Why do you homeschool?

[4KookieKids]

It sounds dumb, but it's a genuine question. There are so many reasons we homeschool, but one of the main ones is definitely academics (being able to tailor to what each child needs/wants/can do) without sacrificing all our time to play or pursue our own interests. So I put a lot of thought into finding what I think will work best for my kids , and I assumed that was normal based on perusing the threads here (though I'm not on much). Of late, I've been talking more with homeschoolers who pretty much just use whatever curriculum some other friend was using and have never spent time researching the merits of different curriculum or methods or approaches. Without being critical of them - I am just a super/over -planner and over-thinker by nature! - I found myself speechless (literally - it was slightly awkward...) at this thought when I first encountered it, only to realize now that it's not so uncommon as I'd initially assumed.

 

So it made me curious about the different reasons people choose to homeschool and how much time/effort/thought you put into the homeschool aspects that are not directly teaching. :)

 

PS. I really tried to phrase this in a way that won't offend anyone, so please let me know if I failed, and I will edit the post.

[UCF612]

Initially we began homeschooling because of my son's severe allergies. I just wasn't comfy trusting someone else to keep him safe. It was our intention to keep him home until he could read. So come 2nd grade he wanted to try school, my youngest was ready to start Kindergarten and I wanted to make some money so we all started at a private school (I taught the K class). By the end of the year we all agreed that homeschooling was just far more conducive to the life and education we wanted for our family. My oldest also spent the school year having a lot of asthma issues. We definitely research curriculum and try to pick what we think will fit learning style/teaching style. We also enjoy the freedom of schedule and ability to have plenty of free creative play.

[SorrelZG]

I just didn't want to get out of bed so early.

 

HA! I'm jesting.

 

Sorta.

 

Actually I do appreciate us all getting plenty of sleep and keeping our own schedule. It goes along (in my mind) with the liberty to personalize the educational experience of each child and education being a life and and an atmosphere and all that jazz.

 

I am also privately protesting age segregation.

[Syllieann]

We homeschool for a lot of reasons. Academics are way up there. I think this forum represents a subset of homeschoolers for whom academics are important. The homeschoolers I meet in real life are quite a mix. A great many are either unschoolers or homeschooling primarily for religious reasons. Obviously academics could be important along with either of those reasons to some people, but for many of the homeschoolers I meet, that isn't the case. I have a hard time speaking up in defense of the academic education homeschoolers are getting when people make generalizations precisely because I know there's a really big chunk that aren't getting the stellar academic education many of the boardies here are striving for. It kind of resets my view of normal.

 

Eta: you know, it might be that I'm just more likely to meet the non-academic homeschoolers because a greater percentage of them are out and about in school-time social activities/mildly academic co-op type classes on any given day.

[LilBearsMama]

Academics.

He has challenges.
Previous experience with the schools (myself and DH) and knowing we're a small district without many resources that are available to larger ones.

 

[Dmmetler]

I have an extreme statistical outlier. I figure I'm helping the school system more by keeping a child out who they don't have the resources to accommodate at a level that would keep her from being miserable and from making everyone else miserable. At home, we can make things work.

[blondchen]

When our oldest was only 3, we started thinking about homeschooling because we were enamored with classical education and knew that private school would always be financially out of reach. Attending my first convention when DD was 4 had us hooked, and we've never looked back. Now, even if we had the money for private school, we would still choose to homeschool. A few of the many reasons are:

1. Homeschool is a whole-life learning environment - the lines between school and home life are blurred, and we love that;

2. I can teach my kids individually so that they can learn in their own way;

3. We can study things that we feel are important and/or aren't offered in schools;

4. DH's work week is Tues-Sat, so we do school when he's working and are off when he's off;

5. We have the freedom to choose our family's overall schedule and vacation times;

6. My kids get lots and lots of free time to play and be creative and pursue their own interests;

7. I don't have to get my kids up and out the door by 7:30 every morning (well, that's an advantage, not a reason - LOL!!!)

 

In a nutshell, our reason for homeschooling is that the type of education we want for our kids can only be had at home, and there are a zillion advantages when it comes to our family's overall lifestyle.

 

Also, I do careful research and choose my own curriculum, piece by piece. I get lots of suggestions from different people and places, but what I choose depends entirely on our family's desires and needs. I spend A LOT of time planning and thinking about homeschool, and I absolutely love it.

