include video games and TV.
36. Stress-free mornings.
37. Kids can incorporate their interests into learning. Lego and Minecraft are two examples of hobbies that many kids have that can easily be made educational. But, don’t suck all the fun out of it, Mom!
38. No bad language from other kids.
39. Having a later bedtime. My kids can attest to that.
40. They can get academic help when needed.
41. Not having to be medicated. This was from the kids with ADD/ADHD.
42. Having lots of room to be creative.
43. Enjoying close relationships with siblings.
44. Being able to work with fewer distractions.
45. Young homeschooled kids appreciate using treats for math manipulatives. They can add, subtract, multiply, and divide with M&Ms (or whatever) – and eat them when they finish!
46. Not getting sick as often. Definitely!
47. No mean teachers. This one made me smile – though sometimes my kids get the mean teacher. Never for a whole school year, though.
48. Homeschooled teens like learning time management by scheduling their own schoolwork.
49. Plenty of time to eat lunch. My oldest used to hate having to gobble down her food. Most days, it came home uneaten because she didn’t have time.
50. Birthdays are school holidays.
What would your kids add to the list?
If one of the things that your homeschooled kids love about homeschooling is getting together with their friends, you might enjoy my free download, 52 Weeks of Homeschool Group Activities. Over that last decade or so, I’ve planned dozens of events for our local homeschool group, and I am happy to share those ideas with you! I have put together a 22-page guide to planning activities for your homeschool group – whether it be a formal group of a few hundred or an informal group of a few families.
52 Weeks of Homeschool Group Activities offers an idea for each week of the year, loosely organized by season, along with planning tips for events and field trips and it’s a free download for Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers subscribers.
To get your copy of 52 Weeks of Homeschool Group Activities for free, just enter your email address below to subscribe for the WUHS newsletter and free download. You’ll receive an email with download instructions.
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.
My 7 year old said that he likes being homeschooled because “at school I was there for a really, really long time every day. At home I can eat when I’m hungry, too.” (He lasted exactly 3 months at school a year ago.)
My 22 year old graduate said “I like that we got to go on field trips that we actually wanted to go on, and we could take our time looking at what interested us.”
My 14 year old probably has an opinion, but she’s still asleep. 🙂
🙂
thank you! I love the list! It is filled with lots of things that I have thought of, and some that never crossed my mind (my kids are still pretty little, so they don’t know a lot about the public education system yet).
My kids say the same things when it comes to homeschooling. And I do too. Especially the one about having school in jammies! 😉
I love this post!! I love from homeschooling kids. So many people have the notion that we “make” our kids stay home. This shows they really enjoy it! I think number 7 and 13 are my favorites 🙂 Pinned and shared 🙂
We like being able to ride horses when we want, and also participate in American Civil War reenactments. We get to be there for the school days, when schools, and other homeschoolers, come out to visit the reenactments. Every time, while my kids are demonstrating cavalry drills, or telling about camp life, students and teachers alike ask how they get to ‘skip school’ to do this stuff. We will be in Hempstead, Texas this weekend at Liendo Plantation if any of y’all live close enough to come. School day is all day Friday. Battles on Saturday & Sunday.
My girls said it taught them how to have company over and entertain. They said it gave them skills to be a host and organize events.
I love this! Especially with Thanksgiving coming up. I love that I can teach my kids about planning & cooking and inviting others into our home to bless them. Hopefully they will be a bit more prepared for life than I was!
My sons say their favorite thing about homeschooling is that anything can become a lesson. (It is also their least favorite thing.)
This list is my favorite! My kids and I can relate to every.single.item you shared. 🙂
~Candy
We are fairly new to homeschooling proper. I read this to my kids, and suddenly uniforms became a thing with my 3rd grader. She designed a wardrobe schedule for our weekdays including crazy hair Thursdays and Dress up Fridays.
Candy, welcome to the homeschool journey! How fun!! I love that idea! You need to tag us on social media with some pictures from these fun homeschool wardrobe days!
I really enjoyed reading this list. My kids have been home schooled from the start (oldest now in 10th grade) and so many of these I just take for granted. This was a wonderful reminder to me of benefits and what my kids enjoy that they may not even realize! Thank you for taking the time to post all of these great reasons kids love to be home schooled!!
Grandma and grandpa made great substitute teachers. 🙂
love this list! My 10 year old son said” because I have more time to play, I get to be with my mom, I can learn fun things, I can do harder stuff. ” I’ll have to show this list to my daughter, who is still in school and on the fence about whether she wants to be homeschooled.
My 6 yr old would say, “getting to do schoolwork on pink paper.”
Sometimes it’s the little things. 🙂
the list was so helpful for writing an essay on why parents should homeschool. I am very thankful
My 11 year old would say, “Getting to write with every color gel pen I can find…even in math sometimes.”
We are still fairly new to homeschooling but my kids have mentioned most of these in the last two years. As a homeschool mom who works outside the home full time, I love the fact on the days I’m off, my kids are home and I can participate in their school day. Yes, that means I don’t get to sleep in, but that’s what naps are for! 😉
Hi Kayra I would love to hear more about your journey. I currently homeschool and recently started a full time job and am looking for a solution to continue homeschooling while working.. Otherwise it’s back to public school which I am not completley sold on.
Hi Stacey,
Take a look at this series of articles on our sister site. I think they will be helpful to you. 🙂
Thank you for your reply. I’m new here so didn’t realize there is a sister site. Is there a link I should follow?
Oops! I’m glad you asked! I completely forgot to include the link to our series of articles for working moms! You can find it on the Hip Homeschool Moms site by clicking here: https://hiphomeschoolmoms.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-homeschooling-while-working/
Meeting new friends that live in your town, but would not go to the same school as you if you both went to public school. Not getting paired up with someone you don’t get along with on a field trip.
We get to go snow skiing lots in the winter & we definitely love read aloud time! Fun list!
My family would agree with every last one of these. We may not have great waves to catch but being able to hunt or practice archery or garden when the weather cooperates is a big perk. Plus, there are thousands of competitions or projects for writers and artists and musicians and science whizzes to participate in that are not available to traditional students due to schedules.
I have terminal cancer, but am holding my own, praise God! My 7 yr old said the best part of being homeschooled is being with me:) he saw hen he was 5 in kindergarten he used to try to run out of the school (he was in public school for 4 months in kindergarten), because he feared if I died while he was at school he wouldn’t get to say good bye to me…..this broke my heart! I’m so blessed that I have been able to homeschool him, and we can cuddle when needed.
**he said when he was 5…..
Hi Teri!
God bless you sister! I know it is a struggle for you and also your child. There is such little
energy and such high hopes and goals (for myself, anyway). I fear that my children will be
thrown into public school and I can’t be there for them… we are in a similar situation as you.
But I know God will be there with them anyway.
Your son is right, I know he wants to be taught by you and this is SUCH a gift!
Sometimes I think to myself that homeschooling my two girls is exactly why I have been put in such a
position, to just *be* with them as God sees fit.
I need to learn some tips for making school smoother and less stressful for us all, I love love the benefits . If we can get this here ADD havin, Chronic Pain stricken, Lung lacking, Cancer fighting, Teaching Momma to get this ship sailing to calmer waters… we will be in an amazing place – what a journey.
God bless you Teri, I just see your post, and the date.
Oh, wow. I can imagine that would be a terrible fear for any child. What a blessing that you are able to spend this time together. Saying a prayer for you.
Teri,
I came across your comment and was compelled to pray for you. Please know that there is a homeschool family in Japan that will be lifting you and your family up often.
Sarah
I, too, ran across this. As a single full time working mom of 2 boys, I long for the day I can homeschool. However, this is not about myself. I feel the Holy Spirit just telling me to pray for you. I’m going to do so not because I have to, but because I want to. You seem like an amazing person & God’s got great plans for you & your little one. Your boy is so strong! So many people complain every day about things that don’t even matter, & yet here you are, cherishing every little moment the way we all should, laughing, loving life, & your body is stricken with such a disease. You are an inspiration. God Bless!
God bless you, Teri! I’m so glad you’re able to spend this precious time with your son.
Oh this just brought tears to my eyes. I was 12 when my mother died of cancer and I often thank God that while she is no longer here I got to spend so much more time with her when she was because she homeschooled us. Praying for you and your family. What a precious gift you are giving him today.
Beautiful, and very encouraging… I am sorry for the loss of your momma Tabitha
Saying a prayer for you in Germany!
I just read your comment, and I was wondering if you have tried treatments with cannabis oil. There is a lot that can be done with it. I hope you look into it and are able to get some help. I’m glad your son gets this time with you. It’s something he will treasure forever.
As a 24 year old Home School graduate, I love this whole list. I identify with all of it. The best part was being with Mom, and being with my siblings. I loved when Dad would get a day off work (which was rare) and declare that we get a day off school, and we’d go have crazy adventures as a family. Home School is the best!
well, I have to say it’s so much fun to do things how you want to (as the parent). Which makes things ten times more fun for my daughter. She is currently into Captain America (all superheroes are cool, but Captain America is the best per her) even though she has no clue what superheroes do other than, “they’re the good guys.” So we are doing math (addition and subtraction), learning letters (writing out their names), and doing science with…you guessed it, superheroes! Next week we are going to make a Rube Goldberg machine. A four year old who gets to dress as Captain America for school and when we have our lessons she has so much fun learning while she bounces on an exercise ball instead of sitting in a chair. When it’s time for a break (at least 2 an hour) she will play in the play room, go in the kitchen and cook/make something, do an experiment, jump on the little trampoline. Who would want to go to a regular school?
Can’t believe this woman considers her home schooling a success when her daughter is going to cosmetology school. Certainly didn’t set the bar very high. I believe moms should be tested on the material their teaching before being allowed to home school. Teachers have to do a minimum of four years of college. You don’t even need to graduate high school to home school.
They’re not their. Sorry about that.
Not everyone is college bound. Home school is not about forcing your kids to leap a higher bar. It’s about providing the most appropriate education for that child’s gifts and abilities. Besides, what’s wrong with cosmetology school? This young woman will be a productive member of society, in distinction to a whole lot of English majors who are sitting in their childhood bedrooms, waiting for an employer to call.
I’ve yet to meet a homeschool parent who tried to teach something for which they were unqualified. I’m sure it happens, but it’s rare. On the other hand, I’ve met and endured more than a few professional teachers, with Master’s degrees that were totally incompetent in their job.
Amen. I have a sister-in-law who makes a wonderful living owning her own hair salon; quite lucrative all in all. This is her talent and she loves doing it. I found the initiating comment exceedingly judgmental, so much for the public school system embracing diversity. A public school teacher said to me last year that she is lucky if she gets one solid hour of teaching in within a day. What a sad commentary for public schools and for the kids who are required to be there eight hours. As a homeschooling mom, I would be dismayed if an actual school day only contained one good hour of learning.
I consider our homeschool a success because my daughter is following her dreams. Cosmetology school is a stepping stone, not her ultimate goal. Even if it were, however, I would consider her a success for doing something she loves. Additionally, I’m very thankful for my own cosmetologist. She works at a high-end salon, makes good money, and enjoys her job. I think it’s very short-sighted to look down on those who work in the service professions. Our country would not function well without them.
I’m not sure which state laws to which you’re referring, but my state does require a high school diploma or GED to homeschool.
What a shame that a high school dropout could be responsible for young minds.
Also, I did not refer to any state or other laws. I don’t believe there are laws, which is the problem.
http://www.hslda.org should provide you with a synopsis of state laws, if you are interested.
Again, it’s a shame that you would be so short-sighted in your opinion of people. You can’t possibly know the situation that may have led someone to be unable to finish high school.
My daughter went through 6 yrs of college, and paid her own way to become a teacher. If you think a high school drop out could have the same skills, you’re delusional. If a person can’t make a commitment to finish high school, they have no business teaching youngsters. Based on your defensive attitude, it’s obvious you didn’t finish high school. How can you consider yourself qualified?
That is wonderful that your daughter was able to pay her own way through college to become a teacher. I certainly don’t expect everyone to make the choice to homeschool and I’m thankful that there are qualified, caring teachers out there for those who choose a more traditional school setting.
I wasn’t being defensive. I just think it’s a shame that people don’t consider other possibilities for getting a GED other than dropping out of school. Many factors could influence a person’s ability to finish. I did graduate high school and went on to college.
I will not continue to debate my choices for my family with you, as I would certainly not expect you to justify your choices to me. I will be happy to continue to approve your comments to me and others as long as they are respectful. The same goes for comments anyone may choose to make to you. I expect the respect to go both ways.
I’m sorry I offended you, it wasn’t my intention. I have four daughters and they were very fortunate to go through one of the best public school systems in the country. Even though I’m educated, I never felt qualified to teach my children, but I have educated friends that did and it worked well for them and their children. Two of my daughters completed college and two did not. The two that didn’t are considered gifted, with above average IQ’s. Whatever, they are all happy, productive women and I’m proud of them. However, I do think college is important because it offers more opportunities in life and gives a sense of accomplishment.
