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Homeschooling vs Traditional Schooling: pros and cons

As a vast majority of the world went remote in early 2020 at the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic, students had to quickly adapt to remote learning from home. Due to this, many parents began to consider homeschooling for their child rather than return children to their traditional schooling methods. But what are the pros and cons of homeschooling versus traditional schooling?

Homeschooling: the pros

• No commute: Very often, students can only attend certain public schools if they reside in the right district. Alternatively, if they attend a private school further from home, the commute can be long during peak school run hours. As such, homeschooling saves time which can be spent doing further coursework, exploring personal interests, or spending more time with friends and family. 
• Tailor-made Curriculum: Although certain states/countries may have specific requirements on what it takes to graduate from high school if homeschooled, the option does give students and their parents the luxury of exploring personal interests, going at their own pace, and taking advanced courses where the student is able to. 
• Custom Schedule: The typical 8am-3pm does not have to hold true with homeschooling! While some legal requirements for a minimum number of hours may be present, students are able to have flexibility to pursue other goals such as competitive gymnastics, travel the world with their families, etc. 
• Higher performance: According to ThinkImpact, public school students received an average score of 21 out of 36 on the ACT, whereas homeschooled students received an average of 22.8. As for the SATs, homeschoolers scored a nationwide average of 72 points more than their traditional schooled counterparts in the United States in 2020. 
• Safety: The risks of COVID-19, school shootings, and other unfortunate situations are minimized at home. The extent of safety will also vary upon the neighborhood the school and home are located in. 

Homeschooling: the cons

• Social life restrictions: Students who are homeschooled do not have classmates with them daily. As such, they can be lonely unless a solid effort is made to interact with peers their age through other activities such as attending a church or place of worship, sports teams, community events, etc. 
• Pressure on parent’s time: Working a job and raising a child is already a huge time commitment for most adults. As such, being the child’s teacher is an additional burden on parents which not all are able to undertake. Furthermore, a parent will have to ensure that healthy boundaries are set between the parent and child now that the “teacher and student” dynamic is also present. 
• Cost: The cost of a homeschool curriculum can be a few thousand dollars, whereas public school is free. However, it should be noted that homeschool can be cheaper than private school, so it is up to a family to decide how to best use their educational budget here. 

Traditional Schooling: the pros

• Social life and development: At school, teens get to spend dozens of hours each week with peers their age, thus giving them a platform to develop their social skills.
• Professional instruction: Teachers at schools are qualified, trained professionals who have mastered their craft and in the later grades specialize in their area of instruction. 
• Structure:  Many children thrive on having a set routine and structure in their daily schedules, and schools are the greatest source of structure in a youngster’s life. 
• Extracurriculars: Schools, especially those with a larger student population, tend to offer extracurriculars which a student is not able to acquire at home. Be it being a part of the chess club, trying out for the football team, or running for student government, certain activities cannot be done in a home setting.
• School spirit: Being a member of a school helps develop a youngster’s identity, and students are able to obtain a sense of belonging (provided the school is a good fit for them, of course!). 
• Fostering independence: From keeping track of their own timetable (deadlines, bus schedules, etc), purchasing/bringing their lunch, and finding their way from classes, traditional schooling helps build valuable life skills which shall help students once they graduate. 

Traditional Schooling: the cons

• More traditional curriculum: Instead of exploring their own interests, students are forced to study subjects at the same pace as their classmates and course selection is more limited.
• Peer pressure: Be it wearing the latest Nike shoes, fitting in with the cool crowd, or dealing with bullies, peer pressure plays a big part of a teenager’s life and is more present in traditional schooling environments.
• Overwhelmed teachers: Many teachers have dozens of students on their roster and getting each student’s individual needs met is not often accomplished. 
• Fitting in: Perhaps the school is simply not a good fit for who your child is – be it the type of curriculum offered, the crowd present, or the overall management of the school. 

