The Ups and Down of Homeschooling

The ups...

 * YOU are teaching and YOU are raising YOUR children, NOT the state

* YOU have a say in what subjects and lessons are taught

* NO peer pressure and bad outside influence

* Kids are able to learn at their own pace 

* Flexibility no need to plan vacations around school schedules ~  you can take it with you if it's necessary

* You can cater to your child's learning styles ( in a corporate teaching setting it's nearly impossible)

* YOU know if your kids are retaining the information you are teaching them 

* One on one attention

* Freedom: you pick the curriculum- and can put more time into what you feel is more important (and leave out what you feel isn't so much)

* More project based learning and more time to dig deep into those projects

* You can teach  fine arts, literature,, and music

* Kids are able to excel in subjects

* Less wasted time 

* Strong family bonds

* Escape from the social hierarchy and bullies 

* More time in the home with their most important influences

* Children receive a much better education than in public or private schools

* Save Money ~ with today's technology and endless resources available online you can home school virtually for free 

* Control what your children learn and when 

* Make learning more exciting

* Take more library and field trips

* Hands on learning

* Great home school communities, co ops, and groups

* You can school from your kitchen table in your pajamas ;0)

* Save the environment (with digital learning,sharing and  borrowing resources, laminating sheets, chalk boards, dry erase boards, utilizing the library you helping to save the trees) 

This is just a small list of the many "Ups" there are to home education.

The downs...

* Having to justify home schooling to your family and friends who oppose your decision to home school

* Having to prove your kids will get socialized

* Some states require testing and monthy reports

* Depending on area there may not be a big community of homeschooling children which might mean less community for the kids, and maybe more struggle for you

* YOU do the teaching, YOU  are responsible for thier education (this can be good or bad depending on your motivation and expertise)

* Involving the kids in extra curricular activities and arranging play dates multiple times a week or getting involved in a co-op

* The cost of curriculum (if you choose to purchase)

* Staying focused and on schedule can sometimes be challenging

* Kids are in the home all the time some folks find this difficult. (I for one love it)

* Research and time planning curriculum and activities sometimes can pose a challenge

 I have found there are more ups than down as I was researching this blog post. I can go on and on about the benefits of home educating.
 Many of the downs are just others peoples opinions.
 Do what works for you. Do what works for your family. Don't worry about what other think, do, or say, I have learned this the hard way. For years I took it to heart and felt I had to justify to others my decision to home school, but no more.
Home schooling isn't for everyone. Sometimes it is impossible as both parents must work, but teaching children is a 24 hour 7 days a week job. They are always learning. There is always something to learn.
And don't for one minute think you can't educate your own children. If there is a subject you find hard to teach there are many resources out there. With today's technology there are many resources you can find, online classes, you can get tutors, or recruit family or friends who are knowledgeable in those subjects to lend a helping hand. There are co-ops and many home school groups you can join. The possibilities are endless!
 Happy teaching! ;0)

♥♪♫•.•°*°•.¸¸♥. PEACE and LOVE .•°*° ♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥ Wendy