5 Reasons to start homeschooling.
Homeschooling sparks a variety of feelings in individuals. Some see it as the little house on the prairie kind of lifestyle, others see freedom from the public school "box" that limits their children. In this post, I will give 5 reasons you should homeschool.
1. Your child can learn at their own pace.
I recently listened to a Podcast from Don't Mom Alone, where Dr. Meg Meeker, a pediatrician, author, speaker, and mom, voiced her concerns over pushing children too soon academically. She pointed out that some boys have a hard time learning to read in their early elementary years. They often feel dumb because they can't keep up with the other kids and that insecure feeling stays with them even into adulthood. This is a huge deal with boys. What a major blow to them in their childhood. The benefit of homeschooling here is that the parent can use a curriculum to guide their child and go as slow or as quickly as they need. There's no being pushed to meet a certain test score or comparison to everyone else. And remember, there's not a one size fits all to education, except when you can tailor that education to your child.
Link to the podcast here > https://dontmomalone.com/2022/09/12/ages-and-stages-series-the-elementary-years-dr-meg-meeker-ep-378/)
2. Child lead learning!
What do you remember from 3rd grade? What about 6th grade? Maybe you remember that awesome field trip you took, a play or event that your class participated in. Or a project that you worked hard on and were proud to show off. These are the sparks of education that children at home have access to all the time, not just on occasion. Allowing a child to learn about things that interest them helps them retain that information.
3. Freedom & Flexibility
You really can't beat the flexibility that homeschooling allows. On our first day of school, we had a "Not back to school party," ice cream included! There's no submitting a vacation notice to the school and waiting for their approval. No mountain of homework to come home with them when they get back from vacation. (Don't get me started on homework.) Vacation can be educational! A beach trip can teach a child about the ocean and marine life. Not only do you tell them about it, but they get to experience it for themselves. There's nothing better than teaching someone about a topic and letting them experience it for themselves. It makes the thing you're learning about relavent and memorable. Elon Musk often comments about education and he seems to have some pretty good thoughts on the matter.
"Don’t confuse schooling with education. I didn’t go to Harvard but the people that work for me did."– Elon Musk
Musk on education: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STt0dpgn900 & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNQDp3v-VGE
4. Safety
I admit I watched the first season of 13 reasons why on Netflix with much horror. I eventually had to stop watching. The reality of what goes on behind their clueless parent's backs was sickening. I know sheltering our children from everything is impossible, but it's our job as parents to protect them. Even when they don't know they need protecting. I applaud the schools for their anti-bullying agendas, and beefing up security in light of all the recent school shootings, but it's not enough anymore. When the bully can follow a child home through social media, the taunting doesn't stop and children can only take so much.
5. Family Connection
The fact that you are around your child every day has a huge impact on your relationship. You can connect with them in those moments when the light bulb comes on and they finally understand that math concept or start to read for the first time. You helped them do that. You're able to create those special memories other families have limited time to create. I don't think I've ever met a parent who said they regretted spending that time with their child.
5 Amazing Ways Homeschooling Improves Parent-Child Relationships https://cleverlychanging.com/2015/11/homeschooling-improves-parent-child-relationship/
Bouns Reason : Life Skills
I was told a story from a friend once about their college roommate and how only after being left at college and running out of clean clothes did they realize they didn't know how to do their own laundry. The story got laughs of course, but how sad is that. During the 2020 pandemic, I realized how many people didn't even know how to cook. People lost their minds that restaurants were closed. The reality here is that while school educators teach many things, life skills isn't one of them. These things have to be taught from one generation to the next. Giving your child the opportunity to learn how to cook that family recipe or teach them how to sew is a great life skill. Watching master chef jr. and having your own competition on who's dish tastes the best will always be a favorite game at our house. And when my daughters get married, they will know how to cook, clean a house, do the laundry and change a tire like a pro. Why? because we taught them at home. Along with manners and respect. Learning to think critically, manage tasks and create balance in life is a priceless skill some adults don't even have.
Life skills to teach your children: https://www.homeschool.com/blog/add-life-skills-to-homeschooling-curriculum
Link to my amazon store front with homeschool essentials >> https://sites.google.com/view/stefanys-amazon-store-front/home (links earn commission)
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