While these are just a few of the pros and cons seen in traditional schooling vs homeschooling, I would like to remind you that there is no direct answer as to which option is better. A family needs to consider their own needs to make this decision, including their time, teaching capabilities, educational budget, location, future goals, and resources. Here at Crimson we are always happy to discuss these options and also work together to advise a hybrid model if necessary – where students may take some courses outside of school in addition to the courses in their regular schooling. The pandemic has made more families consider homeschooling after seeing how their child has been handling remote learning – but before you jump the gun, make sure to consider all the pros and cons thoroughly! 

Your friendly neighbourhood Rise blogger, 

Learn more about Crimson Rise’s strategic mentorship, academic support, and extracurricular coaching for young students, and request a free consultation on your child’s journey!

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Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

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Nowadays, education is extremely important because it provides the representatives of the general public to receive the knowledge needed to live an independent life to the fullest. At school, children have an opportunity to learn how to communicate with different people, obtain basic skills and knowledge required for further education or work, and become real members of their communities. However, more and more parents today focus on the benefits of homeschooling.

They believe that such an approach provides their children with the possibility to learn better and base their decision on pedagogical and/or family-related reasons (Guterman & Neuman, 2017). However, even though homeschooling provides freedom, flexibility, and control over the activities aligned with the learning process, it prevents a child from socialization, requires many resources, and excessively increases togetherness.

Homeschooling is rather advantageous because it provides the representatives of the general public with an opportunity to experience freedom. This point includes both the freedom to decide what to do and when and the freedom from adverse situations. For instance, parents have the possibility to change the planned organization of lessons if they are under the pressure of particular circumstances or believe that a child needs to focus on something more.

In addition to that, receiving education at home, children have the possibility to avoid bullies and problems with peers, which influence their mental state negatively. It is also possible to consider religious freedom. In this way, parents are free to decide whether religion should be included in the curriculum or not.

A flexible schedule and an opportunity to change the pace of learning is another advantage of homeschooling. Parents can decide what information to discuss and how to do it. In this way, they can provide their children with “wonderful educational experiences” and ensure “a very stimulating learning environment” (Fedele, 2010, para. 62). Thus, kids are likely to have positive views on education.

Homeschooling provides a lot of control to parents. They are able to make decisions regarding children’s curriculum, diet, and extra-curriculum activities. As a result, parents can devote more hours to studying and ensure that their children eat healthy food (Guterman & Neuman, 2017, p. 303). Thus, homeschooling is the best option for children who have some health issues.

Nevertheless, it is more difficult for those who receive education at home to enter society. Socialization is critical for the future because people need to constantly interact with one another. The school allows children to learn coping mechanisms and understand how to approach various people.

Being educated by parents only, children fail to learn all the information they can receive at school. As a rule, people are good at a limited number of subjects, which means that parents tend to lack knowledge in various spheres. As one of the individuals who practiced homeschooling said, “I’m English, their dad is political science. There are some things we don’t know” (Martin, 2013, para. 24). Still, the situation can be improved if to involve the community but not only parents (Martin, 2013). In this way, practices similar to those maintained at school will be held.

Moreover, family relations can be worsened by excessive togetherness. Spending almost all the time with one another, parents and children may become tired and unwilling to communicate. Conflicts may occur without any significant reasons. This rationale may be appropriate only if a child is “not socially and emotionally ready for school” (Fedele, 2010, para. 7).

Thus, homeschooling is a great option to receive an education without attending school, but it is not its substitute. It seems to be better for children to follow the way of the majority to be aligned with them in the future. Parents are not able to teach everything, they need some time for themselves, and children should be socialized. Homeschooling is the best option if a family faces issues, but it is not the best for a general situation.

Guterman, O., & Neuman, A. (2017). Different reasons for one significant choice: Factors influencing homeschooling choice in Israel. International Review of Education, 63 (3), 303-318.

Fedele, R. (2010). When it comes to schooling, there’s no place like home . Web.

Martin, M. (2013). Parents on the pros and cons of homeschooling . Web.

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IvyPanda. (2020, August 31). Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages. https://ivypanda.com/essays/homeschooling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/

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Should I consider homeschooling my child?

by: Christina Tynan-Wood | Updated: September 20, 2023

Print article

Homeschooled kids do better in college. Homeschool families are all religious. Homeschooled kids are more creative. Homeschooled kids lack social skills.

