Note: This article, by Israel Wayne, is an excerpt from the Homeschool Survival Kit.
When the modern-day homeschooling movement started in the early 1980s, there were many skeptics. Today, through many studies and research from groups like the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), we know, factually, that homeschoolers excel. On average, homeschoolers surpass their public-schooled counterparts in every measurable area (academically and socially).
Here are just a few of the dozens of valid reasons millions of families have chosen to home educate their children:
- You can pass on your faith and values to your children.
- Spending time with your own children is a priceless treasure.
- Students can specialize in, and pursue, their own unique interests.
- Homeschooling encourages socialization with all ages, not just same-aged peers.
- Homeschooling allows for a customized educational approach to fit each child’s learning style.
- Homeschooling offers a wider range of curriculum options than public schools.
- Homeschooling allows families to avoid Common Core curriculum.
- Homeschooling can provide better average academic outcomes.
- Homeschooling allows families to avoid bullying, violence, drugs, and negative peer pressure common in many schools .
- Students can learn at their own pace.
- Homeschooling provides the freedom to fit schooling hours around your lifestyle / schedule.
- Homeschooling allows for travel and “roadschooling” as a family.
- Homeschooling provides opportunities for students to contribute to family businesses and learn entrepreneurship.
- Parents direct sex education and what students learn when.
- Homeschooling accommodates special health issues or dietary needs of children.
- Learning-challenged students can use special resources just for them.
- Students are exposed to a wider range of beliefs and experiences than in a one-size-fits-all classroom.
- Parents can fill in gaps from your their public school education by learning alongside your children.
- Children learn from real-life experiences, not merely textbooks.
- Learning can be fun, creative and enjoyable, as opposed to “drill and kill.”
There are many great homeschooling support organizations, like HSLDA on the national level, as well as state and local homeschooling associations. These organizations can provide encouragement, information, networking, and social activities for you and your family. No parent, at the end of his or her life, ever regrets the time they personally spent investing in his or her child. People almost always find the time and money to do the things that are the most important to them. What could possibly be more important than our own children?
If you desire to give your children a quality education at home, you can! There are great homeschooling conferences in almost every state, and a surplus of curriculum options to choose from. You can find homeschooling conferences near you, hosted by your state organization, or you can attend a regional convention hosted by Teach Them Diligently or Great Homeschool Conventions.
Giving your child the one-on-one attention and customized opportunities they deserve is a great gift to them. No one knows your child better than you, no one loves them more than you. Therefore, no one is better qualified to help them walk through life than you. For all the best reasons, your child will benefit from you giving the best of your time and wisdom. May God bless you as you pursue academic excellence for your child and a relationship that can never be replaced.
Israel Wayne is an author and conference speaker. He is the author of the books, Education: Does God Have an Opinion? and Answers for Homeschooling: Top 25 Questions Critics Ask. www.FamilyRenewal.org
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