Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

[scrapbookbuzz]

If you would so indulge me, I invite you to list three pros and three cons for homeschooling, as is pertinent to your life. Thanks! :bigear:

[TracyP]

Pros:

 

 

• direct involvement in character development
  
• ability to teach each child at their individual level
  

 

 

 

• I'm a kid at heart - this is FUN!
  

 

Cons:

 

 

• no alone time (I'm very much an introvert)
  
• hope kiddos aren't missing out
  

 

I can't think of another con but #1 is a biggie, maybe it can count for two?

[stripe]

Pro:

Control over what's taught - able to incorporate areas of interest and aspects relevant to our family

Flexible schedule (time of day and days in year)

Ability to give kids time to play and read

 

Con:

Responsible for children's education (the buck stops here!)

Less down time for me

Must seek out positive social interactions for kids with more effort

[sagira]

Pros:

 

• A broader education
  
• focused, one-on-one attention
  
• freedom in determining schedule, materials
  

 

 

Cons:

 

 

• Requires commitment, discipline and lots of time
  • Very little Mama time
    
  • As of now at least, no opportunity for group problem solving (slowly working on it)
    

   

[Verity]

Pros:

 

- Better education than my kids could get from any school in our area public or private.

- My schedule - we can sleep in, we can travel, etc...

- We aren't growing apart as they get older.

- The boys are all learning together and continuing to build strong relationships instead of each going their own way.

- I can make accommodations and remediations as needed for my special needs kids, the public school wasn't working with us to the extent that my boys needed.

- teaching our own values and points of view in life without ps or teacher's philosophies being shoved down our throats (oh, the nights when my oldest - then 7 - was in tears at the dinner table because of what his teacher told him we were doing to the world)

 

Cons:

 

- expense (arguably not that much more than if we participated in every fundraising drive at the public school and definitely less than any private school)

- lack of time for me to pursue my interests/hobbies/friendships

- lack of time to keep the house in the manner I would prefer

- concern that they may be missing some opportunities socially (this really doesn't concern me that much to be honest, we are getting involved in a homeschooling group for field trips to help this though)

- the funny looks we sometimes get when I have the boys out shopping during the day, I get tired of people always asking "why aren't you boys in school" and my oldest with Aspergers isn't good as setting personal limits and tells everyone everything :P

- It sure would be nice if they could have a real music teacher, art teacher, etc..we can't afford classes at this time so it's all me. I'm crafty and musically inclined but lack motivation once we are done with math, grammar, reading, spelling, history, science, latin, music appreciation, etc... (again they only saw a music teacher twice a month at our "A" public elementary school - I don't think they were learning that much)

 

Overall, the biggest negatives involve sacrificial giving of time and self on the part of the parent-teacher and the loss of a potential income since I can't work outside the home.

[8filltheheart]

Pros:

 

each child has a completely individualized plan

progression at their own pace

education reflects our values

the schedule fits our life

 

Cons:

 

my little ones do not get anywhere the amt of time that I want to give them or that their older siblings received at the same age

expensive

I'm tired and at times just don't want to do it anymore.

[sagira]

Cons:

 

my little ones do not get anywhere the amt of time that I want to give them or that their older siblings received at the same age

 

This is so true. I had forgotten how much time I spend thinking about this.

[patchfire]

Pros:

- I'm the decider.

- The kids are getting a top-notch education. That, I'm sure of.

- Sibling relationships

 

 

Cons:

- The driving. My kids have similar or greater opportunities than I had at their ages through my school, but instead of everything being located in just one or two places, there's a lot of driving to pull it all together.

- Along with the driving, there's the tag-along issue. Ds spent more time in the car than oldest dd ever did at the same ages; youngest dd spends more time still.

- My life has a "hurry up and wait" quality to it almost constantly.

[Luckymama]

Remember I'm homeschooling one and this is our first year :)

 

Pros:

--Dd10 can go at her own pace. If she wants to start algebra by Thanksgiving, she can.

