Over 100 Reasons To Homeschool Your Child

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Many parents are considering homeschooling because they realize there are many benefits to homeschooling. If you are wondering what are some good reasons to homeschool, you have come to the right place. I am going to do my best to answer why you should consider homeschooling your child.

Many parents want to homeschool their children, but imposter syndrome sets in. They wonder if they are qualified enough, if they are patient enough, and if they can afford it. Today I’m here to empower you. You are qualified. In fact, no one will love your child, care for your child, or know your child as well you do.

Here’s the bottom line, God gave you that child. He does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called. If the Holy Spirit is whispering to you to consider homeschooling your child, you know what you need to do.

Most parents I know feel nervous and hesitate in the beginning. Yet, I encourage you that it is time to send your child the message that they are worth it. I am scared. I am nervous. I’ve never done this before, but I’m going to do hard things for you, my love.

In homeschooling, you will mostly be a facilitator. A facilitator helps people discover on their own through mediating discussions, guiding meetings or proctoring exams and study sessions. A teacher or lecturer provides direct instruction using presentations and various classroom activities. The goal is to do more facilitating than direct teaching.

 

What I’ve Learned From Experience

As a homeschool mom, I want to let you know up front, soon after you say, “I will,” to homeschooling, everything will fall into place. First, you have to decide on the what? Homeschool. Or, as some like to call it love school. Then, the how will come. You will quickly figure out the curriculum, field trips, your schedule, all the things.

In fact, I worked at a private school for 3 years, public education for 16, and I have homeschooled for 4 years. Indeed, I have a plethora of experience in education. There are aspects of all 3 of these types of schooling that I like, but when it came down to deciding on what I would want for the children that I birthed, homeschooling is the choice. 

Mostly, I know that the people who run private and public schools have core values. People pass on their values purposefully or not. Some of those values and beliefs are not things I want entering my child’s brain. As a result, I choose to put my child’s heart before academics. I will not outsource my child 8 hours a day. You don’t have to either. 

You can separate the essentials from the unnecessary. For example, if your child is a great speller and mathematician but can’t look someone in the eyes and carry on a conversation, you know what to work on and give the experience with.

Over time, the doubts will come. I want to give you this list to keep coming back to time and time again when the “Is this really worth it? Should I be doing this?” sets in.

100 Reasons to Homeschool Your Child

Choice/Freedom Is the #1 reason to homeschool

Homeschooling is the best because of the freedom it gives. In fact, the freedom to homeschool is just as much a blessing as the freedom homeschooling gives. Ultimately, the advantages of the freedom homeschooling provides are only good to the extent the family exercises the freedoms.

1. Choose your child’s influencers.
2. Pick your child’s curriculum.
3. Choose your flexible schedule.
4. Freedom to worship God.
5. Decide if your child is vaccinated or not.
6. Choose the music your child hears.
7. Your pets can come to school.
8. Choose the books you read instead of assigned texts.
9. Travel when you please.
10. Take off when you want to.
11. You can choose to do extracurriculars during the day.
12. Make appointments.
13. Choose the dress code.
14. Take breaks when needed.
15. More outside time.
16. Do project-based learning that interest the child.

 

Your Child is First Priority

I’m going to share from experience. Schools advertise children first, but I did not see it lived out on a daily basis. It was more like children first as long as it is convenient for the adult. Don’t get me wrong. There are some great teachers, but research says on average your child will have a great teacher 1 in every 3 years.

1. Work at your child’s pace.
2. One-on-one attention
3. Put your child’s character before academics.
4. Teach to your child’s learning style.
5. When your child understands, you can move to the next thing.
6. Target teach to the areas that don’t come naturally to your child.
7. Your child can hone in on their interests.
8. Your child will know who they are and what their interests are.
9. Teach to your child’s temperament.
10. The child can move around and hang upside down if need be, rather than being stuck in a seat at a desk most of their day.
11. You don’t need 3 months to get to know your child and figure out where they are by diagnostic testing. You know them, and you can hit the ground running.
12. Not teaching the herd, we’re teaching the individual.
13. You can help your child with their self-talk all day. (This alone is worth it!)
14. Help the child fulfill their purpose.
15. Learn the second and third language you prefer to learn starting in the elementary years.
16. The child’s curiosity is preserved.
17. Fewer opportunities to be bullied.
18. The child can choose which subject they want to do first, second…
19. Help the child break bad habits.

 

family First

As a homeschool family, it is important to remember that you are a family first, not a school. By choosing to homeschool, you send a message to your child that you put family first. Family is all about relationships. It’s not a correctional facility. It’s heart to heart. If you lose the heart, you lose the child. Concentrate on the heart! Take advice from Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance of rhis heithg, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” It would do us parents good to look more at the heart.

