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Over the last few years, there has been an explosion of interest in homeschooling – more and more parents are exploring the options of teaching their children at home. While there are many obvious (and not so obvious) reasons cited for doing so, opponents of home schooling curriculum cite an equal number of reasons why kids perform better in public schools. This article discusses some of the pros and cons to the decision to home school.

Most kids initially love the idea of home schooling. What kid wouldn’t? They think they’ll get to sleep late, hang out at home, watch television, and have a more relaxed schedule. Unfortunately for them, most parents treat home schooling seriously and those notions are quickly shattered. Though kids tend to have preconceived notions about the entire process of home schooling – that they get more time to play and less time to work – the opposite is true.

Pros:

1. Home schooled children tend to score higher on standardized tests than public school children. Most people are surprised by this, but think about it for a moment. One of the main problems with public schools is the size of the classroom. At home, the classroom is made up of the parent and the child or children. Individualized attention translates into a better understanding.
2. Homeschooled children usually have their academic and social needs met better. In a public school classroom setting, the teacher has fifty minutes to teach the lesson for that day. They don’t have time to address different needs or learning styles. At home, parents can tailor the curriculum to meet each child’s individual needs so they learn better.
3. Much less concern over the child’s safety. The social dynamics of a school are unpredictable. Almost every day we hear stories about fights, shootings, and other incidents on school campuses. At home, parents can protect their kids and help them concentrate on learning. The social pressures that plague public schools are gone.

Cons:

1. Some parents can struggle with subjects that they are not good at themselves. While there is an abundance of materials to help parents in any given subject, if a parent doesn’t understand the material it will be hard to teaching that information to their child.
2. Home schooling can be expensive. Initially, most parents purchase an established curriculum to give them guidance. Depending on the grade level of the child, these curricula can cost from $500 on up to $2,000.
3. Finding adequate time can be a problem for busy parents who decide to homeschool. All kids need quality time spent on school subjects, not just busy work. Coordinating the proper amount of time along with getting housework and job commitments tended to is a difficult task.

Homeschooling isn’t necessarily the best choice for everyone. It’s essential that every parent considering it take the time to research the subject to know if it is a feasible option for their family.