You hear it everywhere…the negative effects of homeschooling your kids and the terrible disadvantages to homeschooling for moms. However, those are just myths.
The Truth
The truth is that if you are looking into home schooling your kids there are some great benefits but there can be equally great negatives.
There are pros and cons of homeschooling that you should understand.
It is important to be aware of the true negatives and problems which can come up with home schooling. This will give you the opportunity to consider real world problems and determine if you and your family are up to handling what may come up. Biggest Disadvantages
1. Be prepared to end up facing criticism. Many people have negative views on home school and are not afraid to share those views when they find out that you are home schooling your children. You will also probably end up with a load of questions.
2. There are a number of communities which do not have support systemsfor families who are home schooling. As a result, parents have to find resources, support and assistance on their own without a centralized resource.
3. Accepting the inevitable is also something that can be difficult but necessary for home schoolers. No education is 100% complete. There will be times when lessons run over or you have to choose between housework and the extra time needed on lessons.
4. Finding the right homeschool curriculum is something else that can plague a parent who is home schooling. There are hundred of books, hundreds upon hundreds of lesson plans and ways of doing things.
Unless you are lucky enough to be a parent with a teaching degree, sorting through all the available educational resources (to find what works for your children) can be one of the most daunting negative effects of homeschooling.
5. Not being a teacher – This is something most parents are going to run into when home schooling. Most home schooling parents do not have degrees in education. It takes a few hit and misses to get the hang of presenting information and teaching concepts. Many people find this to be a negative effects of home schooling, while others simply rise to the challenge.
Those who feel they do not have the gift of teaching, or just need a easier way to homeschool, can find that umbrella schools, online programs and computerized learning can help.)
6. Dedication— Many people do not realize just how dedicated you have to be. It requires far more dedication to be a homeschooling parent.
There are days just as with anything else where you might want to take a day off. This, however, is not usually possible. While educating kids at home does allow flexibility, there still needs to be a schedule to follow a time for learning, homework and then the normal interactions of home.
7. Constant contact from your kids. While the positive part of this is that you get to help shape your child’s character, when your child is around you all day every day…it can be hard on some parents. Play groups, homeschool coops and other functions can help balance this negative back to a positive!
Advantages Vs. Disadvantages
Home schooling is just like working from home it requires patience, dedication and perseverance and often times it can be frustrating and difficult.
Many people believe that it takes a special type of person to be able to home school. Other parents just feel the advantages are so great that the negatives almost disappear.
Only you can decide if it is right for you.
Thinking of Giving It a Try?
Don’t know where to start? Visit our How to Start Homeschooling page for some great tips for you!