--Dd10 can choose to study what she wants, instead of being constrained by a school's scope and sequence. She is studying history this year instead of suffering through one more year of social studies. She does multiple science experiments each week, instead of two per month.

--No more rushing to/from three different schools and juggling three different school schedules. Now I only have to deal two schools ;)

 

Cons:

--My routine, which I had enjoyed for four years, is totally gone. I really really miss what I used to do---garden, take graduate-level courses in horticulture and landscape design, cook and bake new recipes, spend time with disparate groups of people.

--I feel like I'm back in the baby/toddler years, when someone is ALWAYS here with me, talking to me, and wanting to do things with me.

--I find myself staying up way too late, when only ds is still up, so that I can enjoy some quiet.

[happyWImom]

Pro's:

 

1. Being able to be my dc's biggest influence, not having their peers be.

2. The ability to have closer, loving relationships and spend so much time together.

3. The ability to teach what we want-at their individual level, to their individual interests, while weaving God's message throughout.

 

Con's:

 

1. No time to myself.

2. The house is a disaster area.

3. Can't think of one-must be having a good week!:D

[anneofalamo]

pro's

 

my kids are with me all the time

 

 

con's

 

my kids are with me all the time

 

 

seriously

 

pro

 

1. I see the milestones of their learning
   
2. I know when and if they are learning
   
3. the laughter involved in the milestones and learning
   

 

con

 

1. my time is no longer mine (prep and actual school time)
   
2. my friends who don't homeschool don't want to hear about what we are learning....and I am IN to iT!!
   
3. the space it takes in our home
   

[tinkhs]

Pros:

 

each child has a completely individualized plan

progression at their own pace

education reflects our values

the schedule fits our life

 

These are our pros also.

 

Cons:

 

No alone time. I'm an introvert.

I want the best for my kids and sometimes I think I'm shortchanging them.

School activities (ball games, prom, band)

 

Oh, and our house is a disaster.

[Guest]

I'm not going to list because I just don't feel good, but I will say that one thing I've realized this week is how much school my son would miss if he were in public school. He (we all) get sick very easily and we were able to do school everyday this week, even through sickness. Had he been in public school, he would have missed everyday. That's just been my thankful prayer of the week.

[Melanie]

Pros:

 

1. We control our studies and schedules.

2. Our academic program is far superior to any of our other options.

3. Homeschooling is portable. We move a lot!

 

Cons:

 

1. Sometimes it's hard to find a good balance between school and the rest of the world. We want to do everything, but there are only so many hours in a day!

2. I'm actually looking forward to my son getting his driver's license.

3. I can't blame the schools for my kids' character flaws. :tongue_smilie:

[Create Your Ritual]

I would say the pros so far have been:

 

Getting to customize their curriculum and teach them WAY beyond what is possible at any public or private school.

Getting it all paid for by the state through a virtual academy

Not having to 'undo' their day when they get off the school bus.

They are generally very amiable these days, as compared to looking like they had spent all day working in a sweat shop. lol.

No DRAMA!!!

The bullying is gone too... I was getting to the point that I felt like every day they were in PS was changing who they could become.

Investing in the family dynamic and each other instead of all the external crud that is gone in the blink of an eye. I spent so much time with them when they were younger, before Kindergarten, but this time is different. They are PEOPLE now, with actual THOUGHTS and it's been fun watching and listening to them.

 

Cons -

I have always been a bit selfish with my alone time, and this has put a serious damper on my own goals. I remind myself often that my children have really become an extension of the dreams that I also have for myself. I think this is a major investment in their future, and gives them a multitude of options to look at for their life when the time comes. I was the first person in my family to every graduate from college, and my hope is that by investing this time into their lives they will succeed (in their chosen fields and lives) beyond anything that was ever imagined for my life. Boy, I hope that isn't sounding like I am putting a ton of pressure on them. We really have been having a magnificent time together though, and I have been amazed at watching their minds soaking up all sorts of information!

