Your Parenting Info

It is estimated that between 50,000 and 150,000 children ages 5-16 are educated at home. This number is steadily increasing as parents realize the benefits of homeschooling. Children who are educated at home, either alone or in small groups, can have more individualized attention compared to children in a traditional classroom. They can learn at their own paces and develop their talents. A lot of parents decide to educate their children at home for this reason.

There are also some children who are homeschooled because they have a hard time fitting in to the school routine and system. They may have negative experiences with bullying, or they cannot keep up with school academics. Homeschooling provides an alternative. Whatever reason people choose to be educated at home, its advantages are undeniable.

However, it is important to take note that there might be downsides as well.  For example, a child’s social interaction with kids his own age will be limited. He might have a hard time later on because he does not share the same school experiences that other people have. There is also financial pressure on the part of the parent. One parent usually needs to give up his full-time job to homeschool the child. In most cases, boredom is also a problem. Both the parent and child are together 24/7, so boredom is almost inevitable. There is limited outside stimuli that will encourage thinking and creativity.

So, before deciding to homeschool your child, you need to determine if this is really the right decision for the family. It is undoubtedly essential for a parent to balance pros with the cons.