People you look down on may well leave you for dust one day. My cousin dropped out of school at 15 because she thought she was stupid and would never amount to anything. Guess who told her this? Her teachers! Fifteen years later, she got her confidence back and is now studying her Masters of Education. She has won several university awards for academic excellence. Not bad for a single mother of two highschool dropout, living on very little income…
My husband spent most of his educational career in private Christian school, and partly in homeschool. As a senior in high school, his parents were forced to put him in public school for financial reasons. Because his high school credits all came from a Christian school, the public school refused to accept them and put him back into the 9th grade. (This was in the early 90s.) Furthermore, the school was plagued by gang violence and even race riots. Faced with four years of that, he dropped out at 17 and went to work with his father in IT. At that time, you could still get a job on your merits even without a degree. Today he makes six figures, and is highly respected in a small, specialized area of IT. A couple of years ago, he was asked to write a book and teach a class on his area of expertise. That book is now used by others. His immediate supervisor at the time found out that he’d never been to college (obviously the owner of the company already knew), and he just wouldn’t believe it; my husband is known among everyone he meets as an intelligent, educated man.
I graduated from high school myself, but I don’t feel like it means much. I found school boring and unchallenging, and I often slept through class. Then I’d go home and read anything I could get my hands on. I studied American history with a passion, taught myself computer programming and photography, and delved into natural science. I spent my lunch hour in the library every day. I was interested in learning, but school killed all desire to learn anything in class. English was my favorite subject, and I vividly remember how my teachers and classmates sucked all the fun out of it.
Meanwhile, I had classmates who graduated, but could barely read or write. My diploma is worth exactly the same as theirs.
I grew up homeschooled until high school. My mother did not finish high school on time because of her own foolishness: she got pregnant with my older sister and married my dad at age 16. I think she did eventually end up either finishing high school or getting her GED. That was the extent of her education throughout most of my childhood and growing up years.
But my mother is also an extremely intelligent, inquisitive, and studious person. I had the best education of nearly anybody I know. My homeschool education allowed me to take advanced classes immediately in high school and to graduate in the top 7% of my class. My hardest classes were math, which my mother also struggled with, and thanks to her struggle to help me with them, I never got anything below a B in math in high school. Now I have a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree, top 5% of my class both times, both built on a solid basis of literature, history, language, theology, and culture from my homeschool days.
I am going to Europe to teach theology in a college in Belgium. My older sister taught for a couple of years in Korea and now homeschools her children. One of my brothers went to college early, graduated with an economics degree, became an officer in the Army, led a company in Afghanistan as a captain, and is now in a leadership position in a large company in Texas. My other brother is in leadership in a restaurant and does a great deal of self-taught creative projects. My younger sister is graduating with her Master’s degree in social work. All this from two parents who barely graduated from high school and still dared to homeschool us.
My father has never gone beyond high school, but his whole life is one of intelligent investigation of everything that interests him. And my mother? When I was in high school, she painstakingly got herself a Bachelor’s degree in international business while working and teaching herself programming. Later she got a Master’s degree in computer science, and now she teaches web design and programming and leads a team of programmers.
Don’t ever say that people who don’t take the traditional way can’t succeed and can’t teach their children.
Beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing. I know of people with very similar stories to your mom’s who homeschooled their children with equally successful results. A piece of paper from a school is not the be all, end all of education.
Several of my friends in HS dropped out. We struggled with mental problems coming from abusive families (that’s why we were close). My other close friends were the “advanced students” since we were all put a year ahead. I noticed that how kids did in public school was largely related to their homework and their home life. Kids were much more likely to do well if they got support and encouragement (and assistance) for their homework. Other parents would not care at all whether the kids did their homework so the kids wouldn’t bother (after all, they had been in school all day!) and grades were largely based on the homework. Also, tests were made from information you should have learned from homework.
All parents are the primary party responsible for the development of their child’s mind, so to say it’s a shame a drop out should bear that responsibility is to say they shouldn’t reproduce. None of us have any right to judge that.
#1 Cathy, I wonder if you recognize your trollish behavior here. I think you should know that this is an awkward and rude way to make a point. Not to mention your broad generalizations and hasty judgments only demonstrate your ignorance. Are these critical and social skills you learned in public school? My children are being taught better manners at home. And they get to think for themselves without being trolled by me for having the “wrong” opinion in my estimation.
#2 My mother never graduated from college, but homeschooled me and my sisters from K – 12. All of us graduated high school and went to the colleges of our choice: several with scholarships and eventually graduating college with honors. And all of us have good paying jobs and are regular volunteers in community events. We give back to our society. We are secure and competent in a world full of way too many insecure and incompetent products of public education. All this good from a dedicated mom who didn’t have an education background.
#3 Next time you have a conflict with homeschoolers and other non-mainstreamer’s, maybe you can do your homework first and offer useful suggestions. I hope this helps to round out your perspective. Cheers.
In Kentucky there are no restrictions, no test for parents to take, nothing. I am totally against that because how do the state know that your child is being educated correctly and giving good correct information? This means that you don’t have to have a high school diploma or any education to teach your child/children. All you have to do is submit a paper to the school board saying you’re going to home school your children, that’s it. That’s just a disgrace to me. I’m currently doing my research paper for English 101 on homeschooling and I for one am against it. It just seems to lax and to informal to me. Not for all the people who homeschool, but for the ones that I know. There is no structure and they teach only an hour a day. To me there need to be more learning and studying and less “playing” and down time. Staying in your pj’s all day and not grooming yourself is teaching what? Why form those habits early in life then retrain yourself to break them? In my opinion I just don’t see anything positive about home schooling, and children need to know and learn how to function in the real world at an early age not later in life when they’re already settled into an unhealthy routine. Again this is just my opinion and how I feel. I am not putting anyone down for the way they chose to educate their child/children.
How does staying in PJs equate with not grooming oneself? My children who choose to wear PJs brush their teeth and hair, take showers every day, and put on deodorant every day. They just choose to be comfortable at home. I have a friend who wears dress pants and blouses every day because that’s what makes her feel put together. I choose to wear jeans and t-shirts. I may not be dressed as nicely as she is, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not clean.
I hope you’ll keep an open mind as you do the research for your paper. I think you’ll discover that there are, in fact, many positives about it. Homeschooling is a viable, excellent schooling option for many.
Hi Kris. I thought I responded to this a long time ago. I finished my research paper and got 189 out of 200. My teacher said I wrote a very persuasive paper. I was not putting anyone down for homeschooling, I was just stating my personal opinion based on the people I know that home school their children, my daughter being one of those people. I was brought up to dress everyday and take school or whatever you are doing seriously and to dress for the part. I also brought my children up that way, and the people I interviewed for my research paper and the ones I know and interact with on a daily basis, are very lax in their hygiene and go for days without changing their pajama’s, grooming, showering or combing their hair. That’s not saying it’s everyone that home schools, it’s the people that I know and talk to on a daily basis. A lot of people say for the flexibility and being able to do what they want when they want. In my opinion that is setting them up for a hard life when they have to get a job and follow a schedule and won’t be able to do what they want when they want or how they want. Once again that’s my opinion and my opinion only. I applaud the women and men who home school their children. That was something I never wanted to do and I had a great education in the public school system and so did my 3 children. I have no complaints about their education. Financially my daughter and son in law really can’t afford to home school, which I find is another issue. So for Christmas my daughter asked everyone to get them home schooling material, books and paper that they’ve been going without. Also my daughter was down for 3 weeks with a bad back and therefore the kids wasn’t getting any lessons at all since my daughter is the only “teacher” they have and they’re not in any home school programs. If my grand kids, ages 4&5 were in public school they would not have missed out on learning. My grand kids don’t take learning seriously and aren’t on any kind of schedule for home schooling, nor are any of the other families that I know. The kids think it’s a game and if they have school that day it’s ok if they don’t that’s fine to. I see that as a big problem, but this is all my opinion and from my observation. My daughter isn’t sure when she’ll be able to resume teaching the kids because her back is touch and go. I can’t offer to help since I go to school full time during the day and work 3rd shift at night. My son in law’s mom who’s also against home school, works in the public school system during the day and work a full time 3rd shift job also. I applaud each and everyone who home schools. It’s not for everyone and the older kids that I was allowed to interview with their parents present for my research paper wanted to go to a public or private school and be with kids their ages and do the “teen things” and go to school sporting events or join the sports team. They felt they was missing out on the teen experience and prom that their parents got to experience. This one teen was down right hostile about being home school and made it known that he wasn’t happy with his parents for home schooling him and swore he would never home school his kids if he had any. I guess this is still a sensitive issue with people. But I wish you and all the other parents who home school all the best.
Keesha,
I came across this post today with some information about homeschooling and a link to further research – https://www.hiphomeschoolmoms.com/2014/11/am-i-qualified-to-homeschool-part-1/ I thought you might find it helpful in your research.
Wow I really liked your article that you shared. I feel in the same boat. I’m going to school to obtain masters as a nurse educator but I have found non of that helpful towards teaching my child. Homeschooling definitely allows for the individualized approach. I think finishing this individualized path for each of our students is something that can’t be really “taught” it definitely requires passion and caring to find that individualized path what works for you and your student. I really enjoyed that article thank you 🙏 best of luck with your little ones and homeschooling may we all succeed!
My homeschooled children are doing just fine. The oldest one will graduate from New York University this December, a semester early. I don’t think he would have been accepted into NYU and be graduating early with straight A’s if he didn’t learn what he needed to learn at home. You are very uninformed about the different ways homeschoolers learn. Do more research before you tell someone they are not qualified to teach their own child. The middle one is at college in Colorado and doing great and the youngest will graduate early from high school as well. You really have no idea what you are talking about if you believe that you have to have a degree to teach your child.
Im with you Keesha. I believe Homeschool should only be for the gifted and self motivated kids. Staying in your pajamas and sleeping in seems to be counterproductive to what real life is. Homeschool will always have a stigma as well it should, it is not a proper form of education. I’ve known of many who have been homeschooled and half are lazy and one could not keep up in a proper HS setting when placed back into sophomore year in High School. That says enough for me. Teaching in a structured formal environment that requires a kid to get up early and submit to a societal norm is healthy. Welcome to real life.
My cosmetologist is awesome! She is an artist, she can work on any automobile, and she loves her kids. Her husband is a welder. Personally, I am most thankful that she has such an artistic tendency. I do not know anyone anywhere who does a better job. I could never do what she does. And guess what? She is also very intelligent!
My brother is an awesome builder! He just received a homebuilder award for our state. I am very proud of him.
Although both of my sons will go to college, if they were skilled in other ways and had dreams they wanted to pursue, it is wonderful that I could do that. My older son is in college as a music industry major and most people would say that he should be doing something else (one college even suggested this because he is an honors student). My son has pursued this dream and the college he is attending is giving him the experience and knowledge to make it when he graduates. I have a friend whose son is already making more money than most teenagers because he is pursuing a dream. He is a videographer. He may never go to college. He may even get to intern with a producer in London next year! Still another student is taking time off from college because he was doing such good work filming ball games that he decided to take the time to learn his craft AND get paid rather than intern and not get paid.
What is cool about homeschooling is that the right path is the one that works.
“What is cool about homeschooling is that the right path is the one that works.”
I love that because it’s absolutely correct. Success is helping each kid discover their passions and follow their dreams. I’ve seen you mention your son pursuing music in college in a couple of comments. I would love to know more about that. I have a very gifted musician and I can easily see him pursuing that. I’d love to show him the career options – you know, besides being a rock star. 😉 Who knows? Being a rock star may be his path, but I’d like him to have a vision for all the ways he could use his talent.
A cosmetology school is a very in-depth, hands on learning. The guys and gals that choose this do not just cut, color, and perm hair. They have a lot of chemistry to learn as well as anatomy and physiology. I don’t know when society trivialized this profession but boy that needs to stop. I’m not a cosmetologist but have respect for all persons following their dreams and willing to work hard to get there!! I do have to ask if you would have made the same comment if her daughter were going to vocational school for say, culinary arts or auto mechanics?
I think if one of my children wanted to go to Cosmetology school and that was their dream job I would be proud to be facilitating their dreams. We home school our children and they are doing much better than they ever did in the school system. Nothing wrong with the school system but it isn’t right for each and every child. Parents have the right to make the best choices for their children and have those choices respected. No one here said anything negative about school, just positive things that children like about being home schooled. I think it is sad that almost anything that gets posted about home schooling that there is always someone that thinks school is the only way. I totally respect other people’s right to have their children at school or not, even though it isn’t my business.
I went to a law enforcement academy that only required 700 hours of training for me to be able to take a test which gives me the ability to be employed as a law enforcement officer in my state. Most states, by contrast, require 1500 to 2100 hours of training to be a cosmetologist – which is really a sad statement on how little training they give us LEOs! It’s something people who do it have put a lot of work and effort into, and it should never be looked down upon. It can help people feel immensely better about themselves, and that should never be discredited.
Actually, if someone finds true happiness in any profession, whether it be cop, cosmetologist, or garbage man – more power to them. Everyone should have a job they enjoy.
I think it would be wise to learn more about homeschooling yourself if you are going to be critical of this point. Learning to teach in a classroom is VERY different from tutoring your children one-on-one. In a classroom, you have to learn how to teach every different kind of learner all at once, and it is as much if not more about catering lessons and presenting things to a group as it is about knowing the material. A homeschooling parent needs to know their child, and hopefully by the time the child is of school age the parent will know how to relate to them a little bit! I have several teacher friends who are now homeschooling parents and not one of them has ever said they were more equipped than I am, and in fact many have commented on how different it is and how their teacher training didn’t prepare them for a homeschool setting. And none of us really remember all the material we learned in school; we are learning along with our children – this is why they make teacher’s manuals. It would be extremely inefficient for me to send my son to school 6.5 hours a day to learn in a classroom what he can learn in 2.5 hours at home. But most homeschool parents (not all) have a passion for their childrens’ learning, study different methods of education, and do what works for their children!