Life Skills

1. The home is the arch of safety.
2. Live and learn by the family’s values.
3. Understand the distinction between manhood and womanhood.
4. They learn the systems and functions of a home.
5. Siblings are closer.
6. Stronger family bond.
7. Both parents, as well as other family members, can teach the child.
8. Parents can share their passions and hobbies with their children.
9. Instead of trying to fit family time in after school or on weekends, you have family time all day every day if you please.
10. You can hug your children all day long.
11. You can say, “I love you,” all day long.

Parents should be raising their kids with the end in mind. The end being the day they move out. Of course, you will still be able to guide them after this, but for the most part you want them to live successfully independently.

1. Whatever you expect the child to do during adulthood, you teach in homeschool.
2. Intentionally teach manners.
3. Focus and goal setting
4. Perspective-taking
5. Communication
6. Taking on challenges
7. Self-directed engaged learning
8. Health and hygiene
9. Time management
10. Money management
11. Meal prep
12. Comparison shopping
13. Learn how to get a job
14. Students can start their own business
15. How to be a self-starter on learning
16. Talk to strangers
17. How to cope with failure
18. Organization skills beyond a desk
19. Make their bed. Keep their room clean. Put away their clothes.
20. Keep a bathroom sanitary.

Religion Is one of the well-known reasons to homeschool

Religion is one of the top 5 reasons parents choose to homeschool their children. Parents choose to be the provider of religious and moral education that supports the family morals and values.

1. You can pray.
2. Read the Bible.
3. Integrate God into all subjects.
4. Values and faith development.
5. If you want to disciple your child and make a disciple of your child, homeschooling is a great opportunity to do so.
6. Foster a faith-based lifestyle.

Soft Skills

Businesses are no longer hiring for degrees alone. These days and even more so in the future, human resources are looking for candidates with soft skills. In homeschool, these skills can be prioritized, taught explicitly, and practiced in real-life situations rather than staged. Parents can be intentional about making sure their child develops the following so they can put the experience on their college applications or resumes.

1. Self-control
2. Leadership
3. Responsibility
4. Teamwork
5. Flexibility
6. Problem Solving
7. Work ethic
8. Attention to detail
9. Empathy
10. Conflict Resolution
11. Humility
12. Self-Respect
13. Respect for Others
14. Manners 
15. Situational awareness

 

Passions and Lifestyles

If your family has special characteristics or a child that is training hard for thier hobby, homeschool is the way to go.

1. Homeschooling is perfect for people who are road schooling.
2. Works best for children who are specializing in an area such as dance, gym, acting, the Olympics, singing, etc.
3. Homeschooling is great for military families.
4. A family that has multiple homes.

Community Involvement

Naturally, parents want to raise their children with a servant’s heart, so they are not raising entitled children. Homeschooling gives plenty of time to do that because homeschoolers can show up while many people are at work or school. Community service and volunteering are key areas recognized in awarding scholarships. It is also becoming more important for college acceptance.

1. Students can volunteer during the day.
2. Kids can do service projects.
3. Your children can mingle with people from the community to build social skills.
4. Volunteer to help individuals with special needs.

Benefits for the parents

Not only does homeschool benefit children, but there are ways that homeschooling makes the parent’s life easier too.

1. You can fit the schooling into your work schedule. You’re not at the beck and call of the school’s schedule.
2. You will know your child better than ever.
3. Children have just as much to teach parents, if not more.
4. Your child will see you are perfectly imperfect.
5. The parent can learn alongside your child.
6. You have more time to show your child your love.
7. It’s cheaper than private school.

Related Article: 21 Ways To Say I Love You To Your Child

Miscellaneous Reasons to homeschool your child

In case the previous wasn’t enough to persuade you, here are 16 great reasons to homeschool your child.

1. Homeschooling can take 3 hours or less per day.
2. Homeschoolers score higher on standardized tests such as ACT and SAT.
3. Kids get more opportunities to play.
4. Children tend to eat healthier.
5. Multi-age classrooms
6. If you have a special needs child, much better chance their needs will be met.
7. Research shows that homeschoolers are less likely to engage in risky behavior such as alcohol consumption.
8. Children can be sheltered from weapons and drug exposure.
9. When you go places, it’s less crowded because the other 90% of children are at a brick and mortar school.
10. If someone calls at the last minute to go do something, you can go.
11. Instead of staring out the window at the rain, you can run outside and puddle jump.
12. Behaviors dealt with immediately.
13. The world is your school. (car, park, playground, church, library, field trips…)
14. Homeschool is more fun and relaxed! 
15. Not as much test and grade pressure.
16. Your children aren’t comparing themselves or being compared to other students.

