Why Homeschool?

From what I understand : ), many people are often asked why they choose to homeschool. No one has ever questioned my choosing this lifestyle. My sanity, yes, but not my reasons. I ran across this a few years ago and saved it in case the subject ever came up. I'll share it with you because it really says it all. It is long, so I will divide it into 2 days.

Why Home School?
by Phil Lancaster

There are many excellent reasons for choosing to teach your children at home.

Academically:

There is now incontestable evidence that, on average, children who are home schooled fare better academically than children of either public or private schools. This is not surprising since tutoring has always been recognized to be the best method of education.

Me again. For my children specifically, I think they do far better in this type situation than they would in a classroom. I have one extremely social child who need lots, LOTS, of one on one time. I have one extremely shy child who excels with one on one time but gets lost in a large group.

Socially:

Home educated children are spared the corrupting environment of the peer-oriented classroom and thus benefit socially. A common myth of our society is that children need to be with other children for extended periods of time to be properly socialized, but this is the exact opposite of the truth. Much time in a peer culture is damaging to children. Socialization is one of the best reasons to home school.

See yesterday's post. Sure, my children would get "socialized" differently at school, but I'm not sure it would be the kind of socialization I want for them. OK, I'm almost positive it would not be the kind of socialization that I want for them.

Family:

Any home schooling family will tell you that one of the greatest benefits of the process is the way that family bonds are strengthened. Parents and children grow closer through the shared hours of each day. Siblings develop a new love and respect for one another as they live and learn and work together day by day. These families can overcome the family-fragmenting forces of modern life. They have more time together, and love is spelled t-i-m-e.

This is particularly true for our family. I have two children of different genders who are 5 1/2 years apart in age. If I had sent my son to kindergarten on the schedule of public schooling, he probably wouldn't even know his sister. They certainly wouldn't be as close as they are now. They play together everyday. Some days better than others, but they interact on a level that most siblings don't have the opportunity much less the inclination to do.

More Wednesday.