And I can only hope my children grow up to be passionate about something, as this blogger’s daughter is. Since when is success measured in how many years of college it takes to get there?
I am currently an education major AND homeschooling four children…while some skills DO overlap, my eldest is 13 and very far ahead of “grade level.” I taught her before I went to school. My experience in college has been lots of busy work and not a lot of real learning about teaching. People who think the magical piece of paper from a college is the highest goal or only way to success really are just products of the system, indoctrinated with a ideology they don’t even know they’ve been given.
Just my two cents.
Cathy, I have read through ALL the comments on this particular feed and am driven to understand why you would post what you did. First, I wonder this: why the heck did you read this blog post in the first place? You are obviously NOT a homeschooling parent, nor do you appear to support the ideals of homeschooling. Are you merely a troll, lurking through the internet to discredit homeschooling blogs? (This I think hits the mark in more ways than one, but I digress). Second, based on your comments, I must assume that you are merely an ignorant elitist snob. I just can’t picture you cutting and styling your own hair, changing the oil in your vehicle, making your own furniture, sewing your own clothes or even growing your own food. All these jobs are done every day by people with far less education than you deem appropriate for a well civilized person, often getting paid far less than their experience and, yes, education might merit. Nevertheless, they are the backbone of this society. Without them we would be lost. Lastly, I will excuse your narrow-minded comment because I also assume that you are merely a product of your own environment. You must have come from a home that valued achievements more than compassion, certificates on the wall over a competent, self-assured, happy individual working to make the world a little better in her own way. It’s not your fault you’ve probably never worked a minimum wage job flipping burgers. It’s not your fault you are stuck in achievementland disconnected from what really matters in life. Love, Compassion, Joy, Family. I recognize it. I was there too. You fear and condemn what you don’t understand, and hold on tighter to an illusion of what is important. I forgive you. You really don’t know any better. And you do have an opportunity to make it right. Apologize, sincerely, for your hurtful and ignorant comments to the author. Tip your hairdresser a little extra next time your get your hair done. Shake the hand of the person who fixes your car and say thank you. I apologize for the assumptions and tone in this comment. I’ve rewritten it a number of times and just can’t leave it out. In MY homeschool we value kindness above all things, and I am considering this an act of kindness to you, hoping you’ll be pushed to look beyond your shallow perspective and find greater appreciate for and joy in everyone around you.
And, for the record, I am a homeschooling mom of two, ages 10 and 13. I have a Masters of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction and taught high school and college for over 13 years before I stayed home with my kids. (If you want, I’ll post another comment talking about why I made that choice.) By all rights, I am as well prepared as anyone to teach my kids, but you know what? On any given day, I feel woefully inadequate. The worst days are those I try to push them into doing something they hate or are not interested in. The best days? Those driven by my kids themselves. My son wants to be a billionaire when he grows up. And he may well make it doing something with computers or programming, because that’s his bliss right now. And my daughter, my 10 year old daughter, wants to be a professional fisherman by day and a rock star by night. Isn’t that awesome? Really!!! I have kids who are active in their community, give to others, are excited about being alive and think they can be anything they want. While some days are better than others, I wouldn’t trade this experience.
Thank you Kris for your post. I needed that list today. And good day to you, Cathy, I wish you well.
Thank you!! I’ve been ruminating on her post all day and just feeling a sense of sadness for her.
I also have a teaching degree and taught for a number of years before leaving it to raise our family. Personally I fee that my degree hindered our homeschool initially. It wasn’t until I got rid of the “school” mentality that our lives blossomed and I watched my children love learning.
I have to agree here. I was also a teacher in public schools before homeschooling. It is a completely different mentality. My degree did not equip me fully even for the classroom and all that is rolled into the job of a teacher. So as for the comment about not being made to have some type of degree to teach my very own children, that is just ridiculous. I learn everyday WITH my children. Struggles are where you learn the most. So if my children don’t understand something and neither do I, we work until we figure it out. We learn to not give up, not only on the right answer, but ourselves.
I have a sweet friend who attend public school. She hated high school so found a way to finish early and get her GED. She went on to cosmetology school. Notice she didn’t “graduate” from high school because she finished early and wasn’t allowed to graduate w/her class. Cathy, would you say my public schooled friend was a failure because she has her GED not a diploma and went to cosmetology school? Without knowing the circumstances of her education you may not realize my friend is a brilliant person and a great stylist! Also, I had a conversation about homeschooling w/a college professor from our local university. He asked me how I could homeschool through High School. I said I could read and really smart people put their information in books so I was going w/that. His, also well educated, wife turned to him and said “honey, that’s what you do with your foreign exchange students who need help in subjects you don’t teach.” I figure if it’s good enough for the foreign exchange students…I could go on w/public school vs. homeschool vs. private school as I have friends w/children in each style of education. The one thing I’ve noticed that makes the students “successes” is the love of their families to support their decisions to pursue their passions whatever they may be not having a piece of paper issued from the Department of Education. This is meant to be informative not offensive or defense – I hope it came across that way.
What a horrible, snotty thing to say, Cathy! Does your cosmetologist know you think she’s beneath you, and that you disdain her chosen life’s work? Do you consider your two non-college-educated daughters to be losers? You should be ashamed of your mean words.
A – Cosmetology is hard work; it’s not just doing your friends hair and nails. They have to know anatomy, chemistry, how to do the various procedures safely for themselves and their clients, legal requirements, business requirements, and most important, interpersonal skills, which you seem to be lacking. Keeping a customer happy is just as important as getting the cut right.
B – I was a nurse for 20+ years before I retired, and every 2 weeks when I went to see my favorite stylist (who owned her own shop) and I paid her $60-100 for getting my hair done, I frequently wished I had picked a different major in high school.
Perk of homeschooling is getting to follow your own likes and talents. Kudos to parents that don’t force their kids into a career they hate just because it may be more prestigious in someone else’s very narrow opinion.
Cathy,
I find it curious that you seem to have taken it upon yourself to assume that this young lady chose cosmetology school because she was too ignorant or uneducated to do anything else. Did it not occur to you that perhaps she, unlike many college educated young people today, is pursuing a career in a field that she actually enjoys and posesses skill in? I am the eldest daughter of a juvenile delinquent high school drop out who barely spoke english when she came to this country as a young adult.She is a cosmetologist and runs her own salon. My three siblings and i were homeschooled all the way through high school. I am now a proud mother of three and the owner of a very successful skincare business. I just quit teaching piano after 8 years. I never went to college. My next youngest sister is a massage therapist,personal trainer, and the youngest female Sargent in recorded Marine Corps history. The next sister down is also a cosmetologist working for my mother, and is in seminary for marriage and family counseling.My little brother – who is 17 years old, graduated last year and completed the ASVAB with a high enough score to choose any job in the military he wanted. He is contracted with the Navy SEALs. This hardly seems like ” a shame” to me, and i know that my siblings would wholeheartedly agree. They would also agree that what we appreciated most about being homeschooled was the ability to experiment with and explore our education/career options without being held to anyone else’s standards or opinions.We were taught from the very beginning to have a vision for what we wanted out of life and then encouraged to pursue it with wisdom and intention. I also find it interesting that you, by admission are “educated” and yet “felt inadequate” to educate your own children. This doesn’t say much for the traditional form of education that you seem so biased towards. I am not interested in getting into a debate over the virtues of one form of education over another, i only wish to say that it is ignorance that believes that school of any kind is paramount to intelligence or that intelligence is an automatic byproduct of school; learning and the ability to learn is the key, however it is achieved. I hope that the success stories and testimonials from myself and others here have opened your eyes to these values.
*sargeant
Sergeant, actually.
The ultimate test of whether you know something is being able to teach it. If the public schools have done their job then I should be fully qualified to teach. If I’m not qualified to teach then the public schools have failed and I wouldn’t want to perpetuate that cycle with my own children. If I am able to learn something, I am able to teach it. What better way to teach children to be life long learners than to model it for them?
Cathy,
I am 20 years old and the happy product of a home-schooled family. I also happen to be a cosmetologist and believe me when I say I am hurt by the assumption that I am unsuccessful because of my education and career choice.I love my job, there is nothing else I would rather be doing with my career.
I also want to mention that I completed my cosmetology training my junior and senior years of high school in a public vocational school. I entered the program when I was 15 and graduated when I was 17 with both my license and my diploma. I would have been unable to do so if I had not been home educated for the majority of my life. I have also tried every form of education: private school, home school, public school, as well as college classes. My years were spent cultivating the passions I wanted to pursue, I was in speech and debate club, swim team, several art classes, and drama productions all when I was home schooled. I also have a passion for books,I read Pride and Prejudice on my own at age 12. I spent my two years in public school, irritated with how slow my English and History classes were because I had already studied or read what was taught. I also hated how immature the other students were and how disrespectful they were to the teachers and each other. I took college classes after HS as well until I realized that what I wanted to do I already had the qualifications for and decided to forgo the usual 4 plus years of college and a boatload of debt and continue to pursue my career as a stylist.Now I do what I love and get to see joy on my client’s face when I finish her hair and I know that I made her day better because of my awesome career.
My parents are both college graduates and my dad has a Master’s in Education, he was the one who decided that my younger sisters and I would get a better education at home than in the public or private school system, and pulled me out of private school in 3rd grade and we’re still homeschooling. My 15 yr old sister runs her own petting zoo she started when she was 8, she also raises sheep and she is now thinking about a career in veterinary medicine. My 12 yr old sister loves art and dance and my 6 yr old sis loves just about everything. My sisters and I are very close despite the age gaps because of homeschooling allowing us to learn together and from each other as a family.
I love homeschooling and even though I have no college degree,I would love to home-school my future kids. Remember many of our founding fathers of our country and others were privately tutored or home-schooled and many had no formal education. The concept of public schools in general was a fairly recent development in the span of education.
In other words please be aware that just because I was home-schooled and am a cosmetologist does not make me an unsuccessful person.
Oh my. Seriously? Why would you judge someone’s career choice? I’m sure her mother is extremely proud that her daughter is fulfilling her dream to have a career in cosmetology. If your idea of success is based on wage, that’s sad. Oh, and by the way there’s a difference in “their”, “there” and “they’re”, a fourth grader knows that.
I’m 24 and was homeschooled primarily from 6-12 grades. I’m ADHD and can honestly say I enjoyed not being medicated and simply find ways to work around my symptoms. Homeschool field trips are the best (learn physics at an amusement park? Yes please!).
The best thing though was being able to choose my scheduling. Because of my ADHD, I couldn’t handle not having anything to do during school holidays and begged my parents to let me do school work. So I never got Christmas or summer breaks, but my mom cut the school work in half. Today, I take online classes and while I work through the summer, it still blows my mind when I realize that my class is going to be interrupted for Christmas. I honestly don’t know what to do with myself!
I’m the mom/teacher and that’s why I love homeschooling too.
Chew on this bullies!
Our favorite: EVERYDAY is PJ day and no more Wall of Shame aka behavioral chart in the classroom.
We live in the snowbelt, so my 11 year old said, “Sled riding for gym class”. My 13 year old says, “Free food” (Hmmm…might need to add an economics class…) My 15 year old says, “movies in the middle of the day”. My 6 year old says “You don’t have to miss anyone”. My 9 year old says, “I can do fun things more often”.
I think you overlooked one important one: They learn better and more. (That’s assuming, of course, a parent who is competent and committed, which most are.) I respond as a grandmother of 6 who were at least partially homeschooled. The first was homeschooled through 8th grade. A computer whiz, he did consulting from age 10 for the major chemical company his dad worked for. When he was at a boarding school in 9th grade, they had him help the IT director wire the campus for Internet. And when the chemical company’s plant in another state needed 3 software packages, the plant manager in his home state recommended him. Since he couldn’t yet drive, the company flew his dad from TX to VA to pick him up at the end of school and accompany him to OH, rented a car for them, put them up for a few days for him to complete the job, then flew them home. He subsequently completed a college degree in computer science summa cum laude and has been working in that field, creating hardware and software for dentists.
His sister, homeschooled until Grade 8, has completed college with honors and is director of marketing and recruitment for her alma mater, and does triathlons for fun. Both of these kids got married last summer.
Next, a boy 19, homeschooled from about Grade 2 through Grade 10, went then to a boarding school and became senior class president, graduated with 7 awards in all different areas (academics, music, sports, mission trips, etc.), has completed a year of college, and is spending his sophomore year in Beirut so he can learn Arabic.
His brother, 15, is still being homeschooled, I think Grade 9, and has known nothing else since preschool days. A friend asked him one day why he did homeschool, and he replied, “Because I learn more.” Right after that, the grandson mentioned some historical figure (I forget who now). The friend asked, “Who’s that?” And the boy immediately replied, “That’s why I’m homeschooled.” Like his brother a few years ago, he plays violin in the OK City Youth Orchestra.
