Pros and Cons of Home Schooling Your Child

So you are thinking of homeschooling your child? There are many reasons to choose homeschooling over public schools. To help you with your decision, here are some advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling:

• Homeschooled children perform better on standardized tests. For example, in a recent comparison of SAT scores, homeschooled children averaged 568 on the verbal test and 525 on the math; the national average was 506 on verbal and 514 on math.

• Homeschooled children can operate on a flexible schedule according to their needs and personality. You don't have to get your child up at 6 a.m. to get them ready for school. If your child isn't an early riser, you can start lessons at 9 a.m. instead.

• You child gets individual attention when homeschooled. It is hard for a teacher in a public school to give your child the individual attention they need with a classroom full of 30 kids.

• Homeschooling gives you extra time to bond with your child and have family time. You can take educational family field trips and do experiments together.

• There is no peer pressure with homeschooling. If your child mispronounces a word or doesn't get an answer right, no one will laugh or make fun of them. Nobody cares if they have the latest brand name clothes. They can go to school in their pajamas, if you don't care!

• Religion is a big no-no in public school. However with homeschooling, you can incorporate religion into daily lessons.

• With homeschooling, you can set a learning pace that is right for your child. You know their strengths and weaknesses. If they struggle more with math than English, than you can concentrate more on math.

• Public schools often may not have the best teaching materials available to them. With homeschooling, you can pick and choose the best materials for your child's needs and capabilities.

Some Disadvantages of Homeschooling

Be aware that even though homeschooling has definite advantages for your child it does take some sacrifice on your part. You will need to set aside time to prepare and teach lessons, organize outside activities and field trips, and schedule opportunities for the home schooled child to form friendships and engage in other activities.

Another disadvantage of home schooling is the cost. Parents who choose to home school, as opposed to free public schooling, are primarily responsible for purchasing the curriculum needed, which can cost, on average, approximately $400 per child each year. This includes costs for field trips, computer software, and materials for projects, as well as the many other resources available to parents. The cost is even higher for those families in which one parent has given up his or her full-time job to home school. For those families who had previously relied on two incomes, this can be a serious disadvantage.

So take into account all of the factors before making a decision to homeschool your child. Make sure you can commit to it before you jump in blindly.

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