In this article, I’ll be sharing my top five reasons why we don’t miss public school and the benefits of homeschooling for our family.
Homeschooling has been steadily gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional education, and it’s not hard to see why. With its many unique advantages, homeschooling has been transforming the way parents approach their children’s learning and development.
As a family who has made the switch from public school to homeschooling, we know firsthand the benefits that this type of education can offer. In fact, a recent playdate with some public-school moms led to an “ah-ha” moment where I realized some of the things I don’t miss about my kids being in public school and the benefits of homeschooling.
Unexpected Benefits of Homeschooling
Attendance Requirements and Policies
Attendance requirements are something we do not miss! We felt like we were always torn between deciding on how to approach attendance with conflicting school policies.
We had to choose to keep our sick kids home to get healthy and not spread germs but then be stressed with makeup work and school policies about holding children back.
Our school had a strict policy if they miss a certain number of days, students would automatically be held back to the same grade. Shouldn’t holding a child back a grade be more determined on academics rather than missing excused days?
So Much Homework
The second reason we do not miss public school is homework. Even though we do all our schoolwork at home now, the amount of homework our children had to do when they attended public school was excessive.
Can we say overtime?
Our 2nd-grade daughter was doing one to two hours of homework every day, which was almost 10 hours of schoolwork required per day when you added it all together. Homework was always a source of stress, and we believe it is not necessary for children to be overworked like that.
The Schedule – Lack of Flexibility
The third reason we do not miss public school is the lack of flexibility. In public school, we felt like the school calendar always dictated our schedule, and there was little room for flexibility.
Homeschooling, on the other hand, allows us to create our own schedule and take breaks when we need to. We can work at their own pace and adjust the schedule as necessary.
The flexibility of homeschooling has made our overall school experience much more enjoyable and effective.
Trying to Learn in a Negative Social Environment
The fourth reason we do not miss public school was the negative social environment. We found that our children were often exposed to negative behaviors and attitudes from other students in public schools.
We didn’t want our kids to have to learn and further their education while dealing with a negative social environment at the same time.
Homeschooling has provided a more positive social environment for our children, where they are able to socialize with a diverse group of peers. Their social lives are separate from their education.
It’s not that we shelter them from negative things, but we better equip them to handle those situations. Homeschool has allowed us to do that.
Lack of Personalized Education
The fifth and final reason we do not miss public school is the lack of personalized education.
In public school, our children were not receiving an education that was tailored to their individual needs and interests. With homeschooling, we are able to create a curriculum that is customized to our children’s needs and interests.
We can also spend more time on subjects their children struggle with while moving quickly through subjects that come easily. I believe this personalized approach is creating lifelong learners and a love of learning.
From the flexibility of scheduling to the ability to personalize education, we are so happy we made the switch to homeschooling!