Another family, with 2 girls, had an interlude of 4.5 years in New Zealand, some in school, some homeschooled, then the younger one homeschooled last year to catch up from the system over there. Now 14, she is attending school, doing very well, and touring with hockey teams. Her 16-year-old sister is in her 3rd year with Stanford Online High School for gifted kids, taking French horn lessons and singing in the L.A. Children’s Chorus on the side. The Stanford program is rigorous, but she loves it and thrives on it–and she loves doing all her schoolwork, classes and homework, online in her jammies if she wishes.
I’ve tried to keep this concise, and not just bragging, but it is a testimony to what can result with good homeschooling. And these kids have all been able to solidify their spiritual lives without a lot of peer influence.
I love this post. I nodded all 50 times! SO very true. This is making me miss homeschooling. We’ve had to send the kids to public school this year, but we’re seriously considering homeschooling next year – escpecially if we can’t afford to send them to the Catholic School 30 minutes away!
As a Homeschooling Mom, I love to be able to put aside concepts that we are struggling with, and return to them later. When we are potty training toddlers, if they aren’t ready, we put the task aside and come back. Why is it wrong to do the same thing with adding or subtracting? 🙂
My 6 year old said her favorite thing about homeschooling is reading whatever she wants.
My homeschooler would probably say that he wasn’t pushed into being a rebel, just because everyone else was. In other words, he didn’t miss the peer pressure. Being Autistic as well meant that he was being bullied every day and at home by the same kids who lived in our street. Now those same kids think he’s cool because he get to do everything he likes to do, including the sleep in late bit.
Personally I think the lie ins are the reason behind the much lower rates of ‘teenage troubles’ that Home Schooling families have. Many of the schooled kids we know have to be up by 7:00 to be ready for the school bus by 7:45, Then they had the whole day at school, to catch the bus home. They then have their dinner and 3 hours of homework. Very often they were getting to bed at midnight, there is no way those kids are getting enough sleep. Its no wonder they are cranky all the time.
I’m 21 but grew up homeschooled and this post Just made up my mind, reminded me why i always wanted to homeschool my kids. 🙂
Ps. My favorite thing was being able to have a job while still in school. While the other teens had to fight eachother for a piece of the evening pie, I took afternoons and made big bucks. School at night and on break. 😉
My oldest enjoyed that perk, too. 🙂
My teen said the same thing! It’s much easier for him to work a part-time job with his flexible hours than his peers in public school.
As a kid: plenty of play time – not having to be cooped up in a classroom
As a teenager: same thing – the ability to go outside and run, or better yet, just study up on the roof and breathe in the fresh air! 🙂
As the grandmother of homeschoolers, and from a family of educators, I recognize Cathy’s frame of reference. But times are changing (for the better, imho) with the internet allowing many new opportunities for education and growth far beyond what anyone could have dreamed just a generation ago. I hope Cathy reads Madeline’s post. It points up the *obvious?* fact that each person’s gifts and talents will propel his or her trajectory. KUDOS to Kris! What thoughtful and sensitive responses! I am curious as to what prompted Cathy’s interest in this post in the first place… I am sure she will be reassured as she delves into more research, including the website cited.
I had to laugh at the part about not getting sick as often. I am a perfect example of that. While I was going to school, I used to catch some kind of sickness every winter that would have me out of school for at least a week. After I started homeschooling, I’ve just had some colds and that’s it. I started homeschooling when I was 13; I’m 20 now, and I’ve only been to the doctor 3 times in those 7 years: once to get a shot before going on a missions trip to Africa, and twice for concussions (yeah, I’m clumsy).
We homeschool six (three autistic ones) in the Pacific Northwest. The oldest two started college at 16, so they’re not schooling in their pyjamas any more (I hope) but I still count them. Here are the answers I got (yes, some could not confine themselves to one answer):
This is a variation on the “surf when the waves are good” – ditch school and go sledding when we actually have snow, and do a month’s worth of PE in one afternoon, with liberal hot chocolate breaks. Then catch up on math when the snow melts and it’s raining again.
When you tell people you homeschool and ask them about what they do, they’ll show you cool stuff most other people don’t get to see.
I got to practice balancing school, family, and a job, when making a mistake isn’t going to cost me everything.
Not having to go to school after my flu shot.
We get to have a million fun pets, like the hedgehog and the crow. And the psychotic lovebirds.
People are always telling Mom what good kids we are. Then we get mochas.
The only girl says SLEEPOVERS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK, and working on essays with my friends over waffles in the morning.
For me (the mom) the greatest thing is being the person who actually knows my kids the best. I love it (most of the time) that my four teenagers like to have these deep personal conversations in the car, and they actually WANT my input and help in evaluating what’s going on in their minds and hearts. Because I am their teacher, they never go through a “My mom doesn’t know anything” phase, and none of them is rebellious. So far.
And frankly, I love laughing at ourselves, which we do all the time.
I obtained my multiple subject teaching credential. I currently homeschool my own children. My credential is not what makes me an amazing homeschooling teacher. I can say unequivocally that I have many friends who do not have credentials, and yet they are outstanding homeschool teachers. While in college, someone told me that no one will love my children as much as I do. She was right. That is what makes parents the best teachers for their children!
Loved this post!
I love this!! My kids love the PJ’s. birthday holidays and so many more on this list :).
This was a great post! I agree and my kids always tell me they are glad they are homeschooling instead of being in a school for so many hours. Their friends got pulled from school, especially after Common Core came in, and my neighbor said she would never turn back. She said that she got her kids back. It just shows that kids need to learn and yet have the freedom to do and learn the things they enjoy. 🙂 Keep up the great posts!
We have serious intentions of homeschooling our daughter. I think she’s pretty special – she learned her ABC’s and 1 to 10’s (and also reads them!) when she was 18/19 moths old. She’s 20mos old now and she’s almost mastered up to 20s. Haha! We only have one shot at parenting and we want to do our best at it. We also want to be her main influence since we’re only parents to her once and she’s only a child once, too.
I caught a grammar error, “teachers doesn’t” and a spelling error, “sleeping it” (in). 😉
Our kids can attest to the majority of this list. I had to laugh at the last one. I want sure how many families did “birthday holidays”.
Thanks, Matt. I need an editor. I am a grammar nerd, so those things drive me crazy – especially when I don’t catch them because I’m reading what I know it’s supposed to say rather than what it actually says. Thanks for graciously pointing them out rather than going off on a tangent about how unqualified I am to teach my children grammar. 🙂
No prob. I was raised by an English teacher, so I’m a spelling & grammar nerd myself. LOL
Awesome, awesome list! Every one of those is true, and all three of my kids would agree. My daughter especially likes #24, my oldest son (a HS grad) esp liked 9, 15 & 30, and my youngest son likes #37.They would also add getting to learn while they play when Disney IS school, but I think that goes along with #37, 9, 10, 4, 5, 6… 🙂
My 9 year old agreed with this list 100%, and then added, “I don’t have to go down to a clinic to check my blood sugar or do my shots.” I would also add that she can (and does) play the piano whenever the mood strikes her….which is often! I think all three of my girls genuinely enjoy being with each other for so much of the day, and they are really hoping their older brother will opt to join us next year–they don’t get to see him very much (he’s currently a junior in public school). I think he’s just about convinced 😉
At our house it’s the electric guitar or drums. People wonder if it’s disruptive, but my daughter and I barely even notice anymore. 🙂
What my husband and I have really noticed about our two grown adult Home schooled kids, is they really understand civics, laws, history the importance of being a American. They are educated and anything new in their lives they approach it as a new subject that needs to be learned, you might say they are mountain climbers… also its not always been fun or easy but that can be over came. ………….
We don’t actually sleep in or wear pjs, but I think those can be broadened to getting to set your own schedule and wearing what you like. We like to get all of our school done before lunch, and then have the whole afternoon free while other kids are stuck in school. Although when my kids were little, and my husband worked odd hours, we did sleep late and stay up late to spend time with him. And my daughter’s friends are all jealous that she can dye her hair any color she likes, and doesn’t have to follow a strict dress code. I think that’s her favorite part of being homeschooled!
So much of this list is right on! My kids get the day off for birthdays, and occasionally get hot chocolate during school. My oldest daughter likes to have hot tea most mornings. My six-year-old likes to do school in his lion costume. 😉 Close relationships with siblings is a big one; it can be nice to read your history lesson with baby sister in your lap.
Number 3 makes me sad and angry, though. While there are some schools that have problems with gangs or crime, most are very safe. A child is more likely to be killed in a school bus accident than to be shot at school, on the way to or from school, at a school-sponsored event, or on the way to or from a school-sponsored event. (Yes, the CDC keeps track of all of that! Look it up!) And a child on a school bus is literally orders of magnitude safer than one being driven to school in a private vehicle.
Contrary to popular belief, school shootings are NOT on the rise. Media coverage of such events is. And because of that, we are now living in a culture of fear that causes damage to far more children than do actual shootings. Furthermore, this culture of fear is damaging to homeschoolers and public schoolers alike. As a homeschooling parent, I spend a lot more effort making sure that my kids are able to move safely and confidently through the world than I do worrying about extremely rare dangers like random shootings.
My daughter would have listed being able to dye her hair wild colors if she’d thought of it. We’re currently trying to make sure she won’t get deductions in gymnastics competitions if she dyes it purple as she’d like to.
Number 3 is sad – it’s sad that kids even have to have that worry regardless of how often it happens. It’s a very real fear for many kids, obviously, as it was stated more than once by those responding.
Exactly my feeling. It’s difficult these days for kids to feel safe with adults fear mongering.
With regard to the one about being safe at home – that is not just about general fears that kids hear about school. For some students, they simply were NOT safe at their schools. My daughter was singled out by another girl in her class in elementary school as her pet target. She harassed my daughter for almost a year until we got the principal to say that he would personally ensure that they were not placed in the same classroom again. This was in SECOND GRADE and the other girl has profound emotional issues. We are learning at home now. My daughter’s self confidence has soared. She is really making up for lost time in speaking up and expressing herself (she has a speech issue) because she knows if she says something in class, someone will not find her in the hallway, bathroom or playground and hiss horrible things to hear or give her a well-hidden shove or trip her “accidentally” even in sight of the paraprofessional who is supposed to be making sure there is no trouble.
My 5 year old said, “That I don’t have to leave my mommy and be by myself all day.” I explained to him that public school had other kids, and teachers, but I get where he is coming from. I grew up in public school and was very shy, so I felt alone in that I was scared to talk to anyone that didn’t talk to me first. My son is not shy, but he is still 5, and we love spending time together. 🙂
Having just got our first real snowfall, I would think one of the perks (although they don’t know it any other way) is that we can go outside and play when the weather demands it. Especially considering how much of the school year takes place in the months with shorter daylight hours. Our neighbor comes home from first grade and it is already getting darker and colder at that time of day so he really only gets the weekends to play outside.
Having ample time with grandparents
Seeing movies on opening day without the crowds(matinee)
Disneyland without lines
Avoid bad weather
Travel to where there’s good weather
More time to perfect skills
Learn things schools don’t offer
My six year old had an exercise where she was supposed to cross out the item that didn’t fit in the category. The category was “school” and the items were: pencils, paper, scissors, grass, glue, ruler. She couldn’t figure it out, and when I prompted her that maybe “grass” didn’t fit in the category, she objected. “Oh no, you HAVE to have grass!! Where are you supposed to play???” That’s a homeschooled kid for ya. 🙂
Love it!
Love this article! We’ve discussed every one of those in our home. I’ve been homeschooling (unschooling) for over two decades, my two oldest have gone to college and are currently starting their own businesses and doing well. I’ve thought about homeschooling a lot over the years and my point of view on it is that the main reason I homeschool can be summed up in one word: LOVE. We believe in education and my husband and I both went to college and he also received a Master’s degree. But love is the focal point of all we do in our home and our goal is to help our children feel loved and capable and support them in all they wish to do. Academics is only one aspect of all we are trying to do for our children, we hope to do so much more for them than that and love is the foundation for us.
For Cathy:
I say the proof is in the pudding for sucess at homeschooling. My husband worked at a university for several years and the school loved homeschoolers because they were self starters and motivated. Now, we are looking at colleges for my oldest and every college we talk to is VERY postive about homeschooling. Even the military is accepting of homeschoolers these days.
However, I agree that to be a sucess, you do not need to go to college. I consider someone a sucess when they follow their interest and find a way to be self supporting. I never look down on anyone who is holding down a job. When the heat died last winter, I was so happy to see the HVAC guy pull up. He did not have a degree but he was my favorite person in the world that day. We need our HVAC repair person and hair dressers just like we need our engineers. Educational snobbery is not needed.
Lunch with friends on school days!
Sitting on the couch to work!
Sitting close to the teacher! (awww…)
Getting a break in Math to hold your baby sibling!
I have not waded through ALL the comments so this may be redundant. I would have to add to the list: NOT having to sit through hours of classroom time with kids that don’t care and don’t give a lick of respect to their teachers. My son was homeschooled most of his life and is finishing up in the public high school (due to a sibling cancer diagnosis) and I find this his most common complaint.
First of all, I’m praying for your family as you deal with a cancer diagnosis with your child. Second, my niece was homeschooled until high school, as well. (She opted to attend public school for high school to have a shot at a softball scholarship, which she received.) That was her biggest complaint, too – kids not taking classes seriously and disrespecting their teachers.