[Closeacademy]

Cons:

 

teaching reading is like banging my head against a wall, it doesn't come quick

self-doubts

clutter

 

Pros:

freedom

watching the light-bulb go off when they "get" something

knowing that it is the best thing for our family

 

:001_smile:

[SailorMom]

Pro's: Flexible school schedule, control over curriculum and methods, one on one teaching

 

Con's: Expense, difficulty in finding a secular HS group, my house never gets cleaned :)

[johnandtinagilbert]

Pros:

 

 

• I know they're getting a better education than ps students (I don't worry their missing out on anything cuz I tend to do too much!).
  
• I don't have to deal with the boyfriend/girlfriend garbage (yup, I said garbage ;)) and other social issues that too easily play out in public or private schools
  
• my family is close from top to bottom
  
• our faith has been laid strongly according to our beliefs with Me being the driving force behind their lives and thoughts, not a yearly stranger and a politically correct textbook
  
• individualized education
  
• student teacher ratio
  
• more freedom in scheduling
  
• I get to learn so many things I never knew
  
• higher levels of personal safety
  
• no concerns about pervert teachers or students
  
• I have acquired some amazing friendships with people who are more likeminded than at anytime in my life
  
• led me to this forum tee hee!:D
  

 

Cons:

 

 

• I get little to no me time (although this is improving as they get older and can help with many daily duties)
  
• only having 1 income, which means 1 car and no wheels for the extracurrics I'd like to pay for
  
• the cost of educating, even though I do well, can be a burden to my dh
  
• my house is not as orderly or clean as I would prefer
  
• sometimes dh takes a backseat b/c I obsess about school
  
• hard to separate teacher and mom lines sometimes and I would like there to be a difference
  

 

I LOVE this season of life and at the same time, am for the first time thinking of life after home schooling. YUP! I said that too...life after home schooling. I do look forward to the day when all the books on my nightstand are for me and can actually contain a juicy novel or two!

[JaniceO]

Pros:

My kids can work at their own pace.

I get to spend more time with them.

I can teach each one the way that works best for them.

 

Cons:

I am totally responsible for their education (if they fail, it's my fault, lol).

I do feel that my kids are missing out on some of the fun I had in school (parties, dances, etc.)

I spend all day, every day with my kids (yes, it's a pro and a con; I never have any time to myself which I need for my sanity).

[Mom-ninja.]

Pros:

1. Sleeping in

2. Not having to get dressed

3. Watching my boys build a strong relationship

 

Cons:

1. Constant messy house

2. Constant noise

3. Not being able to go to my Dr., hair, dentist appointments because boys are always with me.

[Dmmetler]

Pros-

 

DD isn't stuck going at the speed of the average 1st grader, or studying what the average school offers. It's perfectly OK for her to spend a lot of time on grammar, Latin, and Greek because she loves words and languages, or to do only a page or two to review multiplying by 5s, but spend a long time on 3s.

 

DD has the time to do activities she wants, like dance and cheerleading, without having to worry about homework or getting up early the next day

 

DD has a much easier time socially when the kids around her aren't constrained to having been born between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2005.

 

Less expensive than private school, and a better education.

 

I love having the opportunity to have complete control over what curriculum, materials, and teaching sequence I use. I don't even have that for my college classes or the curriculum units I'm involved with writing-both have too much "committee".

 

Cons-

 

She's an extroverted only child, who needs someone to talk to to process ideas. I'm an introvert who prefers to avoid extraneous noise (which doesn't seem to go with being a musician, but whatever). Guess who's needs have to predominate?

 

It was MUCH easier to manage my part-time job when DD wasn't at home for at least part of the day and I wasn't getting interrupted with "Come see this" every 10 minutes. And I'm glad my editor is a grandma type and is tolerant of the interruptions when I'm Skyping with her.

 

It's called "Homeschooling", so why do I seem to live in the car?

[Hedgehog]

Pros:

 

• Each child can learn at their own pace without pressure from others.
  
• Since they're together all the time, they have learned to get along pretty well. They've kinda figured out that it sucks to dislike someone you're with 24/7.
  
• We can go on holiday at cheaper times of the year, when it's also much less busy.
  

 

Cons:

 

• It's hard for anyone to get "alone time", and any appointments are a major outing.
  
• I'm ultimately responsible for how well these kids are educated, and occasionally I find that overwhelming (then I get over myself, pick myself up and keep going).
  
• Keeping the house straight and clean is a big issue!
  

 

But.. generally speaking, it works. If the pudding is good, don't change the recipe.

[Guest mrsjamiesouth]

If you would so indulge me, I invite you to list three pros and three cons for homeschooling, as is pertinent to your life. Thanks! :bigear:

 

Pros Going on vacation when it is not crowded

Choosing the best curriculum and level for your children

Having your children with you all day

 

Cons

Having no alone time

House is messier

You eat more food so grocery bill is higher

[Laura Corin]

Pros

- lots of family time

- time to read, play, dream

- education tailored to the individual

 

Cons

- keeping house clean and tidy was a constant battle

- stress caused by responsibility for education

- no time to myself

 

Laura

[Tabrett]

Pro:

 

1. Young dc get to be dc. Full-day public and private schooled dc are very drained and tired when they come home. Young elementary dc don't need to be in school for a full day. My dc get play time.

 

2. I can match curriculum to my dc's needs. If it doesn't work, I have the ability to keep trying till I find what does work.

 

3. No homework. When school is done, it is done! I don't have to sit at a table with drained tired dc trying to get them to focus on homework when what they really need to be doing is decompressing.

 

 

Cons:

 

1. I could be contributing much more financially.

 

That is the only con I can think of. I could say something like my house would be cleaner and I would have more me time. But if I were not HS'ing, I would be working full-time and still would lack time for me and my household chores.

[lionfamily1999]

Pros:

I get to spend time with my kids!

I get to make sure they're getting the education they deserve :D

I get to protect them from the schools in our area.

Cons:

I spend very little time alone.

My house is a mess.

Some people look at me funny.

[delaney]

For me it is a win-win. I really miss having a career...which was teaching!

 

Pros:

I get to use my very pricey education!

I get to spend quality time with my kids and expose them to literature they wouldn't get in school

I can give each of them the time and attention when they struggle or grow board.

I like books better than food or sex:lol:

 

Cons:

mommy time is just gone but I am okay with it so it really isn't a con for me

Money invested in curriculum-but being a curriculum junky this is okay too!

The clothing bill has dropped considerably!

Feeling of dread that I may not get it all done(but the pro is that you have all summer to school light!)

[lionfamily1999]

:lol:

 

So, the two almost universal cons are...

 

No time to myself.

 

My house is a wreck.

 

:lol:

 

This is what community is all about. Knowing you aren't alone..... er, well... maybe we need some alone time, but YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!

[s.z.ichigo]

Pros:

 

1. Confident in child getting a quality education

2. Lack of influence of peers and pop culture

3. Stronger family bonds.

 

Cons:

 

1. Can't run around and do things that interest me with much freedom. Constantly have to worry about if the child will be bored and make sure we get our school work done. On the flip side, if I wasn't homeschooling I'd probably have a job so I wouldn't have much freedom to run around anyway.

2. Lack of friends, though this is more due to our personal choice to not engage in many social activities. It hasn't resulted in my daughter being anti-social or unfriendly, but she's starting to express a desire for friends, so it's something I'll have to address.

3. If she doesn't like a subject, or doesn't want to do her work, I'm the one that has to deal with the bad attitude. This is probably balanced by the fact that public schooled kids are apt to whine just as much over homework.

 

Of course, the pros far outweigh the cons.

[elegantlion]

Pros:

-Custom designed schooling at his pace

-Free time for ds to pursue his own activities

-flexibility to start, stop, take days off on our schedule without getting permission

 

Cons:

- finding quality friendships have been a challenge

- not enough $$ to be in the activities we'd like to be

- being thrown for a loop in some of his educational progress and scrambling to find ways to work through the issue

[Katiebug_1976]

Pros:

 

each child has a completely individualized plan

progression at their own pace

education reflects our values

the schedule fits our life

 

Cons:

 

my little ones do not get anywhere the amt of time that I want to give them or that their older siblings received at the same age

expensive

I'm tired and at times just don't want to do it anymore.

