| Prospective homeschool parents have to face | | | | As a parent, you love your children like no |
| fears, doubts and myths that keep them from | | | | teacher ever will, you have their best interests at |
| taking the decision to homeschool their children. | | | | heart and you are able to give them a tailor-made |
| This article is an attempt to do some | | | | education, suited to their individual needs. |
| myth-busting, dispel the fears and disqualify the | | | | Unless you are not committed to successful |
| anti-homeschooling excuses that prevent many | | | | homeschooling and dealing with the parenting and |
| parents from the awesome experience of | | | | discipline issues that may crop up, there is no |
| homeschooling their families...(yes, not just the | | | | reason why you should not do an equal or better |
| kids, the parents get HOME schooled too!) | | | | job than a paid professional. |
| 1. I don't get on with my kids/ My kids have bad | | | | Now, I am not saying that any parent can be a |
| attitudes/ My kids won't listen to me. | | | | school teacher - no, I think one does need special |
| This, to me, is one of the best reasons to | | | | training to teach a class of 35 plus children that |
| homeschool. Instead of running from discipline | | | | are not your own in a school situation...but I do |
| issues that need to be tackled, loving parents | | | | believe that committed parents can do a good |
| need to embrace opportunities to teach and train | | | | job in homeschooling their own. |
| their children to be respectful and obedient. They | | | | 7. Will I cope? I am stressed out already. |
| need to learn to reach their children's hearts, not | | | | Many outsiders see homeschooling only as an |
| just apply various methods of behaviour | | | | added responsibility - the burden of the academic |
| modification and punishment, but actually build | | | | training of their children. However, to give it a |
| heart-to-heart relationships with their children. | | | | different perspective, homeschooling is a lifestyle |
| Ignoring a problem issue or expecting a teacher | | | | that brings a lot of flexibility to a family's |
| to deal with it, does not show love and | | | | day-to-day life. This might be just the thing to |
| commitment to children. They will test their | | | | help a stressed out parent cope better with the |
| boundaries and they need parents to care enough | | | | demands of a family. |
| to establish and enforce boundaries. | | | | Since everyone is together, not rushing out in |
| Homeschooling facilitates plenty of opportunities | | | | different directions, life is usually simplified. Children |
| for parent-child relationship-building. | | | | are home and can be trained to help out around |
| 2. I am not well-educated/ I can't teach subjects | | | | the house too. |
| like Maths and Science | | | | Sometimes a parent may initially need to stop |
| Research has shown that the level of education | | | | certain outside activities or commitments, like |
| of homeschooling parents is not a factor | | | | additional church programs, sports or hobbies. |
| determining successful homeschooling. Even | | | | However, this is not always the case and many |
| parents that dropped out of high school have | | | | homeschoolers are equally, if not more involved in |
| successfully homeschooled their children all through | | | | their communities than non-homeschooling families. |
| high school. Parents who did not have a good | | | | Sometimes these activities just need to be |
| school career are often able to fill in the 'gaps' in | | | | re-scheduled to accommodate the homeschool |
| their own education as they progress through | | | | lifestyle. |
| various concepts with their children. | | | | Learning to adapt and put family first is often a |
| Homeschool curricula are designed to be used by | | | | good thing. I know of too many people whose |
| parents that are not trained, professionals and for | | | | children are treated like second-rate citizens for |
| students pursuing self-study. In most cases, clear | | | | the so-called good of the community, so that |
| instructions are given, parent guides and solutions | | | | parents can find approval from their own peer |
| are provided. Some curricula even provide | | | | group for their good deeds and commitments! |
| instructional DVD's where a teacher teaches the | | | | 8. We have such a nice teacher/school. |
| new concepts for the benefit of both the parent | | | | There certainly are some very nice teachers and |
| and the student. | | | | schools with good results and good reputations. |
| As a last resort, homeschoolers can also do what | | | | However, does the teacher or the school's values |
| school-going children do if they battle with a | | | | match your family values? Will the nice teacher |
| subject - they can go for private tuition. | | | | always be the one to teach your child? |
| 3. I can't afford it. | | | | Often a school is legally bound to teach a |
| With all the options and choices of curricula | | | | curriculum which may be in conflict with your |
| available plus free resources available on the | | | | beliefs. No education is neutral. If you don't know |
| internet, there are no grounds for this excuse. | | | | what your children are being taught, perhaps you |
| Most homeschooling families survive on one | | | | should find out the underlying belief system. |
| income and still give their children a good quality | | | | No matter how nice the teacher or the school, |
| education. | | | | only YOU have an intimate love relationship with |
| At the very worst, you can limit yourself to | | | | your child and ultimately you are responsible for |