 

[Jackie]

Our primary reason is DD's asynchronicity. We use materials ranging from about second grade through middle school level, but her handwriting is kindergarten level.

 

Other benefits that wouldn't have caused the decision on their own, but I certainly enjoy, include flexibility to travel, not having to get up early in the morning, no 7.5 hour long school days with an exhausted kid, and getting to choose non-traditional subjects and approaches that interest DD.

 

I'm a planner by nature. I make lots of plans. I even make second-string plans for just in case the first set of plans don't work out.

[El...]

Because my kid is smart and I don't want her to know she's unusual just yet.

 

Because we are military and I don't want her progress held back by changes in school.

 

Because I was homeschooled and liked it.

 

Because we have lived exclusively in places that have NOT impressed me with their academic output.

 

Because I'm a nerd and like doing homeschool.

 

Because Ds4 would just bawl every day if Dd8 left him.  They love each other dearly.

 

Because Dd reads BA and SOTW for fun in her spare time, and I think a school social environment would crush that in her.

 

Because Dd would not get enough play or sleep if she had to spend all that time in a school.

[Jean in Newcastle]

_Academics

_{Socialization (the purposeful kind)}

_{Individualization}

_{Family unity and homeschool lifestyle}

_{Living a life of learning (see my signature)}

 

[HomeAgain]

Inappropriate public school expectations and we can't afford the private school.

[Kiara.I]

Academics--work at their own pace, AND, not learn to goof off when working because they're bored.  So:

Work ethic, as well.  Not that they don't play, but WHEN they're working they can work, and then play when they're playing.

Alternately, view learning and working on school as play also...I'd be okay with that.

Ability to study lots of cool things *as well as* whatever the local curriculum does.

 

And...

Not have to pack school lunches.

People look at me strangely when I say that, but seriously...the thought of packing school lunches makes me shudder!  It's not a *reason*, strictly speaking...but it's a huge, huge, HUGE benefit.

 

 

ETA:  I didn't research all curriculum up front, necessarily.  I'd acquire it as I found something I thought was cool and useful and great.  So we got our first "curriculum" in preschool, for math.  Then later we got a penmanship one.  Then we added science somewhere in there.  Then art.  Then history...  It's kind of a growth thing.  But I haven't always researched many different approaches before settling on a curriculum, either.

[Farrar]

For my sanity.

 

If I had to put up with the crap in most schools today, I'd probably go nuts.

[HS Mom in NC]

Customization/Individualization/Flexibility

Academics

Lifestyle

Socialization

 

 

[rocassie]

We started because DD was reading and doing simple math equations at 3.  We intended to send our kids to the school at our church (partly why we chose that particular church).  When DD started reading, DH and I started questioning whether we should really pay tuition (and have me continue working part-time to pay for future tuition) to the school if DD was already doing Kindergarten level work at 3.  This started our journey in looking into homeschooling.  All the schools in our area (including our church school) decided to offer only full-day Kindergarten sealed the deal for us to homeschool.  For us, we mainly homeschool for academic reasons, but I've come to appreciate so many aspects of our homeschool lifestyle - naming sleeping late in the mornings.  :)

 

As for curriculum, we are on the eclectic side.  I have a core math, spelling, and use Five In A Row.  Everything else is just a little of this or that from the library or what has been passed to us from friends.  This has worked for us partly because my oldest is 3rd grade age, and overall exposure to all different things is important to me in the early elementary grades.  I've learned about each of my kids' learning styles, my teaching style, and the things that really interest them.  Looking at all the curriculum choices at the beginning was very overwhelming and I could not spend money trying things to see which worked.  Many of the choices are top notch but it really depends on the parent/child mix whether it is truly effective for us.  I didn't have a sense of that at the beginning.  Now I do and I know which education direction I want to take the kids.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

We started with one of our children because he had issues with anxiety and depression related to his younger sibling's life-threatening illnesses and frequent hospitalizations. The next year, our oldest son asked to be homeschooled, too, and since I was less than impressed with his 3rd grade experience in public school, I was glad to comply. We added a kindergartner this year as well, although she is extremely social and extroverted and is actually going to start half days at our local public school next week. I'm hoping to get the school bug out of her system now rather than later. Her brothers think she's crazy because they've seen what school is like and much prefer homeschool. I'm hoping she doesn't like it and will be happy to stay home. :) 

[Curlymom]

We primarily homeschool because we wanted to give our kids a better education than they were receiving in public school.   Also, we didn't like the focus on testing in the school system.  