My homeschooled son, who is now in college, says the same thing. In one of his classes over half the class failed due to absences. Colleges are now actively recruiting honor students and the professors all want to teach them because they like learning. Many honors colleges and programs actively sought out my son because he was homeschooled and “homeschoolers like to learn”. It goes further than that, though. He has worked with music productions and most students don’t want to work at all. He is not boring and has many unique friends in college (of course, he is in the music industry). They have fun but they are dedicated to what they are doing.
My very bright oldest son struggled with Math till we homeschooled. He took as much time as he needed and is now an electronics/electrical engineer in the space industry. He says it never would have happened had he not been given the time on math he needed.
The top ten benefits ( https://www.pinterest.com/pin/436004807647720570/ ) and drawbacks ( https://www.pinterest.com/pin/436004807647720676/ ) of homeschooling.
Oh, those are great! I’ll have to tell my kids the one about the cute boy/girl. They’ll be disgusted. 😉 And, when we graduated our oldest last May, we congratulated her on being Valedictorian of her class.
I loved these lists.
For my family, one huge drawback was that everyone thought we were “religious nuts”. Just because someone homeschools doesn’t mean they’re religious. Living where we do, it was hard, though, as literally all of the homeschool groups had some religious bent to them. We had to work harder to seek out HS families who didn’t have to relate everything back to the bible.
As for my kids? The 2 that homeschooled get their Masters degrees at 22 and 20 respectively. My youngest chose public school* and he will graduate from UNC Chapel Hill before his 20th birthday. Education is what you make it.
*I wasn’t happy that he eschewed HSing, but we firmly believe that, in order to have buy-in from your kids, you need to truly consider each one as an individual and take their input. My youngest wanted no part of HSing, and he had his reasons. We worked out a contract with him, and he went to a pretty decent HS and loved it.
I think you make a great point – if your kids hate homeschooling, what’s the point? I would never force homeschooling on any of my kids. You do need to take their input and treat them as individuals. My step-sister homeschooled her four kids. The older two went to public school for a couple of years, early on, until my step-sister and her husband made the decision to homeschool. The younger two were always homeschooled – until high school. I was so surprised because I thought they would all homeschool through graduation. However, my niece was a very skilled softball player and she choose to attend a public high school in order to pursue a softball scholarship, which she earned. I can’t remember my nephew’s reasons right now, but their parents made the best decision for each of their kids, individually.
What a fun list! I’m a 26 year old homeschool graduate who was homeschooled all but three years. I love that I was able to spend so much time with my family and could work at my own pace. My absolute least favorite thing about private school was the wasted time. I hated not being able to start my work once I understood the concept, just because another student didn’t get it, or (often) wasn’t paying attention the first time it was explained. I felt like my 8th grade year (I went to a private school K, 1st, and 8th grade) I had no life because I was either at school or doing homework all the time. I was very happy to homeschool again in high school.
I am 29 years old and was homeschooled from 3rd-12th grade. I most enjoyed not having to listen to lectures if I understood the reading. I also enjoyed being able to waitress lunch shift and still have evenings free if I got my work done!
No metal detectors!
My 8 yo daughter says she likes being able to take off a day as needed and not feel behind in anything. 🙂 And also having the freedom to take breaks as needed. Sweet!
My second grader who is homeschool just added, “Bible class.” We only spend about 20 minutes per day on Bible lessons, but it’s his favorite part.
We became an “accidental” homeschooling family when I needed to have my son removed from a 3rd grade class, and the principal was unwilling to transfer him to another 3rd grade because it was November. My husband and I decided to withdraw him for the rest of 3rd grade, use a “virtual” school approved by our State Board of Education, then have him head back to traditional school the following fall.
But when fall came, we all decided that we loved homeschooling, and so we continued. We did get rid of the “virtual” academy in favor of a home-based charter school that would give us the freedom to use any non-religious books we liked for teaching. As a result, my son was able to delve deeper into the subjects as we studied them. Because we stayed with the charter, even though he spent not one more day in a traditional public school, he is now in the honors program at one of the top 5 game design universities in the country (his dream since he was 7 years old), having received his diploma with highest honors last spring. He took Japanese for his foreign language requirement, and college physics, biology, chemistry, and calculus at the local 2-year college. He was accepted at every university to which he applied, and all of them offered him generous academic scholarship packages to help finance his education.
When his father (my husband) died suddenly when he was 14, my son was able to continue school, but at a lesser demanding curriculum while he grieved (which he made up the following semester). My son took pottery classes at a local potter’s studio (with 9 other homeschooled kids), joined the homeschool bowling league for several years, played in a youth orchestra for 6 years, including being principle cellist one year. He also wrote a 50,000 word novel – twice – as part of the National Novel Writing Month (nanowrimo.org) And when he wanted to go to the Academy of Sciences for his 16th birthday, we were able to get a backstage tour of the aquarium – because we could go at 10:30am since all his friends were homeschooled as well.
My son is outgoing, makes friends easily, can stand up for himself, and did not have to suffer from the immense boredom that his father and I did in public schools (his father taught himself calculus in 6th grade because he was bored with the multiplication lessons that were being taught, *again* in the public school). As a college student, my son knows how to learn, not just repeat back what he memorized, how to think, how to create, and how to use his own unique blend of skills and personality to make a difference in his chosen field.
My middle son is dyslexic, and in the fourth grade. He can now read his fourth grade textbooks, and just started reading smaller chapter books, like Nate the Great, and Magic Tree House. Of course, math and reading take a long time everyday, but we work at his pace so he doesn’t get frustrated. Because, he is homeschooled, he has never heard the term “learning disabled”. He has never been sent to intervention specialists or special Ed classes. He has never been told he is less than his peers. He has thrived all on his own, at his own pace. He doesn’t know it now, but one day I hope he truly understands this gift his father and I have worked so hard to give him.
I love this! Pinned and shared! We only have a 2 year old so we haven’t started yet, but this is a great encouragement for me! 🙂 One of my adult homeschool graduate friends shared it with me and said she totally relates to all of these.
No line-ups.
I love that the first year for a soccer team of homeschooled kids, when the coach asked them to line-up, the entire team looked back with dazed expressions. They had no idea what he was asking.
Sleeping in is huge for my night owl teen. Going to movies, museums, amusement parks without crowds is also high on the list. Focusing on their interests is also big. Someone commented about having to change bad habits. What about forgetting what you love most and having to relearn that?
I knew my older son had gotten the point of home schooling when after being asked by a friend “when do you start up again?” (It was August) he answered “we don’t. We don’t really stop either. ”
Thank you for this list
We didn’t take off school when the weather was yucky. (Snow Day) Instead we had good weather days off to go enjoy the sunshine.
I understand that. We take snow days if there is actually snow because it’s so rare here. We don’t waste days on forecasted snow days that turn out to be nothing, which happens a lot with the schools here. I always feel bad for the kids who have to make up those wasted days later, when it’s actually pretty.
When my kids were younger, in the winter we would sit on the floor in front of the fireplace to do our schoolwork a lot of times. We loved that. I think the kids also just enjoyed it being all of us together in one room to work on schoolwork. They didn’t have to sit in a classroom wishing they were at home……they already were.
Funny that I have read this now. My kids were talking about why they like home school today. My daughter says that she couldn’t stand sitting at a desk all day. (She likes to do reading on the swing!) My son likes that he can go outside and run whenever. The boy really likes to run!
My daughter is also dyslexic and in 4th grade. As hard as it was, I never pushed her or told her she was behind and now… she isn’t! Well not in reading… Math is still a trial. She doesn’t know to be thankful yet, but when she’s 24 and commenting on one of these posts, she will be!
And I loved all the 50! I do make my kids get up early though…and go to bed early. My son however did not get dressed today! He prefers not to! And my daughter puts together weird combinations of clothes and no one cares. And dolls are apart of school… obviously!
We homeschooled back when it was very revolutionary to do so (my oldest son is now 37) and there is a wonderful thing I found with homeschooling that I did not see on the comments. My younger son was much better in math and would help his older brother with his math. Neither one thought it was odd that the younger was better at it! They knew that each person has his or her own strengths and it is not degrading for someone else to be better at something, no matter his or her age. That is what I remember most about the advantages.
Blessings on all the homeschoolers out there – it is not an easy job, but very rewarding.
I love that, Janet! Thanks so much for sharing.
I’m 16 🙂 I love being homeschooled because:
•I can work on the hard subjects at my own pace
•I get to spend lots of time with my mom, and when my dad has the day off, I can spend the whole day with him.
•I get amazing opportunities to do the things I love (the arts!! Acting, singing, dancing!)
•My friends and I can get together on a Tuesday morning and go see a movie
•I am learning to manage my time.
•I babysit a ton, and it gives me the opportunity to do some babysitting during the week in the mornings 🙂
and finally…….
SLEEPING IN!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀
This is awesome, Kris!! 🙂
I was homeschooled from grade 1 and up, and I think the best part about being homeschooled was that everything is a learning experience, we learned to see every day things as something to be studied and wondered about and researched and questioned, instead of ignored or taken for granted. I am now 27 and with a new baby of my own, and I want my little treasure to experience the joy of learning and interest and gaining knowledge about things like I did.
On the other side of the coin, there are actually some kids out there that don’t like being home schooled. So, I think it is not bad to let kids try both, to see. I am in my 30’s now, but I was home schooled in middle school. I was really excited at first to home school. My mother did a great job; however, it was boring compared to the interaction that you get in a school. I enjoyed going from class to class, chatting with friends, and “people watching”- seeing how others interact and respond to different materials and social situations all day. I also did private school for a few years and public school in high school. I would say private school was my favorite, followed by public school, followed by home school last. I learned well and got A averages in all three. Home school just wasn’t for me, even though I am an introvert.
You’re right. It’s not for everyone. My kids have always known they have the option to try public school So far, no one has had any desire to do so. My oldest went to public for K-1. She briefly thought she might want to go back for high school, but she changed her mind.
Sitting on comfy furniture, feet on your bunk time, and educational videos (songs for learning)
My kids favorite thing is being able to take ‘cattle-workin-days’ and go round up cows with their cowboy dad! They never miss fun ranch workin days. 🙂
I think that would my favorite thing, too. That sounds amazing. What a wonderful experience for your kids.
My parents home schooled their six children all the way through. I am so thankful that my parents have this particular vision for my family. I would not have graduated if it had not been for their love and compassion and encouragement. As hard as it is for me to be self-motivated, my mother was always gently guiding me and that made all the difference. I was able to create my own schedule, and that allowed me to have a job since I was fourteen. That job has now turned into a career for me where I am doing what I love with people I love. What eighteen year old do you know who has her dream job? My siblings and I are all happy, successful, well-rounded, and forever grateful.
I would add that is nice to not have to go door to door doing fundraisers for your school all the time!
As recent homeschool graduate and a freshman at college, I realize that one of the things I miss most is the good food mom made. And another would be raising animals and doing all sorts of projects that somehow related to school or certain life skills.
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for this list! Helped recharge me for the homeschool year ahead!
Isn’t it a little unsettling that these kids feel they’re only “safe” at home? (#3). Is it right that they’re afraid of going out into the world and think that they’ll be in imminent danger any time they aren’t around their parents?
I don’t think that’s what that comment was about at all. Feeling safe at home and feeling in imminent danger any time they aren’t around their parents are two very different things.
This was shared by my sister-in-law, a homeschooling mom of 3 intelligent and beautiful children. I loved many of the really fun reasons you listed here because, like so many moms, I’ve struggled with what is best for my children, and I’ve chosen traditional school but still yearn for some of the moments my sister-in-law gets to share with her kids. We all have our reasons for our choices, and I try to respect our differences. But one reason on this list has bothered me since I read it, and I feel I must speak on behalf of all of us who do not homeschool.
You report that homeschool children feel safe at home. Ok, I agree with that. Then you state that you FEEL SORRY for my kid because she has to practice emergency drills. And I’m sorry, sister, but you just crossed a line. Let me tell you why.
The implication is that home is safe and school is not. Let me take it one step further; the implication is that parents of homeschool children are more concerned with their children’s safety than parents who send their children off to school.
You see, you make the assumption that emergency drills instill fear. But I argue that they empower. Like it or not, the world is dangerous. My daughter has learned that in her six-and-a-half years. Bad people hurt others. Sometimes with guns. People die. She knows all this because she asks questions. She’s perceptive, and while we don’t sit her down in front of the news at night, she hears things. She can read the sadness and worry in her parents’ faces. Children are smart, and I agree that kids know what’s going on. Homeschool or not, kids fear these dangers. But you seem to think that sheltering them is the answer. I say let them face those fears and learn to overcome. It is our job as mothers to arm our children against those bad things. Because like it or not, our kids will be hurt one day. They will live in fear of that “one day” unless we teach them to trust that we will do our other job of protecting them. We need to teach them that there are more “good guys” than “bad guys” who know how to keep them safe. I don’t want my daughter to be afraid. I want her to feel safe, just like you. And drills do just that. They provide our children with tools in an emergency situation should they ever face one. You see, my husband and I believe in raising brave and confident children. Bravery is born from fear; when we name the fear and learn how to overcome, we become brave. Confidence is born from trust; we trust that we are safe, we are supported, and we are loved for who we are. Fear and worry just bring us down. So please don’t feel sorry for my daughter. She is brave because we’ve taught her that despite the evil in this world, there are good and trustworthy people and “drills” in place to protect her. She is confident because we have encouraged her independence and shown her that she is loved and supported. And we have taught her that she belongs to a Father in Heaven who will take care of her eternally no matter what hurt befalls her on this earth.
