here’s the list about why to homeschool that Andy made, in no particular order (and that’s AP with the babies picking peaches out on the island):
- for the fun and challenge of it
- to share an experience with your child
- to read the same books
- to continue our own education
- it seems natural
- you like your kids, and there’s plenty of time later not to be around them
- freedom
- to curb the compulsory part of school
- to avoid the herd-like nature of school
- to keep home the organic center of life
- to foster the sense that learning is not a specialized activity–education is not the province of “trained experts”
- to keep the idea of education as career training to a minimum
- school gives the impression that knowledge is impractical because it’s so far removed from the rest of life
- who knows what they’re doing in those classrooms
Great list! I have another one – homeschooling fosters connection, love, friendship between siblings. In public school, siblings are separated into different grades, and are encouraged to only socialize with children of their exact age. In the home, siblings work, play, live together, and embracing people of all ages is the norm.
My girls would tell you they are best friends and when they are apart (day camp, one goes to grandma’s for the weekend, etc), they MISS each other.
All siblings have their squabbles, but homeschooled siblings have a chance to learn and live together, working their their issues and cementing a precious bond.
this is a great list.
i think one important one for us that i would add is being free from the constraints that school puts on our schedule – both daily, weekly, and across the year.
hs’ing means that we are free to get up and go to bed when it works best for us, we are free to visit places when they are uncrowded on weekdays and stay home and enjoy our weekends, and we can travel in the “off season” when everything is less crowded and the weather is so much better.
hs’ing really lets you settle into a more natural rhythm of living, slower, less stressed. not having that schedule imposed over our days is a *huge* boon to a relaxed and happy home life.