Home School

The American family has slowly been evolving. For many years, parents have been sending their children off to school with the hope that they’re receiving a quality education. Year after year, their children walk the halls of school after school and with each one, parents hold a different expectation.  Parents think, maybe this year there will be a good math teacher, or maybe this year they will have new textbooks. Why do parents have to put their children and themselves through the yearly guessing game?  Why do they have to guess about their children’s education, when they can be sure?

Home schooling is not a new trend as historically, mothers taught their children at the kitchen table. In England during the 1800s, families employed governesses to teach their children right in their homes.  Sure, the times have changed and families are growing more independent and versatile, so the idea of home schooling seems outdated. Mothers are no longer hanging around the kitchen and children would rather play videogames at home than learn. But what if the benefits of home schooling outweighed the difficulties?

Home schooling gives the parent the chance to have a hands-on part of their child’s education. They don’t have to worry about whether or not little Timmy is getting all the training and preparation he is going to need in the real world. Mommy and Daddy can teach, tutor, discipline, and encourage their child without being left out of the educational loop. Understandably, teaching and shaping your child’s mind day after day can be a daunting task, but to see your child succeed in a world full of failure, is well worth the work.

Not all home schooling works out for the benefit of the child. Sometimes home schooling leaves out a crucial part of childhood development - social interaction. When a child is growing, it is imperative that he learn how to interact with other people. Not gaining this skill can be a death sentence to him if he chooses to continue his education into college. Sure, he can forgo dorm life and live at home with his parents, but that just makes the problem worse.

Another downside to home schooling can be that the parents can be overwhelmed. After spending all day in the “classroom”, grading papers, cooking dinner, doing laundry, getting the lesson plan ready for the next day…you can probably see where this is going. The parents can get burnt out very quickly.

Naturally, home schooling isn’t for every family. But it is up to each individual family to determine whether or not home schooling is right for them.