I worry about the homeschool children who reported to you that home is safe…because it sounds to me like there’s a scary world outside their doors, and I worry that no one is teaching them to be brave.
I’m sorry that you mistook my words. That was not my intent at all. I only meant that I hate that we live in a world that makes things like lock down drills even necessary. I hate that kids have had to lose their innocence so early in life. I completely understand that the drills are there to keep kids safe. My sister, whose daughter is in public school posted on Facebook today that there is a woman who who wants schools to stop having lock down drills because “we are scaring our children”. My sister stated that she’s all for children staying innocent but if someone starts shooting (or whatever) inside my niece’s school that she wants her to know what to do to be as safe as possible. Just like a tornado or fire drill.
I replied that I agree completely. My reply was that it’s a shame that schools have to have lock down drills, but in today’s world, it’s irresponsible not to. You’re absolutely right, though, your child – and mine – has a Heavenly Father who will care for her no matter what happens. My implication was never that I pity your child. I pity our society that has necessitated the loss of innocence in our children.
I appreciate your response, and I apologize that I was defensive. I have many friends in addition to my sister-in-law who have chosen to homeschool, and I give all of you a lot of credit because I know that I am not called to it!
I still worry that you even received this as a response from children. I have some professional expertise in child development, and I believe that such answers as “It is safe at home” are red flags that children are being fed information to suggest that the alternative is, perhaps, the opposite. My experience is that for a child to be afraid of something (especially those who have never experienced it personally), an adult has planted the idea. While in my heart I believe that parents don’t mean to cause their children to fear, they often inadvertently project their own fears onto their kids. I’ve met some (not in the majority by any means) homeschool children who truly think school is scary, that teachers are mean, and that there’s a bully lurking around every corner. I hope that all moms and dads pay attention to certain responses (#3, 38, 47) and find out why these children feel that way. Granted, kids aren’t the best at expressing their ideas sometimes, and if you were to ask my daughter on certain days why she likes school, she may respond, “because Mom’s not there!” so I realize such a response may be harmless and not suggestive of some deep-seeded parental paranoia…but it might! :o)
I do appreciate that you wrote such a fun and telling piece because kids really do say the darndest things! And as a resident of Hawaii, I appreciate the one student’s surf response!
Thank you for replying, Kathie. As a long-time blogger, I have developed a pretty thick skin, but I spent more time than I should have dwelling on the fact that you were upset by a comment that I meant far differently than you took it. I appreciate your response and I hear what you’re saying. Of the kids who replied about being safe, I know that one was concerned by having seen reports of school shootings. I’m sure that concerns many kids from all walks of life and all educational backgrounds. Another, if I recall correctly, had come from a bullying situation at school, so I can certainly understand his response.
You’re right, though. It is prudent to discover if there is some underlying fear that needs to be dealt with.
I would like to say that I have a pretty good view of homeschooling and public school as I did both. However the posts on this thread from the proponents and opponents are disheartening. 1.) there is a fair amount of animosity and condescending attitudes coming from both sides 2.) anecdotal evidence is NOT true evidence as it is not always representative of a population as a whole. It is based on “this has been my experience so it must be true” mantra; very presumptuous indeed on both sides. How about scientific peer reviewed research based on reason and not emotion! 3.) if we spent more time encouraging each other and trying to understand one another instead of attacking or looking down on those that have different views or beliefs then us the world would be a much better place. 4.) All children are individuals. What works for your kid might not work for other kids. That being said I did enjoy several of the responses from homeschool children you received… Others I could not or did not identify with! That’s individualism at work
“…if we spent more time encouraging each other and trying to understand one another instead of attacking or looking down on those that have different views or beliefs then us the world would be a much better place.”
Yes, this! And #4, too. I think we’re all parents trying to do what we feel is best for our individual kids. That’s what should unite us.
Your post is interesting. Just wanted to point out that this is a blog, a personal blog by Kris. It is not meant to be an academic journal. Also, are you aware that many scientists are now doing scholarly writing and citing “blogs”? Blogs have become included in the world of scholarly communication. If Kris wants to write a journal article, she could submit one with additional research and citations. However, if you are collecting data from a large demographic, do you realize this constitutes inductive research? That is the primary form of research that social scientists use and then they write about their findings. In inductive reasoning, the more examples or cases, the stronger your argument.
When people talk about home school kids needing to be socialized, I tell them that is exactly why we kept ours home. If we wanted our kids socialized by this world’s screwed-up system, we WOULD have put them in public school.
Here is the best reason we ever had for homeschooling. Our son made a long-time friend at a home school activity when he was eleven. Fifteen years later, he married her, and she is AWESOME! Now, let’s talk about socializing…
Mine said “the bathroom is not disgusting” – haha
I love number 47 Kris, especially your added comments. Thank you!
My 6 year old said today that it was a good school day because we all got to lay around on the couches and do our school work and that helped us focus more. LOL “I’m sure it did Binky…”
I am a 27-year-old homeschooler. Yes, despite being an adult, I still consider myself a homeschooler – because homeschooling gave me such a love of learning that I simply can’t stop just because I’m “supposed” to be done with school! Education is something that should continue throughout a lifetime. Even now, I’m working to learn German, play the violin, and paint with watercolors, and I’m still a devoted reader. My time for learning is not as abundant as it once was – work and household chores tend to get in the way – but I make it a point to learn something every single day. I don’t have any children yet, but when I do I’d like to make every effort possible to homeschool them and pass on my love of learning.
I truly believe it was unschooling that caused it – I was in public school until halfway through first grade, and while my kindergarten teacher was amazing, my first-grade teacher was absolutely terrible and began to destroy my natural love for learning. I cried every day before school, and I counted the minutes until I could go home. School was like a prison to me. Homeschooling saved me, because I truly believe that my love of learning, my ability to self-initiate, and even my basic intellect would have been destroyed by public schools. They were already trying to suggest to my mother that I needed to be medicated for ADD, when the truth was I was just bored out of my mind. I don’t know what would have happened to me if I’d continued, but I’m so glad I didn’t have to find out! Unschooling, allowing me to pursue the areas of learning I was interested in, was enough to get me back to my previous love of learning, and it’s continued for the twenty-one years since then.
When my daughter read the one about fewer distractions, she thought it was a joke. “I thought school was supposed to be really quiet, especially compared to this noisy house,” she said. Apparently her rambunctious siblings are enough distraction to compete with a whole classroom of public school kids! On the other hand, I think it is good that my kids are learning to focus through the noise around them and don’t require silence to get things done. (Which is not to say that I don’t make them be quiet when appropriate!)
My daughter also wants me to add “lots of time to play with the baby” to this list. 😉
That’s funny!
I love how individual the homeschooling experience can be! I have a niece that absolutely could not focus in a room full of kids. Now she will do some of her schoolwork in a room off by herself while her two younger siblings like to work together. 🙂
My 12 year old said, “He likes staying at home.” My 10 year old said, “She doesn’t have to worry about mean teachers or bullies.” My 9 year old said,”You can go to the bathroom when you want.” Yep, my three are right there with the rest. I like setting our own schedule for the year. We are a military family, and it’s nice that I can set our schedule around mission trips, moves, vacations. My kids were all in public school for at least a year, and our life and plans all had to revolve around the school’s chosen set schedule. Every time our kids would get sick I would have to take them to the doctor (even though I knew it was cold, or a virus) so I could get them a “doctor’s note”. There was not just one reason for me to homeschool my children, but many small ones that just started accumulating. Ultimately, though after much prayer, the LORD put it on my heart to homeschool, and the few times I get frustrated, we have on off day, or a bad day it is HIM that reminds me that this was HIS chosen path for us and why we continue on it.
My 8 year old says that he likes to do what we call “Holiday School” during any given holiday or holiday week.
My 13 year old would also give her opinion but she too is asleep, in the middle of the afternoon. If I were to take a guess on what she would say, she would probably say sleeping in, eating homemade food, and she doesn’t have to wait till after “school” to play outside in the snow!.
As a homeschool mom for twenty-six years, I can attest to everything on this list. My kids were all of a creative nature, and having more control over their daily timelines was quite helpful – although I made sure there were a few bits that were always consistent, such as scripture memory every day. I just wish my youngest daughter hadn’t gotten caught up in the twin passions of being popular and having a boyfriend. She insisted on spending her final two years of high school in public school to try to attain these goals she set for herself; she thinks it was a great time, but on both personal and academic levels, it didn’t have positive results. Thankfully, the other three have gone on to prove that those twenty-six years were time well spent. And my oldest, who works from home, still likes to work in her PJs!
One benefit of being homeschooled as a teenager is that you can get a part time job and schedule your school around your work schedule. It’s easier to pick up more hours and get weekday shifts because all the other kids were in school and could only work nights and weekends.
My daughter wanted to add “I didn’t have to wait for school to end to meet my baby brother”.. My most recent blessing was born in the middle of the day, so if my older two were in public school they would have had to wait “an eternity” (three whole hours lol) before meeting him.. She, also, wanted to add being able to read to her baby brother and having the kitten cuddling in her lap during math time.
That might just top the list for sweetest answer ever. 🙂 Congratulations!
I decided to ask my six year old what was one thing she likes about homeschooling. I honestly expected her to say, “Nothing” since she’s been talking about going to school. I was surprised when she started rattling off this list.
I get to play with my brother.
I get lots of breaks.
My mommy helps me.
I can have snacks while I work.
I was just glad that she had a positive answer.
As a cyber-schooling mom, most of these hold true as well. My kids have their teachers online instead of me (homeschooling is not my gifted area) and I’m their “home facilitator” instead. Love the list, and I’ll bet that my kids would agree with practically all of them as well.
I enjoyed reading this post and can agree to most of them. I have also read every comment made. I am always amazed at how defensive and opinionated some people can be, especially about things that they know nothing or very little about… this can go for both sides of the argument.
We have experience with all types of education, not only within our home but through extended family. I have seen the good and bad from all angles. My husband went to a private school through 8th grade and then a public high school. I went to public school my entire childhood. Our 2 daughters, ages 13 and 15, started out in public school then did virtual online school and are now homeschooled. I have a few nieces and nephews that go to a charter school and few that go to public school. My in-laws are both retired public school teachers. My mother-in-law was a highly sought out special education teacher for high risk students and my father-in-law was a high school honors math teacher. My mother is a high school drop out who went back to get her GED when I was in high school and is now taking college courses. My father has a degree in mechanics.
Your education does have an impact of your future but it does not determine your future. My husband and I both went to college but never finished because we got married and started our family. My husband is now the assistant manager of a building supply company. We are not rich but he obviously makes enough money to allow me to stay home with our girls. Whether I finished college or not doesn’t change the fact that I would still be home educating my children. My mother-in-law actually does not have a degree in education but in psychology. She still became a teacher for almost 30 years and was highly respected as one of the top special education teachers in our state. My father-in-law still to this day loves math but would not go back to teaching. My father never used his degree in mechanics but started working construction with his father; he now owns his own construction and property management company. My mother, a high school drop out, is now the manager of 2 doctor’s offices and a medical records specialist. She is in the process of earning herself a master’s degree in business – not because she has to but because it is a life goal of hers.
Public School vs Homeschool vs Charter School
Our oldest daughter seems to do well no matter what schooling environment she is in. She has always excelled and I have no doubt that whether she is homeschooled or in public school, she would be fine. She is extremely bright and has always been an honors and straight A student. Though she is homeschooled, she is able to be in the colorguard in the 8-time state champion marching band at the local high school. She is also getting ready to tryout for the theater program at the arts center in our area. With that being said, she has no idea what she wants to do after high school. Am I concerned about this?? Absolutely not!! Why must we make our kids decide on a future at the age of 15 when most adults have no idea what they want to be when they grow up. I will continue to educate her the way I always have. I will be sure to equip her with basic knowledge that she will need to be successful in whatever she decided to do. I am amazed at the people that will judge and say that I have failed her by homeschooling because she hasn’t decided on her future or she may decide not to go to college but do not have the same opinion of public schools when their students choose not to go to college. I do not feel as if I have failed her by homeschooling her – there are many kids in public school that graduate not knowing what they want to do. (That is why colleges allow you to change your major – lol)
Our youngest daughter excels with homeschooling. When we pulled her from public school, we quickly realized that she was behind grade level in math. She was going into the 3rd grade but we had to put her back in first grade math, basically start over. Not because she wasn’t smart or capable but because her class size was too large for the teacher to realize that she needed more one-on-one guidance in this subject and our daughter was too shy to speak up. She has worked very hard and in now above grade level in ALL subjects. She takes tumbling and is a cheerleader at the local high school. She is very clear on her future – she wants to be a make-up artist. Before anyone mocks at this, you need to do some research. If money is your concern, make-up artists can easily make up to or more than $1000 on a weekend just doing the make-up for a bridal party. If extended education is your concern, she will go to college to ensure that she gets the best education to help ensure a successful career. (Her words, not mine – lol) She is very smart and very sure that this is the path she wants to take. She has done the research and has even decided to get a degree in esthetics to help further her career and broaden her possibilities. Homeschooling allows her to start studying sciences and math that will help her with her career choice. This year she is studying health & nutrition for healthy skin, skin anatomy and diseases… next year she will study chemistry with a focus on make-up and skin care composition. Her math consists of small business and accounting. This is not something that would be an option for her in public school.