 

As for curriculum, I'm one of those who researches a lot.  But I know that every parent has a different method, and I'm inclined to think that most parents research as best they can.  Some of us just like researching a bit more than others.   And some of us are probably overwhelmed by all of the options available!

 

I know parents who unschool, parents who use online schools, parents who use box curriculum, and those who use a mix.  I don't know any parents who blindly use curriculum just because someone else uses it, but all of my homeschool friends and I regularly share what works for us, and what doesn't.  We make recommendations.  Sometimes what works for us will work for someone else, sometimes it won't. 

 

 

[texasmama]

I started homeschooling because I have a kid with special needs.  I continued with the rest of the crew because it worked for them, too. 

[AnniePoo]

At first we started due to us planning to go overseas.  We wanted continuity in the education.  We also had some allergies and wanted to avoid having that child be the odd one out constantly.  

 

Now that neither of those really apply, I don't really know.  Maybe because that is what our friends are doing and I don't want to switch things up in my poor kids' lives yet again?  It's really hard to homeschool when you don't know why you're doing it!

[lllll]

nm

Edited December 2, 2015 by ^ 022

[regentrude]

Academics.

My gifted kids were not challenged by the mediocre public schools.

Elementary was fine, middle school was pathetic. If I have one regret, it is not pulling DD out after 4th grade and subjecting her to an awful and wasted 5th grade year.

I am an accidental homeschooler. Homeschooling was never on my radar; it is not legal in my home country, and I did not know anybody who did such a crazy thing.

[Peaceful Isle]

It fits our schedule better. Homeschooling allows us to spend time together.

 

I don't do it for the academics, or even religious reasons. There is a great private school and many other good schools near us. I used to teach in the classroom and could easily do it again.

 

I don't know. I guess I love to set my plans. I also love that I get to spend the days with my children. They grow up so fast. On daddy's day off, we go to the beach. Last year we had year long Disneyland passes.

 

It's just awesome. :)

[zarabellesmom]

I planned to homeschool before I had children for academic reasons. Around the time the oldest would have started school, we had some family issues. I was suffering from postpartum depression and then the death of my mother. I was an absolute wreck and my oldest was a really really really difficult child to be around. (I know that seems like an awful thing to say, but she wasn't a pleasant person.) I ended up sending her to a private Montessori school for a year and half. It was an amazing experience for both of us. (Though I felt guilty at first, go figure.) Anyway, when she finished kindergarten, I was at a different place in my life and so was she. I brought her home and have never looked back.

 

I guess to answer your question, initially I homeschooled for academic reasons. After bringing her home and talking to my friends with kids in public school, it reconfirmed that brick and mortar wasn't for us. I really enjoy keeping to our own schedule. Following our own interest and having the freedom to travel when we want. Now that I have two that are school age, I can say that my youngest might do pretty well in school. She's a good student, attentive, eager to please.  My oldest, on the other hand, would be a problem. She's 2e. She's gifted but also ADHD. She would be absolutely bored in regular school with math and science and unable to keep up in language arts.

 

ETA: Researching curriculum is a hobby of mine.  :)

[shernandez]

We homeschool primarily because I know that I can provide a better education for my child than she would get at school.  My DS would probably do just fine and thrive, but DD would be bored and miserable and we don't want her skipping grades because she is already young to begin with.  Our local school is also notoriously bad, so it is just not the right place for her.  We also knew we would homeschool before we even had kids.  Another primary reason is because DH is off M/W/Su and works very, very long hours the other 4 days, so they would hardly see him if they went to a traditional school setting.  That is just not okay for our family.  

 

As to how much time/effort I put into research, I had a school year plan done through grade 12 when I was pregnant with DD ;)  Of course, the more I researched, the more my plans have changed and I have learned so much actually homeschooling.  I no longer have a detailed plan through high school (I do have a road map of ideal courses), and I am not afraid to change things up now.  I can probably tell you something about every.single.curriculum out there, but I now know what works for DD and for us as a family:)  Pretty much every spare moment I have is spent in research about homeschool, which I am sure is unhealthy.  

[4KookieKids]

 

We homeschool for a lot of reasons. Academics are way up there. I think this forum represents a subset of homeschoolers for whom academics are important. The homeschoolers I meet in real life are quite a mix. A great many are either unschoolers or homeschooling primarily for religious reasons. Obviously academics could be important along with either of those reasons to some people, but for many of the homeschoolers I meet, that isn't the case. I have a hard time speaking up in defense of the academic education homeschoolers are getting when people make generalizations precisely because I know there's a really big chunk that aren't getting the stellar academic education many of the boardies here are striving for. It kind of resets my view of normal.

 

Eta: you know, it might be that I'm just more likely to meet the non-academic homeschoolers because a greater percentage of them are out and about in school-time social activities/mildly academic co-op type classes on any given day.

 

Maybe this puts its finger on some of my... odd... feelings about this. I am probably naive, but I just assumed (terrible thing to do! I just never thought to question it until now!) that homeschoolers as a group were mostly like the group on this forum - certainly very varied, but clearly really invested in their kids' education (at least most of the time). I guess I thought that even if you were doing it only for religious reasons or because you don't want others influencing them so much, that you'd still be striving for a great academic education (even if "academic" needs to be redefined a little to include all the cool stuff people on here do).

 

 

 

Actually, that's the way hs'ing used to be when I began back in 1988.  There weren't any ways, really, to research the little bit that was out there, so I found the local hs group and asked them what they were using.  The choices were few and not terribly good.  Plus, I began hs'ing for academic reasons, but the majority of people I met seemed primarily concerned with 'protecting' their kids from the ps system (or something like that).  

 

I do think some of it is personality though.  These boards seem to be full of people like you (and me  ;)) who enjoy/enjoyed the researching and planning process.  But not everyone out there enjoys that kind of thing, I suppose.     

 

This is an interesting point. Maybe I'd like to think it's personality (rather than foolishness or arrogance) that leads me to put a lot of thought into the front end of homeschooling and never questioning that others might just not care that much. Many of the folks who I've talked to who fall on the other side of the planning line certainly do work a lot with their kids! But I fall on the planning side to a fault - my husband always tells me I'm overthinking things. :)

[T'smom]

I wanted to homeschool my kids because of my school experiences. I didn't learn to learn- I did work to get a grade. I was really, really, REALLY good at "gaming the system". I really wanted my kids to learn for the sake of learning. I wanted them to have free time to explore their interests. I wanted to do projects and have fun and go places and be outside and create memories.

 

Right now, I feel like I have failed at every single one of those goals. My oldest hates pretty much everything that is not a video game. It takes forever to get through even just the basics and spending time on their own interests? Well, if it's not a video game, there is no interest. Ugh. I'm having a bad week/month/year. However, are traveling to see family for two weeks starting tomorrow and we wouldn't be able to do that if he was in school.

 

Eta: I feel like I should add that although we are Christian and that is central to our lives, it's not a reason we homeschool. I am not interested in sheltering my kids from other beliefs/ideas.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Re. curriculum.  Some people fall into curriculum that fits them right away.  Some have easy to school kids with no special needs who really do just fine with pretty much any curriculum out there.  I actually brush off a lot of curriculum questions for my kids.  Their needs are quirky and I don't really want to explain all the ins and outs of why I chose what I've used to teach them over the years. 

[Cake and Pi]

I have littles, so I'd be home anyway.  And I don't know what I'd want to do if I were to go back to work.  And I don't want to pack lunches every day.

 

We participated in this free program through the public school system called "Ready for Kindergarten" when my oldest was a toddler and preschooler.  They held classes to teach parents how to teach their children and gave out supplies (educational toys and books) and lesson plans/ideas.  Doing this stuff with my boys made me realize that I really enjoy teaching them!  That's the first time I seriously considered homeschooling.

 

We keep it up because we all like it (most days), I think it would be hard to put the boys into public school.  They are in different "grades" in different subjects and DS#1 requires some modifications due to his SPD.  I like being able to tailor their lessons to each of their abilities and learning styles.

[FO4UR]

Academics. Special Needs. Consistency through many moves.

 

 

Because if you want something done right, do it yourself.

 

 

Because when we homeschool we can choose what books we read.  (verbatim from my child's mouth at about age 7)

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

I can provide a healthier academic and social environment for my daughter than the public schools.

I find this a healthier, authentic way of living, and that is something I value.
No bugger has stopped me yet.

 

 

This is the best way I have of doing my job.

