Just a few days ago I posted an article titled, "The Ultimate Opt Out: Reasons to Escape Public Education Through Homeschooling". In that article, I shared some reasons parents may want to consider homeschooling their children. Especially if their child is struggling with public school. One of my readers commented there was probably 100 reasons to homeschool children.
As a result of her comment, I told readers that if they could get to 100 reasons that I would post a second article with the updated list. I don’t think it was even 24 hours and the challenge was met. It’s quite impressive and shows that if you want something done, just get a homeschooler to do it.
In August of 2009, the Washington Times published an article called "Homeschooling: Outstanding Results on National Tests". The author cited a Department of Education report on the top three reasons parents were choosing to homeschool their children:
1. To provide religious or moral instruction.
2. Concerns about the public school environment.
3. Dissatisfaction with academic instruction at other schools.
With these three reasons set as a basis for why parents homeschool, the Washington Times set out to show the results of parents’ decision to homeschool their children. It’s nothing short of fascinating. Citing a 2009 study, they discovered the following for the average homeschooler:
1. They scored in the 89th percentile for Reading.
2. The 84th percentile for language.
3. The 84th percentile for Math.
4. The 86th percentile for Science.
5. The 84th percentile for Social Studies.
(NOTE: The average public school student was in the 50th percentiles.)
This is all very impressive. But it doesn’t stop there. The study found that the three "achievement gaps" so commonly discussed and bemoaned in public education – gender, parent’s income, and parent’s education level – are significantly diminished in the homeschooling environment.
In fact, the study even found that there was virtually no difference in scores for students that had parents that were certified teachers and those who did not.
In a nutshell, not only is homeschooling historically found to be extremely beneficial for children, but parents should be confident that they can get the job done. Don’t be afraid of it. You can do it. The Washington Times summed it up best, "In a sentence, homeschooling is a recipe for academic success."
A huge "Thank You" to the many readers that contributed to the updated list. So, without further adieu…
105 Reasons to Homeschool Your Child
1. There’s no bus to wake up for in the morning.
2. No disputes with teachers or administration (you are the teacher and administration).
3. You choose your child’s curriculum.
4. You can customize your child’s learning to their learning style.
5. More one on one instruction time.
6. More hands on learning.
7. You can take a family vacation or a day off without being made to feel guilty about it.
8. No out of school activities or events that you or your child are required to attend.
9. No peer pressure.
10. More opportunity to instill good old fashioned family values.
11. Opportunities for community involvement are greater.
12. Children learn better how to become self-learners.
13. No homework!
14. Remediation is immediate.
15. Flexibility with scheduling.
16. Adult interaction.
17. No parent/teacher conferences!
18. No bullying!
19. No forced immunizations.
20. No homework disrupting family time.
21. No more 2 hour counseling sessions every day to pull your child back together after being emotionally and academically battered all day.
22. They learn all their profanity from you.
23. No forced gynecological exams (http://home.earthlink.net/~ynot/strouds.html).
24. No school shootings.
25. More recess.
26. No transgender bathrooms.
27. Sex education is age appropriate and doesn’t teach anything contrary to your values.
28. No weekly tests.
27. Better (healthier) lunches.
28. Kids aren’t artificially segregated by age, income and (dis)ability.
29. No more prying into family values–religion, guns, politics.
30. No more "team projects"–the grades your kids earn are THEIR grades, not a communal or group grade.
31. No forced medication (Ritalin, etc.).
32. Child’s birthday can be a school holiday.
33. Learn real life skills.
34. Boy/Girl scouts counts as school credit.
35. More opportunity to serve in the community (My boys and I would help with Bingo at the nursing home once a month. They needed help during the day, when all other kids are in school. The residents loved having my kids there.)
36. Family trips are field trips.
37. No more being ruled by the bell. Students can spend as much time as they want on a subject.
38. It’s been said, "no one learns like a teacher" or similar.
39. Kids can learn from other members of the family.
40. Kids can learn about their own ancestors.
41. Kids can learn skills passed down from generations of family.
42. Kids can assist younger siblings in many ways (academics, family values, how to do chores).
43. Kids can learn how to care for animals not to mention farming.
44. Kids can learn crafts unique to family.
45. Kids can learn culture related to own heritage and about other cultures and how their own family relates or doesn’t to other cultures.