Both of our daughters have worked hard (in academics and sports) and will have the opportunity to graduate high school early. I am not one to brag on how smart my children are and credit it all to homeschool. I do not believe that your child must be homeschooled in order to excel at education. Homeschool is the right fit for our family. Whenever asked about homeschool, I am quick to point out that it is not for everyone and that you should look into all types of education before choosing which one will work best for your child and your family.
I have a niece that went to public school through 7th grade. She was bullied so her mother pulled her out and let her do virtual online school. She hated being home all day doing school. She now goes to a charter school. Her first couple of years she struggled and did not take school seriously. She is now a senior. She has worked hard the past couple of years and is in the BETA club and National Honor Society. She scored very well on her SATs and ACT and is in the process of choosing her college. She is not sure of the degree she wants to pursue yet.
Her sister has always been in public school. She is extremely smart and excels in all subjects. She is in ninth grade and taking honors classes. She has not made a decision on her future at this point.
The point I am trying to make is that when children are put in the best learning environment for them, they can do well and excel. With that being said, I also believe that no matter what education certain children are exposed to, some will choose not to learn. I also believe that this world needs all kinds of people in order to run successfully; chefs, cosmetologists, mechanics, teachers, lawyers, doctors, postal workers, receptionists, accountants, actors, athletes, waitresses, construction workers, plumbers, etc.
At the end of the day, I would rather know that my kids followed their dreams when choosing their career/job instead of following an education or money because society tells them that that is the only way to determine whether someone is successful in life.
Remember this – Having a degree in education doesn’t make you a teacher and not having a degree in education doesn’t mean that you are not a teacher!
Thanks for the post and for the comments that were kind and respectful… on both sides of the fence.
Oh – and my daughters would like to add to the list, “Getting to graduate early!” 🙂
My daughter ultimately wants to be a make-up artist, as well. That’s why I said that cosmetology school is a stepping stone for her. It’s what she’s chosen to get into the general industry and we knew she’d be able to find work as a stylist, wherever she lands, and work her way through whatever school she ultimately decides to attend since there are both formal and more informal routes to becoming a make-up artist. Her ultimate goal is special effects movie make-up. What does your daughter want to do?
She knows that she does not want to do cosmetology because she doesn’t want to work with hair. She is choosing to start with esthetics so she will have a strong foundation on skin diseases, disorders, chemistry, anatomy, skin physiology. She believes that this will help her to be a better make-up artist. Her main focus will be bridal, prom and pageantry but she would like to learn theatrical as well. She also would like to have her own studio one day. She hasn’t decided exactly where she wants to study but has checked into MUD – but she still has 2 1/2 years before she graduates so there is still time to work this out. Like I said, she is very clear of exactly what she wants to do with her future and has spent a lot of time researching the best way to achieve it. Completely amazes me since she is only 13…
That’s really cool. I love when kids just know what they want to do. I wish her well.
LOVE this list. So heartwarming. And I love most of the comments! Love hearing everybody’s additions. My kids spent one year in the public school. My oldest daughter was in 8th grade that year. Her report: she learned that you have to wear super tight jeans and during lunch sit at the table and pick at your food, but you couldn’t eat it. Then you had to say, “Oh, I’m so full,” and then throw away a whole tray of food. (She came home and ate in safety.) She also had a teacher that screamed at the kids, which was traumatizing (can’t fire her b/c of laws). She was also very upset one day when she came home and said, “There was a cat fight in school today.” Two girls were physically fighting. Most days she would come home and cry, emotionally exhausted. The silver lining is that she grew in compassion for people and saw that her home environment was much more loving and safe than she had appreciated before. I had two at the elementary school who were always stressed about breaking a rule they didn’t know existed (because we didn’t have them in homeschool). We learned that it’s simply a different culture, not so different from moving from one country to another.
This is for the trolls: I have a Bachelor of Science in education, a BS. I think it’s kind of funny because that’s exactly what I think of my college degree from the school of Bobby Knight renown. No doubt many graduate there with good educations, but out of FOUR years of college I had exactly two good methods classes. One was outstanding. One was okay. The rest of my classes were simply money-makers for the university. I felt like I bought a degree. I know what goes into getting qualified to teach and I’m here to say it’s not all it’s puffed up to be. If you feel your high schooler’s class is over your head, then you can farm it out! That’s the beauty of homeschooling. But anybody can teach someone how to read. This “I’m not qualified to teach” business is simply a testimony of the underinformed. Sobbish elitism isn’t flattering for you, folks. You don’t look good in it.
I should clarify that I only had two methods classes because I was a secondary ed major. El ed majors get lots of methods classes. I would have liked to have more. My general methods class (that I absolutely loved) also had a lot of focus on classroom management, which I don’t really need as a homeschooler, except when I’m teaching a classroom of homeschoolers. (See, we have classes too!) But behavior management is usually not a problem. If it is, we have to address too much chit-chat among these friends, or too much joking. But I’ve never heard of anyone having a problem with defiant behavior.
Also, no doubt other people have had very good experiences with acquiring their teaching degree. And my alma mater may very well have improved its School of Ed since 1989.
I really enjoyed the blog and the comments. I wish I could click “like” on almost all of them.
As a homeschool graduate, I can relate to most of these! (Not the surfing one. XD) After being a Christian, homeschool is the best thing that ever happened to me.
Thanks for posting this. I would have just reblogged it, but I couldn’t see a way to make that happen. I hope you don’t mind I just inserted the link on my own blog.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, Scott, and I very much prefer that you shared the link on your blog. I’m not sure why WordPress allows the “reblog” option. Unfortunately, that very often infringes on the copyright of the original author. Thank you for sharing.
As a 17 year old sophomore in college who was homeschooled her whole life up until she graduated high school and entered college at the age of 15, I know that being homeschooled and learning time management, self-motivation, priorities, and using freedom wisely prepared me for the world of college much better than any public high school could have. It’s a whole new world, and most freshman take a semester or two to figure out that college takes more work,but being homeschooled had prepared me for it. I also had many more and unique opportunities. Iw as never held back by expectations or social norms. I wouldn’t call myself a genius kid, homeschooling just gave me the flexibility to be able to finish high school in half the time. Public schooling does work well for some people, though. Just not all.
I homeschool four and I loved your post, Chris! Can I just say what a classy woman you are? What a grace-filled, compassionate, loving person you are, to the glory of God? I am proud to have you as a representative of the homeschooled community. Praise God that your post scored so many views!
Thank you, Christine. I so appreciate your compliment. I wish I were grace-filled a much greater percentage of time, as do my children who were on the receiving end of a less-than-grace-filled moment today. {sigh}
I LOVE this list!!! I was homeschooled with my five younger siblings and can relate (or all of us at some point growing up) to all of these!! 🙂 Well, maybe not the surfing…. But the thought behind that because we often got days off to go hunting with our dad, grandpa, uncles, siblings and friends! (And not only was it enjoyable, but we got to spend lots of days in autumn out of doors enjoying and exploring nature, learning many life lessons, spending time with family members we might not have been able to, making lots of memories, even having some incredibly deep discussions with the hunting partner etc. all the while public schooled kids would have only had an hour or so in morning and late afternoon to go hunting! We could go anytime and all day! 🙂 )
I LOVE how homeschooling allows for the child to really explore and learn at their own pace and in subjects they have a passion and interest for! That’s not to say non-homeschooling kids can’t do those things, but it seems very rare from the stories I have read and been told by public/private schooled children.
As parents, it is our God given responsibility to make sure we know what is being taught to our children, to raise them up in the ways of God…. And although there have been some homeschooling parents who “sheltered” their children too much, there are even more public schooled kids from Christian families who are losing their faith, they’re experimenting in drugs, sex, etc, having pre-marital sex, graduating with little purpose and passion, having babies of their own in highschool, etc. Whereas there are reports of homeschooled kids being raised to be responsible, respectful, purposeful adults with high moral standards and changing the world for good!!! 🙂
Oh dear, I had no intention on sharing all those thoughts!!! Obviously I think homeschooling is the way to go!!! 🙂
It was… It is AWESOME! 😉
Oh I just want to add, for the parents who think they could never home school…. One, homeschooling is not like it was 30 years ago! There are amazing programs and curriculums for every personality and teaching style, and support/networking groups available that can really help! So to the dad and mom who is afraid they can’t or that it isn’t for them… Perhaps with some research and even a little trial and error they CAN find something that works for them and their family!
Secondly, if homeschooling really is not right for their family, then I would hope they would get as involved in the school and teaching and heir children’s lives as possible! Let’s not give “homeschooling is not right for us” the excuse to not be responsible about what is being taught to our children, by whom, at what ages/maturity, etc!
Let’s change the world for good, first with our kids! 🙂
Love this! Thanks so much for compiling it *laugh*
I’m a 4.0/4.0 GPA student at a university now. Graduated/transferred from a two-year college with a perfect GPA score and honors. But my entire life before that, I was homeschooled. I still consider myself homeschooled, since in most cases, I’m still doing most of my learning at home.
Homeschooling taught me that I am my own best teacher. No one can teach me if I am not actively engaged in trying to figure things out. That’s one of my favorite things about homeschooling.
I also loved homeschooling because I didn’t have to be around so many people. I do not like being in crowds. And before anyone attempts to say that that means I’m not “properly socialized,” anyone can be uncomfortable in large groups of people and still have plenty of healthy, appropriate social skills and exercise them properly. My skill level with that doesn’t have to be reflected in my consistent behavior in order for me to still know how to behave around others. I just don’t like to be around an excessive number of others.
Another thing I liked about being homeschooled was I didn’t have to explain to anyone that I preferred to be by myself. No one thought of that as weird or bad, but just about every public schooled person or teacher I’ve ever told about my introverted tendencies immediately took on a body language and a way of phrasing their words that implied that they thought there was something wrong with me. Homeschoolers get it. We don’t all have to meet some made-up Extroverted Standard in order to be considered socially skilled.
Yet more things:
~The only drugs we were ever pressured into trying were IB Profen, Tylenol, and cough syrup.
~No relationship drama!
~If on some days we just didn’t feel like doing our stuff or were extremely tired, we didn’t need to do our stuff that day. There were quite a few times where I just hadn’t slept well and I needed some days off. But also, I could take entire days to do my course work if need be; some days I worked with an injured dominant hand, so I had to move more slowly. We also had a concept called “half days” where we could do some core course work and not do the rest (such things included Math, Bible Reading, Bible Writing, Spelling, etc).
~I wasn’t under pressure to be perfect. Since there are no actual grades in homeschooling, it never really bothered me to make mistakes. In other words, I could make mistakes freely. At college, that’s not the case. I hate the grading system. I HAVE to ace /everything/ or else I freak out. I’m not as high-strung as I used to be, but it’s still a problem. I still have trouble sleeping at night when I don’t think I will be receiving a good grand on the last test. Basically, in homeschool, I can look at a bad grade on an Algebra test, shrug and say “well, time to see what I did wrong and fix it.” In college, I can’t do that. In many classes, there is NO room to make mistakes. In homeschool, I saw tests as a means of telling me what I still needed help on or needed to work more with. In college, they’re more than that. And I don’t like it. So this leads to my next point:
~No grades.
~We worked into the summer, but got more breaks that were spread out. I think we usually got about 3 breaks for summer, and then a week here and there. We could also schedule breaks whenever we wanted, like when mom wanted to do a severe cleaning of the house and other housekeeping projects.
~We can socialize with anyone. Public schoolers are limited to people of their own age-group and area, whereas I grew up interacting with tons of different people. Including the shy, the timid, the introverted, the disabled, etc. As a homeschooler, I didn’t have to associate myself with anyone if I didn’t want to, but I was free to associate with others when I did. Plus, we had more /real life/ situations. What other situation in the real world, the working world, has you being told to sit down a shut up for 6+ hours straight, take notes, and then scurry to other rooms? None that I can think of. I felt we got way more opportunities to experience the real world /as it really was/ and relate to it as normal people than public schoolers get to.
~I got to help raise my siblings. I always find it puzzling when someone finds something wrong with older siblings raising/help raising younger siblings. What’s so bad about learning (and practicing) to take care of a human being who is less capable than you are? I just don’t get that.
Hm… I think that’s the most I can think of off the top of my head. Everything else said here I agree with, pretty much. 🙂
The surfing one applies to my son, for sure. We live on the coast in the Pacific Northwest and we love being able to have the freedom to enjoy the beach when the weather is good. It’s so unpredictably good, it’s great to be able to drop what we’re doing and head for the beach! My kids always lament about the poor kids stuck in classroom who don’t get to enjoy the random nice weather.
My son says his favorite thing about homeschool is being able to do his schoolwork in the evening. He seems more relaxed and ready to learn at night, so I agree with him on this one.
My daughter said we have more time to spend with our friends, and she loves going to co-op. When we PS our kids we never had time for play dates or sports due to our hectic schedule.
One of my oldest son’s (15yo) favorite things about being homeschooled is being able to work on the schedule that best matches his preferred sleep schedule — which, for him, means he’s out of bed at 4:15am and done with school by noon (most days). We tell him not to tell other kids his age what time he gets up or goes to bed (7:30-8pm) because he will, no doubt, be picked on. He’s a real morning person, and homeschooling means he can do his work when he feels most productive. Being an introvert, he also loves the quiet time before anyone else gets up.
