Homeschooling – The Benefits And Disadvantages For Children

Homeschooling has grown in popularity over the years. Over 1 million American households have decided to homeschool their child or children. Today, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling.

Homeschooling is educating school-aged children by either their parent, guardian, or a tutor in the comfort of the child’s home or elsewhere, other than an official school setting.

The benefits of homeschooling

While many do not believe that homeschooling is a good idea, many parents and students see its benefits.

A major benefit of homeschooling is that it provides academic freedom and flexibility. If you teach a particular topic/concept that your child may not be grasping, you will not need to jump ahead and move on because you can go at your own pace and find more creative ways to deliver the topic successfully. This would not have been possible in a public school setting, especially if everyone else has gained an understanding.

Homeschooling also allows for more unique and engaging experiences outside the home. Homeschooled students can make more educational trips and explore more of the things they are learning about in the real world with more hands-on activities.

Some additional benefits for children who are homeschooled include the following:

• As a parent who is homeschooling their child/children, you will be able to have more of a direct role in their daily learning and instill the values you believe they should have. Religion is not out of the question, and you can have your children practice openly and freely.
• Though children are homeschooled, they will still socialize with other children and be part of recreational activities.
• A child’s ‘real-life’ skill-building is more solid in a homeschool environment because more adults surround them, they have higher self-esteem and self-confidence because they face less risk of bullying.
• Homeschooled children have the advantage of moving at their own pace. Usually, homeschoolers move faster through the curriculum and have a higher achievement rate. They also face fewer distractions from other children and take more pride in what they do as they are self-motivated.

The disadvantages of homeschooling 

Homeschooling can come with some disadvantages. Some of these are as follows:

• If you are both the parent and the teacher, you have less time on your hands in the days for yourself. If you are in a single-parent household, you may even risk a loss of income.
• Your homeschooled child may have a less social life because they cannot participate in school-based extracurricular activities.
• If not prepared, your child may also be disadvantaged technologically if there is no access to the Internet.
• As a teacher, you must be versed in all subject areas to ensure your child has a wholesome education.

Wrapping up

Homeschooling and the concepts surrounding the advantages and disadvantages have come a long way. More persons are open to it as an option, becoming more regularized throughout the country. With the pandemic in full swing, many have been forced to homeschool children. The future of homeschooling is not lost.