5 Reasons Not To Homeschool

Reasons Why Homeschooling Is Bad

Let’s cover some reasons not to homeschool as we continue with the topic of home school vs public school. Seem strange to find this topic on a homeschool site?

It's only fair to know what you may be getting into!

Of course there are advantages of homeschooling! But for now, let's take a look at it from a little different angle.

Fight Nice!

• Sibling Rivalry - Coming from a parent, I have to admit that this would be one of the main reasons not to homeschool. My children are children. And yes, they do quarrel sometimes. But isn’t that normal? I would think there was something wrong if they didn’t! When you spend a lot of time together as a family, it gives ample opportunity to get on each other's nerves!

  But that has also taught us to be more tolerant of one another. And that’s a good thing.

  I’ll never forget the first time I witnessed another family’s eight and ten year old children holding hands. Just because. At first I thought, how strange. But, I was later to witness it myself in my own children. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that your children’s best friends are their very own siblings. Whether they fight or not. And they will. ;o)

Another Topic To Tackle

• Sports - Having had three girls first and then a boy, sports had always been on the “back burner” so to speak…until recently. Our son is in his early teens and has shown an interest in football and basketball. He has been active cycling, roller blading and skateboarding. But those can all be done alone. Football and basketball cannot. They require teamwork. And in his opinion, sisters do not make good team players!

  He is competitive, desiring to play against others with similar abilities. Our state does not allow participation in sports unless you are enrolled full-time in the public school system. If that is the case in your state and he really wants to compete with other schools, then consider it a reason not to homeschool. We have been fortunate to find boys in our area with an interest in sports. So, he plays basketball with one group of boys once a week and plays football with another group once a month.

  That has worked out well for us, filling his desire to play without actually having to play other schools in the conference. I know of other families that involve their children in summer sports: soccer, baseball, etc. We even started “Family Fun Night” twice a month during the summers, which fills the need to have fun and socialize! There are plenty of options or give your local rec. dept. a call.

  Dad and Garrett playing basketball on our back patio.

  Before leaving the sports topic, I felt lead to mention how time consuming sports can be. Your child not only has to attend all the practices and games, but he will have to keep up with any homework that was assigned to be done after school hours. After-school homework, I understand, can take up a whole evening. Remember, this all takes away from any family time you could have had together.

We Can't Afford That!

• Money - Not being able to work outside the home is one of the major reasons not to homeschool. At least one parent will have to remain home to educate and take care of their children. That can really put a burden on a family budget.

  Even families that do not homeschool are having a difficult time making ends meet. I was surprised to hear that Free and Reduced Lunch offered to low income families has risen from 7% just a few years ago to a whopping 35%! Providing meals to growing youngsters can really drain a budget, especially if they’re boys, I know! And some schools are offering more than lunch. Breakfast and clothing are also being supplied. (Since you won't get these benefits if you teach your child at home, this may be one of the reasons not to homeschool.)

  And it doesn’t stop there. Summer school saves the parent from having to pay a sitter. Being forced into the workplace, parents seek affordable daycare and find it in the public school. Simply put, many parents find it difficult to make ends meet. What I see here is that parental responsibility is falling on the public schools. It does not belong there.

  A variety of income producing alternatives are available to parents of both homeschooled and public schooled children. There are a number of creative ways to make money for parents who wish to do so.

Brainstorming

• The Classroom - Let’s look at classroom sizes first. You’re probably wondering why in the world I put classroom size as one of the reasons not to homeschool. We all know the advantage of working one-on-one. As a parent you have an even greater advantage. You are better equipped to meet their individual needs. As their teacher, you can make the decision to slow your student down if necessary on a challenging topic or let them excel with something they enjoy or are gifted in. That is the beauty of homeschooling. But, we are supposed to be addressing the reasons not to homeschool!

  Okay! We all know how difficult it can be to teach a whole room of children at once. Granted, in the classroom, the teacher is forced to teach at one level at one speed. This can obviously hinder both the slow learners and the talented, making it difficult for the child as well as the teacher. But, a large classroom can give you a diversity of ideas when teaching. Brainstorming is always better in numbers, don’t you think? And you can only get that in a classroom setting. Unless, of course, you have a large family! ;o)

Where Did I Put That?

• Organization - Let’s not forget scheduling. Do you honestly think that my children happily rise each morning bright eyed and bushy tailed to tackle another algebra equation? I think not! But we always (well almost always) are seated at our desks by 9 am with math books open. I say almost because there are times when we sleep in or someone is sick…life happens. But I have found it very helpful to stick to a schedule. That way you know you are putting in the required hours.

  Also realize that homeschooling can be very time consuming, especially in the younger grades. You will need to devote a lot of time in preparation and teaching. Are you ready for that?

  Bottom line, do you have the time, motivation, and organizational skills to stay on schedule? If your answer is no, it may be one of those reasons not to homeschool your child.

There is without a doubt an endless list in support of both sides. The final decision must be yours, choosing what is best for you and your family. For us, the benefits of homeschooling far outweigh the negative effects of homeschooling. What will you decide? My hope is that you will do your homework as you research homeschooling vs public schooling.

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