 

exactly what I would have listed. I hope you don't mind me "copying" your answers.

[Nancy Ann]

Pros

Reduce the very negative influences in our modern culture

 

Spending time with my children and really having a personal impact on their upbringing. I don't want so called "professionals" bringing up my kids. I also don't want my children growing up being peer dependent.

 

My kids can grow up with an intact self esteem and confidence. I believe in our school settings kids are taught to just SURVIVE and not to LIVE.

 

Academically the options are numerous and a child can have a top notch education.

 

I believe homeschooling offers healthy and proper socialization. I don't think being amongst 35 same aged peers and 1 or 2 teachers is socialization.

 

Cons

It's really hard ( but wouldn't any choice be like working full time AND having kids. I think living a good life is hard no matter what you choose)

 

I am constantly picking up the house, it just feels like a disaster zone because we are living in it all day long.

 

I worry if what I am doing is right or good for my kids (This is what prayers are for and I don't know of ANY parent that doesn't worry about their kids like this.

 

Feeling isolated. When I was working I had lots of interaction with other adults on a regular basis. Sometimes this was good and sometimes not. But, I do feel very isolated much of the time and I must make efforts to go out with friends or to do things. I am an introvert and so it is especially challenging. But again, I think every choice has it's challenges. My friends works full time and has two kids and she has no time to herself and feel hurried all the time. She hardly enjoys things she is so frantic.

 

Regardless if you homeschool or not a mom is sacrificial and doesn't have a lot of her own time. My husband doesn't have a lot of his own time either and sacrifices much for our family as well. I think this is just part of making the choice to be a parent. I just really feel homeschooling allows me to raise my children in ways that I feel is good for them( academically, spiritually, emotionally and physically)

Edited October 28, 2010 by Nancy Ann

[sbgrace]

PROS

I can customize our education--for interest, pacing, special needs etc.--so I am confident my kids are getting a better education than they would in the public school.

 

I like that our family has more time for fun together and influence morally and spiritually.

 

Healthwise school just would not work at all for one of my kids. The other would stress me out at least at first because he's anaphylactic to nuts.

 

One child would not fare well with peers at this point in his life. He's on the spectrum and for that reason homeschooling is the absolute best thing for him right now.

 

I believe my kids eat and sleep better than they would if they went to school.

 

CONS

Expense (in materials I suppose but more in the income I could be bringing into the home).

 

I worry about the social opportunities for one child particularly (my typically developing child). I'm doing what I can (playdates, scouts, etc.) but I can't replicate the school in this area. I wouldn't want to either for the negatives but I do wish I could offer him more--more friend possibilities, more group peer experiences, etc. *this is the only con that really bothers me at all

 

I tend to get completely wrapped up in homeschool planning, decisions, etc. and it takes time away from family at least mentally!

 

Sometimes I'm certain my kids would do well with outside "structure" that I'm just not good at providing. I mean things like getting up at a regular time, keeping a schedule, eating neatly, picking up after yourself, etc.

 

I wish someone could teach music and art for me!

 

One child is a challenge to teach. I remind myself that he's frustrating at home but he'd be an absolute disaster in school.

Edited October 28, 2010 by sbgrace

[lionfamily1999]

Regardless if you homeschool or not a mom is sacrificial and doesn't have a lot of her own time. My husband doesn't have a lot of his own time either and sacrifices much for our family as well. I think this is just part of making the choice to be a parent.

I'm sure we all agree, but there are times I miss having those hours while the kids are away at school ;)

[Wildiris]

PRO

• I know the kids are learning, and this is valuable.
  
• Time to play piano!
  
  
• Time to explore ideas; time to sleep-in; time to draw and day dream.
  