[mom31257]

I began homeschooling dd in 3rd grade and was going to homeschool just one year. I simply wanted more time with her before she hit the pre-teen years. She went to a Christian school where dh was an administrator. The school closed that year causing him to go to public school and a loss of free tuition, so we kept homeschooling. 

 

I considered putting her back in private school, and I could have taught in a school to get the money or reduced tuition. I questioned teaching other people's kids all day and still having homework with her at home. The main Christian schools here at the time gave a lot of homework. 

 

There were several other reasons we continued. We have no family in our area, so the flexibility of homeschool was a definite plus. I liked that the kids had time to be kids. I really enjoyed choosing curriculum and planning the school work.

 

I felt like it has kept us out of the rat race of parenting in America today. I did have the kids in some outside activities or classes, so I wasn't concerned about socialization with those, church, and our neighborhood. I cook dinner, and we sit down together almost every single night of the week.  I don't think a lot of families with children in school do that as much. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[StartingOver]

Academics #1. Classical education. Real socialization. Children don't fit in a box whether by grade or interests. We get to sleep in. :-) I get to wear PJ's many days.

[abba12]

Haven't read all the other responses

 

You'll find that the group here on the WTM forums consists mostly of people doing research and being very academically focused because those who are not never find or bother with the website to begin with!

 

Of the homeschoolers I know in real life, only one has any interest in researching and selecting curriculum, the rest tend towards the common programs, or the popular 'all in one' program in Australia (ACE). They all have valid reasons for homeschooling, and many of them value academics, they just figure all curriculum will do about the same thing and aren't so concerned about the details, they're busy focusing on the other elements of their life and homeschool.

 

As for me, the number one reason is the lifestyle. My husband and I, both being second generation homeschoolers, really appreciate the freedom of HSing, the family closeness, the ability to take up opportunities that children in school for 6 hours a day with homework don't have. The individualized education, the parent being your primary role model, and siblings playing together well. Flexibility, following interests, less busy and running about, there are just so many many benefits to the lifestyle in general.

 

Academics are high on my list too, being able to meet the kids where they're at and where their interests lie. Social reasons, I was in and out of school myself as a child and was bullied terribly, by both students and in one school teachers, every time I went into a brick and mortar school. I will never allow my children to endure what I did. I was homeschooled, ultimately, due to bullying. 

[Another Lynn]

Learning is relational and should be (imho) about ideas.  I don't think an institution can do a good job of being relational or caring about ideas.  The institutional school day is too long to allow children adequate time for their family relationships, their own interests, and other worthy pursuits. 

[madteaparty]

Academics. I don't even have gifted kids but I believe excellent academics are owed to each child, circa 4th grade and up. Elementary is frankly mostly about play and doesn't matter, in my view. DD goes to school 3 days a week and they do a far better job than I would at home.

[Soror]

in no particular order

1- academics- I wasn't impressed with my own education and think I could do a better job overall

2-family togetherness

3-meeting the strengths and weaknesses of my children

4-tailoring education to our interests

5- I wanted education and learning to be our life and traditional schooling doesn't further this goal

6- So many stupid rules in PS for parents and kids

[Jess4879]

According to my family (and some friends) I homeschool because my oldest has allergies and I am terrified to be away from my kids and I want them to live in a little bubble for ever.  I shall shock everyone and reveal the true reasons....  ;) 

 

yes, my oldest has allergies and homeschooling is definitely a perk as I don't have to worry every day that some kid brought an unsafe food for lunch and put my kiddo at risk.  We had decided to homeschool long before she was every diagnosed with allergies though. 

 

My husband was basically wrote off by his teachers and he has struggled a lot because of it. He didn't want this to happen to his kids.  It was his main motivation to homeschool.  He knew we were more invested in the success of our kids than any teacher was ever going to be. 

 

For me, I wanted to be able to customize a program to fit my kids.  I did very well in the public system.  I liked reading and workbooks and was able to grasp the concepts as taught. My brother, however, really struggled.  He needed hands on and different presentation, but was seldom given this.  I didn't want that for my kids. 

 

Things that I didn't expect, but have now become motivators:  my kids having such a close relationship, my daughters not dating at 11 years old, being present to witness peer situations and guide them through it when it happens (as opposed to hearing about it hours after the fact), watching my kids find their own voices - as opposed to drawing from those of their peers...I could go on, but I'll reign it in. 

 

I'll sum it up to say, we started this journey with a pretty simplistic idea of what we were hoping for and we've come away with so much more. 

