Home Schooling Advantages and Disadvantages

There are numerous advantages to home schooling your children. The convenience factor is great. There can never be complications getting to school, missing the bus, being off for snow days that you would have to make up later or having to walk in the rain. You don't have to buy the often unappetizing school lunch, or get up early to make a lunch to bring with you. You don't have to worry about what to wear or try to outdo other students with fashion statements if your a girl. And you don't have to worry about getting into fights, that often "just happen" with adolescent boys. And neither one would have to worry about taking showers in the presence of others after Gym Class. Of course those are things that mainly benefit the students.

There are many advantages for the parents as well. First off, you'll never have to hear a third hand story about any negative issues that may have happened at school. That's right, the kind that worries you to death and prompts you to call one of the other kids mothers to see what's going on. I guess you would call that "Parent Gossip". You won't ever have to worry about your kids bringing home bad habits or using foul language they picked up on. No more worrying about lunches. No worry about the possibility that your kids are joining a "Gang" or hanging with the wrong crowd. You will never think your child may have cheated on a test or failed to do homework. And those are just a few of the advantages that the parents can enjoy.

However, as with anything else, there is always "another side to the coin". There are some disadvantages that a lot of people don't initially think about when it comes to home schooling. As a parent and home school teacher, the education of your child is your responsibility, and is reliant solely on your ability to do supplemental research to enhance the learning experience. This involves a great deal of extra time investment for the parent. Home schooling may require either parent to stay home and be the teacher, or may put greater stress on parents who both work for a living.

Another disadvantage is that your child may miss out on the benefits of a classroom setting which provides opportunities of socialization and interaction with other students in a learning environment. A classroom full of students with different backgrounds and personal beliefs will provide ideas that can stimulate a child's mind to think and form opinions.

Opting to home school your children is a big decision to make and requires a huge commitment and self discipline on the parents and child's behalf. But like anything else that involves a routine, it will get easier over time.