46. Kids grow closer to family members because they are not isolated from them daily.
47. I’d have to say one of my biggest reasons (I have so many of them) for homeschooling is to keep my family unit in tact.
48. The school lunches…you couldn’t pay me to let my children eat that.
49. Better use of time each day.
50. No state indoctrination.
51. Privacy – No data mining.
52. I want something more for my kids than "just getting through, or going through the motions".
53. No one telling me my child cant bring home a textbook because they don’t have enough to go home.
54. No private school email address.
55. No third parties accessing their student info/data courtesy of the school board.
56. No administrators telling my child they can’t talk about Jesus as their savior.
57. No administrator telling them they can’t criticize the president, because someone else in class might not think that way.
58. It’s 16,000 hours less someone else is shaping my child.
59. Socialization will occur with others at activities of the parents choosing.
60. No more academic punishment for unexcused or "over used" sick days.
61. Your child can learn cursive… FIRST!
62. State and national parks as well as local libraries are a resource.
63. Less sickness because there is less exposure to other sick kids.
64. Schedules that work for your family (I’m not a morning person).
65. Affordable option for those who cant afford private school.
66. More than "building choice".
67. There is no rush! You don’t spend the only 2-3 hours a day you see your kids rushing through homework, dinner, bath, and bed. You can enjoy learning together.
68. You determine who the "stakeholders" are in your child’s education.
69. Homeschool to escape Common Core.
70. You choose standardized tests, if any.
71. Your child becomes more than a test score or dollar sign.
72. More cuddles!
73. We school in our pajama’s!
74. You can school year round! Some people worry about loss of retention over the summer.
75. Better nutritional food at home.
76. No lice.
77. No classroom lighting (gives me a headache just thinking about it).
78. Can read on the couch, in bed, on the patio, in front of the heater vent, in the car, on a train, on a plane, in a box, here, there, ANYWHERE!
79. Pool time counts as Physical Education!
80. Can teach Latin, cursive, and coding.
81. Accelerated learning.
82. Early graduation is a possibility.
83. Late bloomers aren’t artificially forced on.
84. More time with your kids to discuss all kinds of things – religion, death, politics, taxes, personal finance, responsibility, liberty, friendship influence, right and wrong, etc.
85. I don’t need to buy enough Kleenex for the whole neighborhood
86. Better vacations (zoos, historical sites, and museums top the vacation destination list).
87. Homeschool discount to the Science Center.
88. Pursuing the best possible education for your child – not the best for someone else.
89. Sibling bonding.
90. No more missing the bus.
91. No inappropriate relations with teachers… North Dakota is no exception.
92. No getting forgotten on the bus (Note: This really happened!).
93. No drivers abandoning the bus (Note: This really happened too!).
94. Training kids to be independent, responsible, and self-directed learners.
95. My kid’s inappropriateness can be dealt with swiftly, and without impacting others.
96. A legit reason to own a library.
97. Late night astronomy sessions don’t require extra chaperones.
98. The kids love the sub (Grandma, Dad, cool Aunt, etc.).
99. No mandatory volunteering or fundraising.
100. Instilling and nurturing a love of learning.
101. Well, today we fed bum lambs and watched some being born. And even had an anatomy lesson after an emergency C-section went awry. Something you’ll NEVER get in Public School.
102. No crowds at the library, the park, the zoo, or on vacation.
103. We can talk about everything all the time, and I can put God in the right perspective.
104. My main reason… this is precious time with my children that I will never get back. I only get them for roughly 18 years and then they are grown up. So, I will try to give them a good education, but most important I will give them MY time and MY love. That is something that they could not get from ANYONE else.
105. I can sum it up in this way… Parental control of education, not state control.
Source:
1. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/aug/30/home-schooling-outstanding-results-national-tests/