 

 

[MinivanMom]

We started, because all-day kindergarten combined with being zoned for a very distant elementary school meant our oldest would be gone from 7 to 5 every day . . . for kindergarten.

 

We have continued for a variety of academic reasons:

-Being able to tailor the curriculum to each child.

-The ability to ensure that our bright kids were challenged.

-Control over teaching techniques.

-To avoid the yo-yo curricular drama that has gone on in our district over the past 7 years.

-The ability to explore topics that aren't offered in public school.

-The time to take on multiple extracurricular activities.

[Hobbes]

Many reasons!

 

- Family closeness: time for developing strong bonds and passing on values in the formative years. And just because we like this lifestyle and quantity of time together!

 

- Flexibility: my husband's career involves shiftwork and we wanted to be able flex with that so he could spend more time with our kids. We also wanted to be able to travel more flexibly, etc.

 

- Academic approach: the ability to work directly with a child's individual growth to achieve personal excellence and foster a love of learning and exploration.

 

- Real world socialization: involving kids in the community and teaching them how to interact well with a varied population, which is more representative of 'real life' than the majority of days spent with one age group.

 

There are other reasons and perks, but those are the key ones. They are the reasons I was homeschooled and the fruit of it has been very positive for me. I hope to share that with my own kids.

[rebcoola]

Academics is high on our list the and I spend way more time than I should researching curriculum, it's my hobby.  

 

Scheduling my DH has a crazy rotating shift work thing I don't know when the kids would see him if they went to school .  It's a common job here so apparently some men/families don't care which blows my mind.

 

It's safer for everyone if my girls spend hours a day in the gym not a chair. 

 

I love not having to get the kids up to go to school or making school lunches.

[shinyhappypeople]

I homeschool because I care about the WHOLE child and the school system does not.  When oldest DD was in the system, it became clear that the school existed to serve and perpetuate itself.  Student needs were secondary.  The expectation is that students bend to fit the system, rather than the other way around.  And then later I read and listened to John Taylor Gatto.  What he describes resonated both with what my husband and I experienced in school and what I had seen my daughter experience.  

 

I'm getting mad just thinking about those self righteous "educators" who shamed a 5 year old to the point that she was coming home calling herself a "bad girl."   :cursing:   Things she missed recess for:  coloring her fish "rainbow," not giving the girl she was drawing a realistic hair color (she chose orange, which IS realistic, jerk), not  understanding the teacher's directions (I'm not kidding), and honestly, being five. She was punished for being a normal 5 year old.

 

We let younger DD try 3rd grade public school for a month or so.  The desks were grouped together and students competed (sucked up) to be named the group leader for the week.  At the end of the week, the group leader got to eat a special lunch with the teacher at her desk.  I learned later that the topic of conversation was having the student report on the behavior of the other students.  Teaching my kid to narc.  Nice.  Again, more echoes of JTG.

 

There's so much more, but I'm trying to keep this brief.

 

The bottom line is that I homeschool because I am beyond disgusted with the public school machine and we have the privilege of being able to homeschool.  So I do.  

[happypamama]

Many reasons. We always planned to homeschool, even before we had children. Social reasons, academics, wanting a tailored education, religion, wanting a family-centered experience, stupid school policies, wanting our kids to be able to have water and bathroom breaks when their bodies dictated and not on an arbitrary schedule, wanting to keep our kids out of the sex centered middle and high school culture, you name it. There are about a million reasons, some pro homeschool, some anti public school.

 

One big one is that I don't want my children, especially my daughter, immersed in the mean girl culture. I was a victim of a lot of bullying in the fourth through eight grade years, and I don't want DD in that.

 

Talk to me in a week, and something else will be at the top.

[happypamama]

For my sanity.

 

If I had to put up with the crap in most schools today, I'd probably go nuts.

I would be such a bad public school parent. "Susie only did five of these math problems because it was a waste of time for her to do the other fifteen when she obviously knew the material." "Please excuse Johnny for missing school yesterday because he had a chance to visit a historic building with his dad. Yes, we know that he missed a day last week for a chance to visit grandparents. You'll note that his grades are still good." "Sally says the eighth grade history teacher told her that Lichtenstein wasn't actually a country." (That actually happened to me in eighth grade.). "Joey isn't being challenged enough in math." And so on. And so I figure it's probably not fair to expect a small school district to accommodate everything I want for my children, especially over the sixty-five years of school (thirteen grades times five children), so at some point, I have to figure that it's just not a good fit for us. I believe that in order for a public school to work well, you have to compromise individuality for the greater goal sometimes, and I'm unwilling to do that to the extent required.