| spend the same amount as it would cost to have | | | | your child's education, whether you delegate that |
| your children attend school, without the extras like | | | | responsibility to a school or not. |
| school clothing, lunch money, contributions to | | | | 9. I need more stimulation/ I can't just stay home |
| fund-raising and other school-related expenses. | | | | / I love my job. |
| Since most of your money will be spent on books | | | | As career-workers, many of us initially find our |
| and materials which can be re-used with younger | | | | identity in our job, satisfaction in the approval |
| siblings, you can get a lot of value for your | | | | from our co-workers, boss or simply the pay |
| money. | | | | check at the end of the month. |
| 4. My children just LOVE being with their friends | | | | Choosing to stay home as a wife and mother |
| If your children prefer being with their friends, | | | | demands a shift in one's mindset and accepting |
| than with their family, perhaps they have already | | | | that at the end of many days and months there |
| developed an unhealthy peer dependency. This | | | | is no tangible reward. You come to realize that |
| might not seem to be a problem at preschool or | | | | raising well-educated, confident and secure children |
| primary school level, but just wait until they hit | | | | is one of the greatest achievements that one can |
| the teen years! | | | | strive towards. For many of us, its obedience to |
| As an alternative, homeschooling enables children | | | | a God-given calling. |
| to build good relationships with both their parents | | | | Although the stimulation may be of a different |
| and their siblings. When their identities are strongly | | | | kind to that of a job, homeschooling can be very |
| rooted in their families and they have good family | | | | stimulating for parents as it offers you the |
| values, then children are better able to develop | | | | opportunity to learn and explore topics of interest |
| healthy friendships outside the home. | | | | along with your children. It affords you the time |
| Homeschooling enables parents to choose the | | | | to enjoy educational trips, tours, outings, co-ops, |
| social interactions that their children experience. | | | | crafts, hobbies, sport and even home-based |
| Parents can keep them from negative peer group | | | | business opportunities. |
| pressure or bad influences until the children are old | | | | (Many homeschooling parents, like me have |
| enough to gradually be exposed to them and are | | | | website-based businesses that earn them a good |
| mature enough to make good decisions and build | | | | income and they get to work at their own pace! |
| good relationships. | | | | See links below.) |
| Homeschoolers don't just stay at home. They | | | | 10. My parents, in-laws, friends, neighbours or |
| also socialize- just not during school time! | | | | church, etc. won't approve. |
| Research has also shown that in general, | | | | For some reason, we all like to have the approval |
| homeschoolers have better social skills with a | | | | of others, especially those whom we respect and |
| wider ranger of age groups than school-going | | | | with whom we have intimate relationships. |
| children, whose social interactions are largely | | | | However, if you and your spouse are in |
| limited to their own age group. | | | | agreement that homeschooling is best for your |
| 5. I don't have the patience | | | | children, you need to have the guts to stand up |
| When I first started homeschooling, I read | | | | for your convictions. |
| somewhere that you only get patience if you | | | | To many non-homeschoolers, homeschooling is a |
| need it! | | | | foreign concept and people don't understand why |
| The same is true of other character qualities that | | | | you are NOT just doing the done thing and |
| homeschooling parents need such as | | | | sending your children to school. |
| perseverance, humility, self-sacrifice, compassion, | | | | Sometimes people feel that by your choice to |
| diligence, etc. | | | | homeschool, you are silently judging their choice |
| It is through homeschooling that our characters | | | | of schooling and rating it as second best, so they |
| are shaped, moulded and matured and we | | | | attack your choice because attack is their best |
| become equipped to do what we are called to do. | | | | defence. |
| 6. I am scared of failing. | | | | Ultimately, you are responsible for your children, |
| I often tell my children that, "Courage is doing | | | | not your family and peers...and a good answer is |
| what we have to do, EVEN WHEN WE FEEL | | | | to tell others that you feel your choice is best for |
| AFRAID." | | | | YOUR family but you realize it may not be the |
| It's amazing to me how many parents are afraid | | | | same for other families. You don't even have to |
| that they might mess up their children's education, | | | | explain your reasons! |
| but they seem to have no fear that some | | | | Many homeschoolers have had to face criticism |
| teacher might mess up even better! | | | | and skepticism from outsiders, yet in the end, the |
| When you see how many children suffer for | | | | 'proof has been in the pudding' as they say. Many |
| various reasons in the school system, it is even | | | | times, after a few years, others have seen the |
| more amazing that parents are willing to entrust | | | | good fruit of a homeschooling family and they |
| their precious blessings to total strangers for 6 | | | | have earned the respect and support which was |
| hours of the day or more! | | | | lacking at first! |