CON

• ZERO friends.
  
• Time to sleep-in. Teens can sleep until noon no problem.
  
  
• Figuring out if staying the course of homeschooling through high school is the best choice. Many kids do not have this luxury.
  
• Developing leadership skills
  
  

[Celia]

Pros

1. Close family relationships

2. Individualized education

3. The ability to mould my children's characters more effectively

 

Cons

 

1. Time-consuming!

2. Extra effort required to help my kids find friends

3. Lack of time alone for me.

[Knittinfarmgirl]

Pro's:

 

1. Being able to be my dc's biggest influence, not having their peers be.

2. The ability to have closer, loving relationships and spend so much time together.

3. The ability to teach what we want-at their individual level, to their individual interests, while weaving God's message throughout.

 

:iagree:totally. This is what drives me to keep at this each week, when sometimes I think it'd be nice to be putting them on that big yellow bus and sending them off for a few hours. :blush:

 

 

Cons:

--My routine, which I had enjoyed for four years, is totally gone. I really really miss what I used to do---garden, take graduate-level courses in horticulture and landscape design, cook and bake new recipes, spend time with disparate groups of people.

--I feel like I'm back in the baby/toddler years, when someone is ALWAYS here with me, talking to me, and wanting to do things with me.

--I find myself staying up way too late, when only ds is still up, so that I can enjoy some quiet.

 

I get this. I definitely stay up too late. I totally miss time to spend on hobbies. And I do have a toddler. :D

[txhomemom]

Pros:

-Ability to give individual attention to student, identify academic weaknesses early on, and tailor the curriculum to learning style of student

-Having our own schedule, doing school anytime of the day or evening or being able to go anywhere (like grandma's house) on a moment's notice

-Mom gets a reason to buy books and gets discounts!

 

Cons:

-Little time for mom to relax (unless you have an outside job or other activity it can seem like the mom store is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week)

-Have to work harder to make sure dd has interaction with other kids and find classes/park days, etc. that fit our schedule

-Expensive for curriculum and books (although does not have to be-depends on curriculum used) and loss of income for mom

[Hedgehogs4]

pros:

 

the ability to disciple my children and mold their character

the opportunity to learn along with my kids

the opportunity to grow as a mother

 

cons:

 

very little time alone

very little time to indulge my hobbies

weight gain. no time to exercise.

[redsquirrel]

Pros:

1. I know my boys are getting a great education.

2. My two boys get to be their long hair, skirt wearing, unicorn loving, pirate selves every day. No way would they survive in public school with their creativity and love of life intact. At home they can let their freak flag fly and be themselves.

3. We just love being together. I am so happy to have these years with them.

 

Cons:

1. one income means we don't get to do all the cool stuff our friends do. I can't take the kids to legoland in denmark just cause it's fun.

 

I can't really think of anything else. There are things that I could blame on homeschooling but, truth be told, that would be the case even if we didn't. My house is a mess? yeah, well down the hatch. I stay up too late to get some time to myself? Oh, like I didn't stay up all night when I was single and had my own apartment.

 

ok, I can think of one more con:

 

2. I had much better shoes before I became a homeschooler. I miss those shoes. I miss wearing high heels etc. I don't know where they went. I think my boys stole them for their own nefarious deeds. They have probably been co-opted into princess costumes and as part of Lego structures.

[Laura Corin]

Pros

Regardless if you homeschool or not a mom is sacrificial and doesn't have a lot of her own time. My husband doesn't have a lot of his own time either and sacrifices much for our family as well. I think this is just part of making the choice to be a parent.

 

That's two hours a day. He doesn't get to choose how he spends those two hours, but they are hours when no one makes demands on him. When I home educated, it was hard to carve out even one hour like that each day.

 

Laura

[FriedClams]

These are not in any order...

