The National Home Education Research Institute reveals that there are many other countries practicing homeschooling all around the world. When homeschooling started to take off in the 80s, it was mostly religious families leading the way. Things have changed, though. There are now many different families homeschooling their children for different reasons.
When we lived in the Philippines, we found a preschool that we really enjoyed. Our kids had a blast and learned a lot. We had built personal relationships with our children's teachers and the school's administration.
Then our eldest daughter was about to enter into first grade. So we started looking for a school. In the Philippines, it seems if you want a quality school, you are thinking of a private school. The truth is we were willing to pay for it. We visited different schools and learned about our options. Nonetheless, we never found a school we felt comfortable with. That is when we started to consider homeschooling.
In the city where we lived we didn't know anyone who homeschooled. We did some research and learned about different curriculums out there. We found one we liked and we started out. From there we learned about all of the other advantages we gained.
What are the advantages of homeschooling?
I do a lot of travel for my work. Sometimes I can be gone for weeks. With homeschooling we are not tied down to a school. If it works out I can bring my family, then they come.
Also due to a lot of circumstances outside of our control, my family has had to move 11 times in the past 15 years, three times internationally (I do not advice this). Since we did homeschool our kids, their schooling was not affected as it could have been. Actually, in spite of all the moving, all of our kids had advanced at least one whole school year.
Now for us, homeschooling works. I don't see us changing that any time soon. Homeschooling, though, is not for everybody.
I was talking to a friend of mine who used to have his kids homeschooled. Many days when he would get home, he would found his wife and daughters crying. His daughters were falling behind and his wife was stressed. After discussing this over with his wife, they decided to put their girls in a private school. They were processing which school to enroll their girls, and he asked them which school they would like to attend. They answered, "Any school but homeschool." After they started attending a private school they excelled and did well.
So let's get to the big question -- Is homeschooling right for you?
You may be considering homeschooling for a list of different reasons. I don't know what your reasons are, but here are some things you need to consider:
1- Start with proper time management. If you are going to homeschool your child/children, you are going to need one parent to be at home overseeing and teaching. That means you can't have two parents working a job, unless you are going to hire someone.
2- Do your homework. Find out what are the laws for homeschooling in your area. In the United States, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but they all have different laws regarding it. Find out what they are. Also learn about any homeschooling programs happening in your area. Does the public school have a program for your child to join sports? Find and talk to other parents who homeschool in your area and learn from them.
3- Be ready for the challenge. Do you (as a parent) have the temperament for it? Your patience will be tested, I promise.
4- How does your child learn? Every child is different. Some children will learn better at home with a custom curriculum than they ever would in a school. Others do better in a school environment. Learn your child's strengths and weaknesses. Find out their learning style.
Also if you are considering homeschooling, there is a wide range of cost out there. Some states have programs that cover or offset some of those cost. So it will help to do some research.
Homeschooling could be good for you. But learn as much as possible before you decide.
For more information, please check out these sites:
Facts on Homeschooling
How Homeschooling is Changing America
Homeschool Laws in Your State
Simple Homeschool
Dustin Campbell is a proud father of three active children. As a family, they lived in the Philippines, Thailand, and currently the United States. Dustin has been speaking and teaching internationally on a wide range of topics for the past 20 years, including on relationships and marriage. Dustin and his wife Haydee, with their beautiful kids, currently reside in North Carolina.
Save
