Looking for Inspiration? “Yes, You Can Homeschool!”
Do you want to homeschool… but there’s just something holding you back? What keeps you from homeschooling? For some parents, it’s a lack of courage or a belief in themselves. For others, it’s all the data they think they must keep on hand. Whatever your reason, we’re sure we can debunk the “myth” that you can’t do it!
I can’t homeschool because….
- I’m not a certified teacher. Thankfully, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states (and in several countries), and in NO state are you required to be a certified teacher. That’s a good thing, too, because certified doesn’t automatically mean qualified…and vice versa.
- I have several children. You know, you’d be hard-pressed to find homeschoolers who only have one child! Many homeschooling families are also large families. Now, this will increase the costs for some materials, but you’ll also get re-use value out of most of your materials. Furthermore, many publishers have “large family discounts” where you won’t pay more than a certain amount regardless of how many family members you have. One that comes to mind is Teaching Textbooks which happens to be our family’s favorite math curriculum as well as Time4Learning for high school science.
- I need my “me” time. While it’s true that homeschooling takes away from some of the “me” time you may be accustomed to, it’s also true that you will find the time and ways for breaks. It does get easier as the kids get older but even before then, you’ll find ways – such as “after bedtime dinner dates” with your spouse. Furthermore, when you’re with your kids all day every day, you’ll be able to get a better handle on misbehavior. As a result, the kids will be a joy to be around all the time.
- I work outside the home. When it comes to homeschooling, remember this: where there’s a will, there will be a way. This is especially true if you’re a parent who works outside the home. Keep in mind, learning (and “homeschooling”) doesn’t only happen between 8:00am and 3:00pm or whatever the local school’s hours look like. Homeschooling can take place in the evenings and even on weekends! Depending on your work schedule, your family may not be a group of morning people, and that’s okay as well. Homeschooling can completely take place around your other duties such as working outside or inside the home.
- I want my kids involved in sports and extracurriculars. Not only are homeschooled students welcome at many public schools for these opportunities but also there are privately-run organizations they can join. Your local YMCA is sure to offer opportunities for sports teams. Call your local theater company to inquire about drama for kids and teens. Whatever it is your students desire, you can usually find the equivalent available outside the confines of the school building.
While we definitely support homeschooling, we realize it isn’t the right choice for every family in every situation. At the same time, some of the more commonly-stated reasons for not homeschooling aren’t solid reasons, especially if you do a little research and digging to get through that hurdle. For this reason, we hope to have crushed some of the reasons for you and maybe even inspired you to start homeschooling this year!