 

Pro:

Family bonding / sibling relationships

TRAVEL - and subsequent benefits like museums, culture, etc. and close relationships with extended family all over the country

Ministry opportunities - to serve family and friends when needed because we CAN

Tailored education - which seems especially critical at the lower grades

MY own schedule / flexibility

Our focus is God's Word, not a state teaching standard - Christ is invited everywhere in our lives

Kids have friends of varied ages / gender

TIME - for music practice / impromptu activities / fun / playing in the yard for hours with other HS friends / reading in a chair with a hot chocolate when it rains all afternoon

Avoiding pop culture / tv stuff / clothing trends / etc - which makes life totally cheaper than for other parents!

 

Con:

The doubt.... am I doing it right? Are we on track? will my kids get into college? will they want to? are we behind? but the so-and-so's 5 year old reads Plato, in the original.... but kids in school write 20 page papers in 3rd grade.... you know - the doubt....

[Haiku]

Pros:

 

1. My kids are getting a better education because I can personally supervise what they are learning, see where they are struggling, address problem areas, and adjust to allow their strengths to grow.

2. My kids are immersed in our values, not the values promulgated by large groups of confined children.

3. My kids get to participate in a larger variety of things and interact with a larger segment of the world because we have more time.

 

Cons:

 

1. My kids, who are extremely close in age, often get lumped together as "the kids" (or as I call them, "these kids") and don't always get enough independent time (especially when we sign up the son for the daughter's sports team so that they team has enough children to actually be viable ...)

2. I sometimes feel like I never get a break.

3. My house is always a mess.

 

Tara

[patchfire]

2. My two boys get to be their long hair, skirt wearing, unicorn loving, pirate selves every day. No way would they survive in public school with their creativity and love of life intact. At home they can let their freak flag fly and be themselves.

 

Aww, your boys sound like my son (though he says he's waiting until he's older for long hair - "It gets in my eyes now!"). I know exactly what you mean!

[....]

Pros:

 

1. I can tailor our curriculum to meet the needs of my kids - one is very advanced and another needed constant one-on-one attention - especially when it came to reading/language arts

 

2. My kids are very well-behaved. :D They also have a lot of confidence - way more than I had when I was a kid.

 

3. No school stress....no trying to wake up the kids, no waiting at the bus stop with a crying baby, no dragging a baby and a preschooler to parent/teacher conferences, fundraisers, etc...the school system doesn't dictate our daily schedule or our yearly schedule. I can take the kids to stay for a few weeks in Chicago whenever we feel like it.

 

 

Cons:

 

1. We've gotten weird comments from cashiers, neighbors and relatives. That's annoying.

 

2. The kids are with you 24 hours a day, which is impossible for some people. I'm pretty used to it at this point. :glare:

 

3. You spend more money on homeschooling than you would if they went to public school...but less than if they were going to private school.

[robsiew]

PROS

 

1. Family is the biggest influence in my kids' lives, not peers or other adults that may not hold our values, or even if they do, can't talk about them.

 

2. When we are done with school for the day we are DONE! No 4 hours of homework to be completed AFTER they've spent 6 hours already at school. More family time and we can do some activities that we wouldn't be able to otherwise.

 

3. Schedule. We are in control of our time.

 

CONS

 

1. Time involved on my part, but this is a selfish con. I feel it is our responsibility to raise our children and this requires a lot of time with them.

 

2. There are some subjects I think would be taught better by someone else with more passion/resources (art for one).

 

3. Monetary... lots of money out, but little coming in from me! (I do teach a few violin lessons to help out)

[phathui5]

Pros:

 

- They're doing Spanish and Latin, which they wouldn't be getting in elementary schools here.

 

- We can go on field trips whenever we want, not just weekends.

 

- The kids can stay up late reading and sleep in without being late for school.

 

Cons:

 

- I have to pay a babysitter on days I work.

 

- I have to drive my 5yo to the school for speech therapy, whereas if he were going to school it would be part of his day there.

[Haiku]

Pros:

 

2. My two boys get to be their long hair, skirt wearing, unicorn loving, pirate selves every day. No way would they survive in public school with their creativity and love of life intact. At home they can let their freak flag fly and be themselves.