Basically, you can work with your child on everything you hear people gripe about the next generation. The most important work you will ever do will be within the walls of your home.

Ways to Socialize

I want to address this topic because I sometimes hear that homeschoolers don’t get enough social interaction. This one is my pet peeve. This is the biggest myth and such an old-school excuse.

The fact is homeschoolers’ socialization is hybrid. Check out what kids are talking about in public schools and what homeschoolers are talking about. Big difference morally. I know this one from personal experience.

There is so much for homeschoolers to do during the day that we could socialize all day every day and never do academics. According to the National Home Education Research Institute, homeschoolers scored above average on emotional, social and psychological development. Here are several ways homeschoolers socialize:

1. Co-ops
2. Meetups
3. Park play
4. Online classes
5. Playdates
6. Field trips
7. There are many local organizations, clubs and community team sports.
8. Community Theater
9. Mission Trips
10. Camps
11. Volunteer
12. Visit nursing homes and retirement homes to volunteer and learn from the elderly.
13. Library education classes
14. Apprenticeships and mentoring
15. Trampoline parks

Related Article: 10 Brilliant Tips To Help Your Child Thrive During Virtual Learning

What Homeschooling Is Not

1. Easy. You won’t catch me saying it’s easy. It’s just so worth the hard.
2. A bunch of worksheets
3. Constantly practicing for the standardized test
4. Trying to keep up with the Joneses (clothing, fidgets, friends, birthday parties, etc.)
5. In public school, children are often asked by other children and adults who their boyfriend or girlfriend is. Homeschool children develop an interest in the opposite sex at their own pace.
6. A lot of time spent lining up and transitioning.
7. Hearing language that you don’t want your child exposed to.
8. Exposure to topics in the media that you don’t want your child exposed to.
9. Opinions about race, politics, and sexuality exposure.
10. Only get physical education one day a week.
11. Like public school at home.
12. Long periods of setting in a desk.
13. Walking in lines to get from one place to another.

What To Do First When You decide To Homeschool

Many times parents decide to homeschool, and then they become overwhelmed with where to start.

• Celebrate your decision. It could be the most important decision you’ve ever made for your child. Deciding is the hardest part for most.
• Pray for wisdom and for God to bring the right people into your homeschool life.
• Find one or more experienced homeschool families. They are usually more than happy to take someone under their wing. Take notes.
• Join Homeschool Facebook pages in your area.
• Look up the homeschooling laws in your state.
• Google to see if there are any homeschool curriculum stores or trades in your area.
• Google for homeschool co-ops in your area in case you want to outsource a subject.
• Buy a nice planner.
• Consider joining a homeschool organization. They have conventions, free curriculum, advice, lawyers, and more. Totally worth the cost.

Most of the above information will be found on your local homeschool Facebook page.

 

Deciding Whether to homeschool

Famous People Who Were Homeschooled

1. Jesus
2. Amelia Earhart
3. Tim Tebow
4. Thomas Edison
5. Taylor Swift
6. Abraham Lincoln
7. Susan B. Anthony
8. Franklin D. Roosevelt
9. Leonardo da Vinci
10. Gloria Steinman
11. Claude Monet
12. Thomas Edison
13. Alexander Graham Bell
14. C.S. Lewis
15. Louis Armstrong
16. Margaret Mead
17. Booker T. Washington
18. Florence Nightingale
19. Isaac Newton
20. Laura Ingall Wilder
21. And 100s more!

Who Is Homeschooling For

• Everyone

I recently attended a homeschool convention, and I had a drop-mouth moment as to how families are homeschooling. Not only are stay-at-home moms homeschooling, but stay-at-home dads, single moms, stepmoms, online classes, blended families, both parents working, grandparents doing the schooling, and aunts and uncles doing the schooling. You name it. People are thinking outside of the box. Never let your circumstances or family dynamics hold you back from homeschooling. There were even people who were homeschooling other people’s children from their neighborhood, and they have a classroom in their basement.

Wrap Up Reasons To Homeschool

As you can see, there are many great reasons why parents should homeschool their children. At the end of the day, the best you can do is pray about it and make the decision that you believe your family best. As someone who has experience in private school, homeschool, and public school and can honestly say that I’ve seen kids come out of all three just fine. What I have to leave you with is that homeschool graduates usually come out the most well-rounded and true to themselves.

Can the attributes I’ve listed in this article happen in public and private school? Of course, they can. The deal is parents can be intentional about ensuring that more time is given to these characteristics in order for their kid’s school experience to be custom-tailored to meet their child’s needs.

The longer I homeschool the more grateful I become for the privilege to spend each day with my children. I know you will feel the same.