I loved being homeschooled as a kid.
I remember in fourth grade is when it all started. The public school I was going to at the time had started cutting PE class, music class, and art classes. My mom hated that and I was also starting to have trouble in math at the time (math has never been my best subject). It was originally something my mom was just going to try, we really knew nothing about it so when she pulled me and my younger sister out in January of that year it was all new territory and we were thinking it would be temporary just to give me time to catch up on my math scores..etc. We ended up loving it so much we continued it for the rest of the year and never looked back. My math grades almost instantly improved. By the next year both my sister and I were more proficient than 90 percent of students our age on all subjects on the FCAT.
My parents started to take advantage of the fact that we didn’t have to be in school so we would take trips across the country in the months of august, september, and october. We traveled to Washington DC one year and visited all the memorials. The next year was Yosemite National Park in California. Then we hiked the entire Grand Canyon. Being homeschooled gave my family the freedom to travel which was one of my favorite parts. I mean, lets be serious, its pretty awesome when all your friends are stuck in school and your off 1000 miles away getting to white water raft down the colorado river, or go whale watching in Alaska.
I have had the opportunity to see every single national park in the US as well as visit all the major cities. While other kids were stuck in school my sister and I were exploring the country with our family or at home getting extra time to play and “just be kids”, which I think is a huge and often overlooked part of the development of children.
I also often feel as if being homeschooled allowed me to grow up slower. Some may say that sounds bad, and I know a lot of girls who would not have liked that at my age, but I sure did. I remember being 12, 13, even 14 years old and still not having, or wanting to worry about things like makeup, fashion, boys, drama, etc. At home I could be who I wanted to be and not have to worry about being teased or made fun of because I didn’t want to grow up as fast as the other girls.
When we weren’t traveling we had time at home for activities. I loved being up early and getting my school work done before noon so that I had time in the afternoon. I took art classes, piano lessons, guitar lessons. I played sports like soccer and ran cross country for the local public high school.
Today, I am a student at The Florida State University studying Music therapy. Florida State has one of the nations leading music therapy programs so clearly being homeschooled certainly does not hinder ones ability to make it into a good college. My younger sister, who was homeschooled with me is at her freshman year at Indiana University, on a full tennis scholarship.
Im really looking forward to homeschooling my babes. I cant WAIT!! : D
( currently we only have one 15 month old )
Im hoping to find other homeschooling parents so we can share knowledge! We live in Mississauga Ontario Canada… any homeschool homies near me??
As a 47-year-old non-homeschooled woman, I am jealous of these homeschooled kids.
Hello! Found you through the carnival. I think the “not gobbling your food” reason is one of my favourites. We actually began homeschooling because of abuse in the public schools. But we found so many other great reasons to continue after we began. 🙂
My kids laughed and agreed with the posts.
12 year old says, “Having a mom that can help when I get stuck”
My 10 year old says, “more time to be outside and do other things. We can be done with class before public schools are finished”
My 7 year old says, “that your parents are the ones to help you learn to read and to learn to do things. I also like that I’m not separated from my twin”
His twin says, “Yup”
Honestly, I hated homeschooling. My experience with homeschooling was not like the list above. In fact, it was very much a legalistic and patriarchal-father-owns-daughters type of homeschooling. I was not given the option to attend public or private school because it was “all bad” and kids that went to public school were “inferior and less intelligent.” I often wish my parents would have made different choices and had put me in public school. Homeschooling is not for all and is not superior to other types of education. It is simply another form of education which only certain kids fit into. I’m not saying that this was this poster’s intent or message…but I’m sick of the superiority attitude that I often came across in the homeschool circles I grew up in.
I’m truly sorry that you had such a bad experience with homeschooling. You’re absolutely right that it’s not for everyone. As a matter of fact, just this week I had someone email me with questions about it. Based on what they told me, I replied that it sounded as if homeschooling might not be the best fit for their family. It is so important to take into account the needs of individual families and even individual kids within families. Everyone learns differently and even kids within the same family may not thrive in the same environment.
When you little sister has Down syndrome and every day therapists come to teach her to sit, stand, walk and talk, you get inspired for your career choices. One of my daughters is almost done with her studies to be an RN another is entering college next year to study Occupational Therapy.
Love that!
To Cathy, who has strong opinions against homeschooling: it is no mistake that many former teachers are now homeschooling their own children. I am homeschooling my daughter for 2 years until 8th grade, due to a horrible disruptive class situation at public school. It was my daughter’s idea to be homeschooled. She wants to go back so she can play her sport in high school, like her big sis. However, she, like me, says it would be nice if we could continue this homeschool for the rest of her time. We’ll see…..
It has been awesome and her math skills would not be as good as they are today, had she been in public school. Our evenings at home have been wonderfully homework free, unless we want to get a project done.
If I could do it over again, I would have homeschooled both of my kids the entire time.
I am going to share this with my homeschool co-op. Love it!
Coming from someone who was exclusively homeschooled from K-12, this is absolutely hands down the dumbest thing I have ever read. Are you kidding me?!?! It’s because of people like you and all those that compiled this list that I no longer tell anyone I was homeschooled. Number 1 and 2 on this list are the stereotypes those of us who actually have to go out in the real world and interact with real people have to face each day. So a huge freaking thanks to you for perpetuating (Oooh big homeschooler word) this awful stereotype. Homeschool graduates are labeled and put in a box before people can even know them and I feel extremely sorry for all the children who are represented here. My other issue with this ridiculous post is the fact that it was supposedly compileded by kids. IF (and that’s a big if) kids actually gave ALL of these answers, then they were extremely brainwashed. I would have said the sake exact things as a child which is what is so sad. So many of these things that could “never happen” in a school, actually COULD and the fact that people with no actual frame of reference are trying to give a comparison is hilarious. I pity all of your children. But don’t worry, when they’re 18 or 20 or 22 you will have sufficiently stifled them and they will leave and actually go out in the big wife world and see the truth for themselves. Good luck getting them back if this is how much you are filling their heads with nonsense.
Rebekah,
I’m sorry you’re so angry and bitter about your homeschooled experience. Not all homeschool graduates regret their past as you do.
I happen to have an 18 and a 20 year old who have actually gone “out in the big wife [sic] world” and seen “the truth for themselves.” They are perfectly well adjusted and happy with their education and upbringing.
I love being homeschooled! Yes, I’m a teenager and I know probably most of the comments were written by moms and homeschool graduates, but I just want to share my opinion.
I know some people think that these 50 reasons are stereotypes, and I’m sorry that your homeschool years weren’t pleasant. But that’s your problem. Not every homeschooler wishes they were in a class room for hours with a teacher who doesn’t care beans about you.
I am very very grateful that I have had the chance to be homeschooled. I’m grateful to my parents even more, because they sacrifice so much to keep me safe and help me learn even more than I ever could at a public school.
Next year I will be attending college, and I’m really excited! I will miss being homeschooled! And I’m happy to say that I have only had positives from being homeschooled! No negatives at all.
Go Homeschoolers!
My 9yo says that she loves homeschooling because she gets to program (computers) all the time. She knows four programming languages so far and has chosen to do it of her own volition. She also says: “I get to read all the books that I want.” She likes that we have world and USA maps up in our hallway and she can go look at them whenever she wants to, “It’s very helpful.”
My 7yo loves homeschooling because she gets to learn history and gets to play with her baby brother whenever she wants to.
My 5yo also loves learning about history because “there are a lot of different stories” and she loves being able to go outside and jump on the trampoline during the school day.
I love, love, love this!!! My child agrees with everything on this list!!! Thank you!!
Great list , thanks. Shared a link to it on my blog, Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks for sharing!
i thank these tips are really helpful because i might be honmeschooled next year and these great comments are also helpful
This is an awesome, it brought back a lot of good memories. I am a homeschool graduate, I homeschooled all 12 years.
There are a few differences from this list, Mom had me get dressed shortly after waking up in the morning. It didn’t seem to be because she was ‘preparing me for work’ but it was a routine that she maintained. I did however go barefoot whenever in the house (or outside for that matter.) It also wasn’t everyday there were some days where she did let me go all day in PJs, but these were rare, even in the summer.
I wouldn’t say that I liked sleeping in. I was always a morning person, I would wake routinely at 6 am whether or not I needed to, and often enjoyed a house to myself as my parents and siblings slept.
Going outside at any time was a sore subject, during traditional school hours we pretty much stayed inside because we had neighbors at one point who would call someone, I’m not exactly sure who, because they thought we weren’t in school and we had at least one visit from the police. However, we did go to the store, and enjoyed shopping during the quietest hours of the stores. We had cashiers that practically new us by name.
I am very thankful that my mother chose to homeschool me, and I hope to have kids myself and school them.
-Sam
And after rereading my own post I’m ashamed my writing has gotten so sloppy. At least I need to remember to proofread before hitting submit
I do my best proof-reading after I hit enter. 🙂
my son loves being home schooled we tried the normal route it did nto work. my son cant sit and yes we tried meds they did not work. i wasn’t going to keep trying till my son turned into a drug science experiment. Homeschooling is allot of work but its so worth it. my son has grown so much and learned allot. instead of being stuck in a classroom we go outside we do math lessons at the grocery store its a great way to learn numbers counting and measuring. he learns real skills. we love taking a book outside and reading. The bond we have is amazingly strong. he also learns to communicate with people of all ages not just his peers. he also learns about the world daily so yes i am a huge fan of homeschooling I would not trade it for anything.
You are so right about always hearing from the moms and not the kids. I love this post! Loving your daughter’s stuff!
Some years ago I asked my daughter what she learned from being home schooled in high school. “I learned how to learn!” she said. She now is homeschooling her 4 children!
One of my favorite things about being home schooled? There was no catching up if we had to miss school.. Now that I’m in college, I missed a week of school because of the death of a relative and spent the whole next week doing homework from 11 (When my last class ends) until 6:30-7PM. It was terrible.
My son loves home schooling because “he gets to be with his family all day”.
My almost-9-yr-old likes that he isn’t in a crowded classroom with so many kids.
I went to public school for the first 5 grades, then we switched to homeschooling. My younger brother has been homeschooled for his entire education.
#10 and 11– the educational choices (getting to have input into the curriculum and being able to pursue as electives interests which a public school wouldn’t/couldn’t accommodate.) and being able to work at my own pace were huge for me.
Also a major factor I appreciate was being able to learn science with a Christian perspective, rather than having to deal with the pressure to adopt a secular worldview and having to hassle with trying to sort out the good science from the evolutionary junk while still in an intellectually and spiritually formative stage of my life. (For the record, this was a concern with continuing in public school which I brought up, not which my parents forced on me.)
Another thing I am grateful for: Although we used textbooks and other curricula for most of our schoolwork, when I didn’t understand something, my Dad was always willing to go to great lengths to find out the answer and find a way to help me “get it.”
We used video lectures for math, and it was fun to catch the video lecturer making a mistake, and holler at the screen “nu-uh, you’re doing it wrong! It should be —- !” When this happened, Dad would make a note and send an email to the teacher/producer so he could fix it.
If a particular school subject doesn’t work for me, I can get another one that teaches me better. (Some math books work awful for me [I’m looking at you, saxon!] and others just make it so learnable! [Teaching Textbooks!]
Oh, you cracked me up with “I’m looking at you, Saxon.” 🙂 We love Teaching Textbooks, too.
Sorry – it seems that the main reason the blogger and many of the commenters defend their choice to homeschool is secularism. I’m not sure what the point is in shielding your children from inevitably learning about evolution, abortion, and homosexuality. Also – many of us take hubris with the fact that you find it perfectly acceptable to disturb OUR daytime routines by dragging your brood out to the grocery and other public spaces while public and private school children LEARN until the school bell rings at the end of the day – very disruptive to those of us who wish to be insulated from any and all contact with children during “normal” school hours. Absolutely in favor of NO tax dollars towards vouchers for home schooling!
It seems we disagree on several points and that there are a few misconceptions. I would think it would be very difficult to be insulated from any and all contact with children during normal school hours given the large number of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers I observe when I’m out and about – usually without my teens since they work independently for the most part. We do agree on one thing – NO tax dollars toward vouchers for homeschooling. Best wishes.
You likely voted for fake Christian Donald Trump over the horrible “rip the baby out of the womb at 8.5 months” Benghazi liar “Hitlery” Clinton so good luck with your future Secretary of Education…
We are such a divided country right now. I hate seeing so much negativity and attempts to bait one another among Americans. That’s one reason I don’t get into senseless debates about politics or my educational choices with strangers on the Internet. I’d much rather focus on the things that unite us and allow the things that divide us to create a healthy diversity, rather than endless bickering. I truly do wish you and your family a safe and healthy holiday season and a prosperous 2017.
I was wondering but first let me introduce myself, my name is Jordyn and i’m a 13 year old wanting to get home schooled and my one question that i’m really curious about, will I be able to go back next year after being home schooled this year?
Hi, Jordyn. It may depend on the homeschooling laws where you live. This article may help – https://weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/homeschooler-go-to-public-school/
thanks for the list i laughed so hard at number 27 XD
I have to do an opinion essay and I think this is the only article I need for it.
Thanks for the amazing list!
Mine said not having to be doing school all day and getting to wear uniforms lol sounds weird but my kid is obsessed with the private school genre of movies (especially Anne of green gables the sequel) so I let her design the school colors and what she would like to wear.