The concept of sending children to public schools or homeschooling them is a very old concept. In different cultures around the world adults have been very instrumental in selecting the education system for their children and the decision was mostly based on either sending children to a community school or tutoring them at home. Presently, the concept of homeschooling has become a fad in the United States (US) as more parents are opting to educate their kids at home rather than sending them to public schools which are comparatively expensive for middle class parents. Most parents also homeschool their children as a bully prevention method to protect their children from the gruesome realities of the bullying culture at schools. In this article we will discuss the positive and negative aspects of homeschooling so that parents will have no trouble in deciding the educational fate of their children.

The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

Homeschooling pros and cons should closely be read by parents who are in the process of deciding the best educational option for their children.

The Pros

Freedom to Learn: Kids who are homeschooled by their parents have a choice to study and learn new things according to their interests. Children are also not put under immense pressure to learn every subject instantly when they are being homeschooled. In fact, each individual child is given enough space to learn new things according to their capabilities.

Free in Body and Mind: Parents who homeschool their children would find more time for themselves and their children. Since these parents don’t have to worry about shaping their lives around the school schedule of their kids, these families have more time on their hands to go on vacations or take small recreational trips to educate their kids about fresh ideas while travelling.

Religious Freedom: Religion is a very important thing for billions of people around the world and it still holds sway over the everyday lives of followers of different religions. When a kid is being homeschooled, he/she wouldn’t be targeted by other classmates for their religious beliefs as a sign of disrespect. In addition, parents would also have the liberty to teach their children about religion and how to integrate it into their daily lives.

Close-Knit Family Unit: The child, the parents, and other blood relations are always present in the immediate surroundings of the homeschooled kids which allows the family to forge strong inter-family relationships and find love for one another. The concept of homeschooling is especially beneficial for kids who are aggressive or behave badly with people around them.

The Cons
 

Short of Time: Parents who decide upon homeschooling their kids would find it hard to manage their time around the education of their offspring. Parents are usually concerned about earning enough to run the household while also dividing their time between house chores and teaching their children. For most parents juggling so many activities at once could prove to be emotionally and physically draining.

Financial Challenges: In order to homeschool the kids, one parent has to sacrifice his/her full-time job to spend time with the children at home. In the unstable economic environment of today this could prove very difficult for a married couple and deplete their resources as well.

No Space to Move: When parents choose to homeschool their kids, they would remain with the kids for most part of the day. Though most parents would see this situation as beneficial in the sense that the family grows together in good and bad times, but it also snatches away the personal space of kids which is so very important for the little ones to reach their full potential.

Less Physical Activities: Sports are an essential part of the human lives because it keeps us fit and competitive. Homeschooled kids may or may not find opportunities to participate in sports activities depending on the location where they live. Such a situation could prove rough for kids since less physical activity could mess with their learning abilities.