[Farrar]

I would be such a bad public school parent. "Susie only did five of these math problems because it was a waste of time for her to do the other fifteen when she obviously knew the material." "Please excuse Johnny for missing school yesterday because he had a chance to visit a historic building with his dad. Yes, we know that he missed a day last week for a chance to visit grandparents. You'll note that his grades are still good." "Sally says the eighth grade history teacher told her that Lichtenstein wasn't actually a country." (That actually happened to me in eighth grade.). "Joey isn't being challenged enough in math." And so on. And so I figure it's probably not fair to expect a small school district to accommodate everything I want for my children, especially over the sixty-five years of school (thirteen grades times five children), so at some point, I have to figure that it's just not a good fit for us. I believe that in order for a public school to work well, you have to compromise individuality for the greater goal sometimes, and I'm unwilling to do that to the extent required.

 

Your notes sound so blithe though! I would just be angry all the time. I'd probably make poor dh insane too by griping and moaning constantly.

[cottonmama]

I homeschool for two reasons: first, because in college I decided I wanted to teach, but I couldn't narrow it down to a specific age or subject.  I wanted to teach it all.  I started reading teaching blogs and stumbled on some homeschool blogs, and it was then I realized that homeschooling was the answer.  I fell in love with it, and here I am.

 

The second reason, the one that keeps me going (because homeschooling doesn't always live up to the vision I had for it when I started this thing), is that I want my children to be challenged.  I haven't tested my kids, but I can tell that they're bright, and I expect their intellectual needs would go mostly unmet in the local schools, because that's what happened to me and my husband.  One day a week of appropriate school work is not enough.  As much as I agonize over finding the right difficulty level for my kids, I know I'm much closer to hitting the mark than a classroom teacher could possibly be.

 

Both reasons drive me to research, research, research all our curriculum choices.  I'm passionate about what I'm teaching, and I'm passionate about what my kids are learning.  We're definitely in this for the academics, even if we really do enjoy all the side benefits.  :-)

[happypamama]

Your notes sound so blithe though! I would just be angry all the time. I'd probably make poor dh insane too by griping and moaning constantly.

LOL! That was my nice voice. Snark and sarcasm would creep in. I actually took out such phrases as "Deal with it," and "Please introduce that teacher to the concept of a map," but I'm sure they'd be really sick of me by the end of the year. My dad was a public school teacher for over twenty years, so I'd like to think I'd have some pity on the teachers, but my patience only goes so far. I watched my parents work and push and advocate like crazy for us, until they finally pulled the younger ones out to homeschool, and it sounds so much worse now, so much harder.

[My3girls]

We started homeschooling because our middle daughter was being left behind, and her emotional health was suffering tremendously as a result. We pulled the other two because what we do for one we do for all. We continue to homeschool because of the amazing improvements in attitudes, for the ability to tailor each child's education to their needs, to sleep in, low stress, and because every PS mom I talk to has horror story after horror story about what is taking place in the school system. We like to say our oldest is gifted, our middle is a non-traditional learner, and our youngest has ants in her pants. None of them are average, and therefore, do not fit into a public school learning environment, where everything is aimed to the middle and there is entirely too much sitting still.

 

Oh, and as for curriculum, I research extensively. However, some of what I research I have learned about from local homeshool moms.

[shawthorne44]

Short answer:  Because I wished I was homeschooled.  

 

Longer answer:  I was bored stiff for the vast majority of school until college.  I'm fairly smart, DH is fairly smart and DD seems to be too.  I can totally see her being bored also.  I also see her being one to dumb herself down a lot to fit in.  

[SkateLeft]

I started homeschooling because my oldest daughter would not have been a good fit for a traditional classroom. We joke that she's been an adult since she was 5.

 

Initially, we took it a year at a time, but it worked so well that we just kept going. I think I'm in my 15th year now.

[Arcadia]

Academics/Education - learning how to learn, how to be resourceful when acquiring new knowledge

 

Both my kids are outliers so it does feel like no choice sometimes. Of all the private schools we could afford, none seems to be a good fit so far. Oldest does want to go back to school so we are looking.