Examining the Pros and Cons to Homeschooling
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Some families know from the time their children are infants that they want to homeschool. Others make that decision after they find that a traditional school setting isn’t working for their family. It can be a difficult decision with a lot to consider. Let’s examine the pros and cons to homeschooling.
My husband and I thought that we would send our children to public school. We had a plan. I would stay at home until our youngest started kindergarten. Then I would return to work teaching elementary school. I enjoyed teaching and was looking forward to returning to the classroom.
That plan was turned upside down after giving our local elementary school a chance. My daughter was not being stimulated or getting a decent education and meetings with her teacher and offers of classroom help did nothing to change that.
We had a lot to consider. After many late-night conversations and a frustrating teacher conference, we pulled our first-grade daughter out of public school. It was not a decision that we reached lightly. It was pretty much all we talked about for a few weeks. We discussed the pros and cons to homeschooling constantly.
Examining the Pros and Cons to Homeschooling
One way to decide if this choice is right for your family is to make a list of the pros and cons to homeschooling. Every family homeschools for different reasons and with different circumstances, so your list of pros on your pros and cons to homeschooling comparison might look different than mine. That is okay.
Homeschooling Pros
1. Ability to tailor curriculum choices to your student
Different curriculums work for different learning styles, but public schools are locked into curriculum choices. Sure, great teachers work hard to add activities to try to meet all students’ needs, but the core curricula and learning objectives are decided on a state or county level.
This is an amazing time to homeschool because we have so many curricula available to us. No matter your student’s learning type or ability level, you will be able to find a great curriculum that works well for your child.
If it turns out that your chosen curriculum was not the right fit for your student, you have the freedom and flexibility to change curricula. You are not locked into a curriculum.
102 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy is a great place to start to find a curriculum that fits your child.
2. Homeschoolers have the best field trips
I attended a public school for my entire education and I remember only going on one field trip a year. Some years we didn’t even do that.
Homeschoolers don’t necessarily have the same budgetary and time constraints as public schools, so we have more options. There are so many opportunities for learning in our community. Kids not only get the benefit of experiencing things firsthand, but they can also learn directly from experts.
Learning about astronomy? Go check out a planetarium show, meet up with a group of space enthusiasts to space watch with telescopes, or check out a museum exhibit and touch a piece of moon rock.
3. Plenty of family time
Homeschool families spend a lot of time together. Siblings learn alongside each other and parents are involved in all of the lessons. My children do not get along 100% of the time, but I have heard from friends that my children get along better than many siblings.
I’m hoping that all of the together time now will mean that my kids will still be close as adults.
I love getting to hang out with them all day too. My husband is currently working from home, so we are all here, all the time. It is pretty awesome and I will cherish these memories forever.
4. Design your own school calendar
Homeschool families have the flexibility to design their own school calendar. Take breaks whenever it works best for your family. This means that you can go on vacation when public schools are in session, take off all of December, cancel school on birthdays, or work through a weekend in order to play during the week.
This looks different for every family. Honestly, it looks slightly different every year for my family. Some years we are finished with school at the beginning of May. Other years we take a month off to move across the country. Usually, we take a vacation in either November or December, but this year that didn’t happen.
My daughter is taking a class at our local community college next year and I’m already missing the flexibility of designing our own calendar!
Homeschooling Cons
Just like homeschooling pros can be different among homeschool families, the cons on your pros and cons to homeschooling list might also be different.
1. Homeschooling is time consuming
One of my main concerns before starting to homeschool was the time commitment. I was worried about the amount of time actually required to plan and teach as well as the loss of ‘me’ time. I also worried that I would be pulling time away from my toddler.
Preparing and teaching lessons does take time. Only you will know if it is something that you can fit into your schedule.
There are ways to minimize the time commitment, though. You can use curricula that require minimal prep time, lesson plan strategically, or cut time from somewhere else.
When my husband and I were discussing our pros and cons to homeschooling list, we agreed that I would get out of the house, without children, at least once a week. Sometimes that meant going to book club, working out, or even just walking through Target. I just needed an hour or so without a small child attached to my hip. That was enough ‘me’ time to make me feel sane.
2. It is a huge responsibility
No denying this one. Homeschooling IS a huge responsibility. You are solely responsible for your child’s education and there is no one else to take the blame if things turn sour.
It can be a scary thought.
The good news is that there are plenty of people that want you to be successful and are happy to help. The homeschool community is generally a friendly bunch, so try asking for help in local mom Facebook groups or homeschool meetups.
You can post your question on my Facebook page and I will try to help too.
3. It can be expensive
Homeschooling actually does not have to be super expensive. The cost of homeschooling varies widely depending on curriculum choices, co-op fees, and extracurricular costs. Buying curriculum second hand is a great way to save money.
I was curious how much money my family actually spends on homeschooling, so I kept track of all curriculum, activities, supplies, and field trips for an entire year. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be!
Only you can decide if you can make room in your household budget for homeschooling supplies.
Ultimately, only you can decide if homeschooling is right for your family. Homeschooling has been an amazing experience for my family but that doesn’t mean that it is right for everyone. Just know that it is okay to take it one year at a time. If you decide to homeschool now, you can always change your mind later.
It is all about whatever works best for your family . . . which might change over time. When I made my list of pros and cons to homeschooling I realized that I was so excited about the pros that I was willing to work around the cons.
Is there anything you would add to the pros and cons to homeschooling list?
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