 

Hear, hear! Hurray for the freaks! My dd would be demolished at school because she's the squeaky wheel and she will not submit to grease!

 

Tara

[lisabelle]

Pros:

-- I love that *I'm* relearning some things that I haven't been exposed to in a long time--things like grammar rules and parts of ds's history curriculum.

-- I feel pretty good about the quality of education ds is getting. I love that while I have a classical framework, I can still tailor things to fit in ds's interests.

-- The way we have things set up--a co-op class, homeschool math team, FIRST Lego League, orchestra, Scouts--ds gets just the right amount of time with his peers. Like many of you, and as we experienced with ds getting bullied last year, I don't think there's any benefit to a child being trapped all day with his peers.

 

Cons:

-- I had to drop out of school to make this happen. Having planned on doing something in healthcare, this means that when I'm ready to go back, I'll have to retake a bunch of the classes I've already taken.

-- I'm not someone who needs much in the way of alone time, but I'm having a hard time lately with realizing there's no transition time from teacher to parent. I'm going to have to institute some kind of quiet time to recharge my batteries.

-- I'm having to set boundaries with friends. Now that I'm home all day, friends think they can just drop by to hang out or call to chit-chat. Or they think it means I'm free to watch their kids.

[scrappyhappymama]

Pros:

 

1. Providing a high quality education that is customized uniquely to each of my boy's interests, abilities, and learning styles.

 

2. Socially and academically, my sons would be inhibited in a public school.

 

Our oldest unabashedly loves to learn and explore and discover, and will settle for no less than his best. He is a lot like his mama, and so I know first hand the treatment he'd receive in school as a brainiac nerd. He already experiences it mildly in bible class and in homeschool co-op, enough to understand he's different, but no so much to quench his spirit.

Our second son is a consummate class clown. Everything has the potential for silliness to him and sitting still is rarely an option. He is a smart little guy, but one has to have the time and patience to peel back the layers of silliness and to teach him where he is. He is very much like his papa was as a child, and my husband still resents the fact that he was written off by his teachers as a goofy, underachieving, minority.

 

Besides their personality quirks, we are also raising our children to be a "peculiar people." However we strongly believe that childhood is the training ground and not the light-shining time. Not to say that their little lights don't have opportunity now- they do. But we do not believe in throwing our children to the wolves, half-trained and unready. It's hard enough to do the right things as an adult with adequate preparation.

 

3. Flexibility. We love being able to school at odd hours, or on the run. We enjoy taking off a day for a field trip or to visit with friends or just for fun. We love being able to vacation in the off season and meet up with other homeschoolers. We are all night owls, so not having to be up and going at the crack of dawn to catch a bus or get to school on time is lovely.

 

Cons: Interestingly, the biggest cons in my mind are the opposite side of the Pros coins.

 

1. Providing a high quality education requires a large investment of time, effort, and money. My other hobbies have taken a back seat to my "hobby" of curriculum research, lesson planning, schedule coordination, and shuttling my children around to all of their excellent learning opportunities. Most of our vacations and fun money are spent on school-related pursuits.

 

2. In the big scheme of things, I don't really consider this to be a con but, our boys are definitely not as plugged in to pop culture as their public school counterparts. Occasionally this is a little embarrassing to them, or they can feel left out when Sunday school friends are discussing TV shows or celebrities that they're completely unaware of. We'd still shelter them from a lot of these things at home, but they'd get some exposure anyway through friends at school. It can make it difficult for them to relate to other children in these few specific areas. But fortunately, light-sabering and adventuring and most other boyish pursuits are universal.

 

3. The flexibility we enjoy also leaves us somewhat unscheduled and unprepared for more time-strict activities. We love sleeping later, except for on the days we can't. Then we have cranky and tired little ones. We also tend to represent the homeschooler stereotype of living by our own schedules... and often being late to events. :blushing: We're working on this- trying to be a little more scheduled even when we don't have to- but homeschooling allows us many exceptions and so we don't have it under control yet.