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Even though the numbers have more than doubled in the last 10 years or so, it's still seen as out of the norm.
Some people don't think they can work and homeschool.
Some think their kids will miss out on too many opportunities.
Some are quite happy with their existing schooling options.
Some think their kids won't learn social norms if not in a classroom with 30 other kids who also don't know social norms lol
Some think they have to continue through high school (and don't know how to teach bio/chem/algebra/etc)
Some think their kids will miss out on the cultural experience they themselves had
Some don't see any reason to educate their kids outside the current norm.
Plain and simply, for those who've thought about it, most will dismiss it because it's still seen as weird.
It's hard. It's a huge time commitment. It's a strain on the parent-child relationship. It's especially difficult or impossible for single parents or two-income families. Some children have special needs and will do better with specially trained teachers. Many children truly learn better from teachers who are not family members (some homeschoolers deny this). Some parents are not disciplined enough to homeschool. Some parents don't speak, read, and write English well. And so on. There are dozens of reasons for not homeschooling. It is not for everyone. Neither is public school, neither is private school.
On the other hand, it is NOT true that homeschooled kids are "unsocialized" (they tend to spend a great deal of time with other people) or that they are "always behind" traditionally schooled kids.
My family home schools. My older daughter was completely homeschooled, no outside classes except for sports, art, and music, until 7th grade. In 7th and 8th grade she took writing, history and science classes from qualified teachers. In 9th grade, we enrolled her in full-time school. She is now a sophomore and just got her 1st semester report card--her lowest grade in any of her six classes was 94. So it's clearly not the case that homeschooling failed to prepare her for traditional school.
My younger daughter is now in 6th grade. She will also be transitioned to traditional school within the next couple of years.
My son is in 4th grade. I plan to continue homeschooling him through elementary school, then we'll re-evaluate.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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We were homeschooling 25 yrs ago with a much larger proportion (over 10 %). We were in a VERY small community and had 75 - 100 homeschool kids in our weekly science and math experiments. (over 300 these days)
We survived (as did our kids, now 10 yrs beyond college.) They did college instead of High School, so were DONE with college by age 20.
It was NEVER ez, I would be surprised if 10% of the parents had a clue / commitment to do it.
To do it again... I would travel and farm and use NO curriculum. (Our kids had to do 'practical stuff, and learn at least 2 trades from age 12 (indentured servants). They designed and built their own homes from scratch (as homeschoolers). They each made about $70k from those projects (we did several). They managed their own Stocks / IRA's from age 12. Each had their own businesses while Jr High aged (as did many of their HmSch peers.)
We enjoyed the 6-12 week field trips and living in 5 foreign countries.
Kids now are smitten with wanderlust. They still take 6-12 week international trips / yr, and it is a MUST when they negotiate salary / vacation package. (They take some without pay, as I did for 40 yrs).
"Retire early, Retire Often"
If you ever need to understand the difference of HmSch vs. Public School, Hire some kids for responsible / customer facing / financial positions. The proof is in their contribution / commitment to YOUR business.
Last edited by StealthRabbit; 02-23-2015 at 12:08 AM..
I homeschool my son, but I don't think about why more people don't homeschool their kids. Everyone's situation is different, so people should do what works for their family.
Location: In Thy presence is fulness of joy... Psa 16:11
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We home schooled from the mid-1980's until 2007. We loved it; but what we didn't understand was why so many who home-taught either didn't take academics seriously (not opposed to lots of "hands on" -- but after grade 2 more book work is certainly needed for children to gain a thorough education). Many home school families we met were either so academically inclined that they didn't have social skills or they were so socially oriented that they were barely educated. Extremism ran high with many home school families: whether that was the survivalists, or the high-pressure academia types that had to get their children into college by 13. We sought to create a lifestyle along with the academics: we feel both are important.
Building our children's faith through regular times of Bible study together, but then materializing it by helping others in need was a regular part of our school and life together.
Mondays through Thursdays we hit the books as hard as we could; but Friday was our day for educational games, hiking, field trips, library, bookstore, educational video, gather with other home school families or help people in need, etc.. It took some of the pressure off the intensity, and made it feel like we had a "holiday" while still learning.
We taught our children to research and do essays and research papers early; and found that one of the most beneficial ways to learn and remember what they learned. Even today our children (now adults) are writers, researchers, critical thinkers, and deeply involved in helping others.
Our years of homeschooling drew us close together as a family. We wish there were many other families who would dedicate themselves to this intimate form of education and family life, but fear with the rising interference of the government, that it may get more and more difficult.
It doesn't take a lot of money or extended personal education to home school. But it does take a great deal of love and dedication, a willingness to invest in your child/children's lives for as long as you teach them at home.
It doesn't take a lot of money or extended personal education to home school. But it does take a great deal of love and dedication, a willingness to invest in your child/children's lives for as long as you teach them at home.
I'm a K-8 certified teacher, so I always got, "...but it's OK that you homeschool, you're qualified." (Though I don't hear that so often now that we're in Chem, Ancient History and PreCalc...lol)
My response has always been that homeschooling has far more in common with parenting than it does with teaching.
I think the general perception is that it's harder than it actually is. People think that if they don't have a teaching degree, they can't teach a six-year-old to read, and "what about algebra??" They don't realize that homeschooling does not happen in a vacuum and that there is a world of resources to depend on to help teach your child. My son is doing algebra and I'm not involved; he uses an online program and has a teacher to call when he has questions and to administer his verbal math tests. (That's just an example; obviously it's about more than just algebra!)
Even more important, though, many or even most families can't make the commitment for one parent to stay home. When the kids are young, it's MUCH easier to homeschool if one parent does not have to work full-time. Granted, it can be done with both parents working f/t, but it's very difficult.
And besides that, most parents just aren't interested. It's a lot of responsibility and it's not "the norm." I have no problem with the vast majority of people sending their kids to school. If nothing else, it keeps the crowds down at the museums and zoos during the week. LOL
Sending my kids to school didn't prevent me from teaching them everything I know. But I wanted to do it as "mom" instead of "teacher". I never wanted to be a teacher.
Ditto. I home schooled for 1.5 years, but it just wasn't a good fit for us. I couldn't cope with being "on" every waking moment of the day, and that is largely due to me being very introverted, while my kids are very extroverted. Plus with my oldest having special needs, I realized that I just couldn't do it alone anymore; having that support system at school has had a tremendous impact on both of us.
I have a lot of respect for those who dedicate their lives to homeschooling (just as I have a lot of respect for teachers in general), but more I'm suited to being a homework mom than a homeschool mom. I like being that safe place they can come home to, and ***** about what happened at school that day.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ceece
Sending my kids to school didn't prevent me from teaching them everything I know. But I wanted to do it as "mom" instead of "teacher". I never wanted to be a teacher.
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