| You are thinking about or have already decided to | | | | tuition, books, materials, supplies, fees, and other |
| teach your children at home. But have you | | | | costs and you will not get a rebate of the taxes |
| considered the disadvantages of homeschooling? | | | | you are paying to support public education. Are |
| These are serious matters which demand your | | | | you able to bear those costs? Even with co-ops, |
| sincere and devoted consideration. | | | | used textbook exchanges, and a host of other |
| Number one on the list of disadvantages of | | | | devices intended to reduce the cost of |
| homeschooling is the commitment required by | | | | homeschooling, teaching your child or children at |
| parents. Usually, and it is very rare for this not to | | | | home is going to cost you. |
| be the case, one parent is going to be responsible | | | | Thirdly, what about the development of your |
| for the home school. That parent is going to have | | | | child's social skills? Will the close interaction |
| to take full responsibility for for the child's or | | | | between you and your child give your child the |
| children's education and the success or failure of | | | | opportunities s/he needs to develop social skills? |
| the child cannot be blamed on a crowded | | | | Herein lies what is perhaps the greatest criticism |
| classroom, incompetent teacher, or any of the | | | | of teaching your child at home. However, in |
| other myriad of reasons parents give for their | | | | recent years this criticism has become less |
| child's lack of success in education. Do you have | | | | forceful given the emergence of homeschooling |
| the stamina, fortitude, discipline, knowledge, | | | | associations which have established parents |
| patience, and all the other skills and dispositions it | | | | forums, conventions, conferences, field trips, and |
| takes to be a parent and a teacher? | | | | other activities where parents and students can |
| Secondly is the cost. You are paying taxes to | | | | get together. Nevertheless, the lack of |
| your local school district. However, if you home | | | | socialization persists as a disadvantage of teaching |
| school your children, you will have to pay for | | | | your child at home. |