When it comes to homeschooling, there are no lack of strong opinions — as well as misconceptions and prejudices. The truth is that homeschooling has changed dramatically over the past few years. Long considered a radical alternative to traditional schools, homeschooling is rapidly becoming more accepted into the mainstream.

Though homeschools involving strong religion and obsessive spelling bees get a lot of attention, there are plenty of students. The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) estimates that 3.15 million students (age 5-18) were homeschooled during the 2021-2022 school year. (The latest National Center for Educational Statistics estimate, from 2016, showed 1.7 million homeschool students, twice as many as there were in 1999.) Fewer than half of families offer religion as the most important reason. Many do it because they want to offer their children the best possible education.  More than a few are dissatisfied with their other school options. And of course, homeschooling got a boost during the pandemic, when many schools closed their doors. Black families, especially, saw a surge in homeschooling during the first year of the pandemic. But while experts expect the number of all homeschooled students to decline somewhat as schools have reopened, some parents will find that they like teaching the kids at home, and keep homeschooling as a choice.

Online programs: bringing learning home

Much of homeschooling’s growing popularity is thanks to online programs like K12 or Khan Academy that offer tools, courses, or complete curriculums. Some of these are free resources, but many others can cost hundreds of dollar a year or more. Parents can elect to be hands-on teachers (or hire tutors for specific subjects), sitting down and teaching math and science, working from a printed curriculum. Others might elect to combine homeschooling with some traditional schooling so the student still takes a few courses at a nearby school. Some parents organize groups of homeschool kids to create their own small schools, even turning them into their own charter schools.

Some homeschool parents are less hands-on, believing that — once video games and television are removed — a kid’s natural curiosity will take over and lead her to seek answers thereby getting an excellent, organic education.

What you might find in a home school

• Curiosity, not boredom:  With only one or a few students, you have the freedom to approach a subject from the angle that most appeals to those students. Once interested in a topic, students often find their own way to get more information on it. With access to the Internet and a library, a homeschooled student given time to pursue his own interests can easily exceed the knowledge of the average school teacher in a subject he enjoys.
• The entire world:  There’s no limit to where — or from whom — your child can learn. Instruction from local artisans or experts, the grocery store, the pool at the YMCA, a patch of garden outside, your kitchen. If you look for them, there are classrooms everywhere.
• Independent kids:  Students who learn from a coach who helps them find information rather than a teacher who doles out information in small, testable bundles quickly learn how to learn for the sake of learning — rather than to prove what they know on a test.
• Freedom:  Want to teach by doing? You don’t have to secure transportation, permission slips, and space for 30 rowdy students. You can simply get in the car to take a field trip to teach history by touring a museum or city, math by using money or building robots, even earth science and biology through gardening and caring for animals.
• No threat of failure:  A child who doesn’t thrive in a traditional classroom can often feel like a failure through no fault of her own. That same child might learn more effectively at a faster or slower pace, with more control over the topics, or in a less chaotic environment.

But how do I homeschool my child?

Plenty of parents might think about homeschooling, but be intimidated by how to go about it: What would I teach? How do I create a curriculum? How do I make sure my child still has friends to play with?

Parents who have successfully homeschooled say that the resources and support system exist in most any town or city to make homeschooling possible for most any family. It’s a matter of knowing what steps to take.

First find out what your state’s rules are. You might have to register your school and detail the curriculum you have chosen. You might also have to provide proof that you have enough education to take this on. You may need to issue end-of-grade tests as well. The rules on this vary from state to state, though homeschooling is legal in all 50 states.

Next, turn to your child. What are her interests? What style of learner is she? Take your time buying an expensive curriculum until you’re sure it suits what she wants to learn and the way you want to teach. You might want to work from a printed-page curriculum and do all the teaching yourself. Or you might opt to be a teacher/coach while your student takes her classes online.

If your child is in middle or high school, you might opt to sign up for a  virtual school . Next, find a local support group so you and your child can connect with other homeschoolers in your area. ( Find more information about homeschooling, including ideas on finding a support group .) If you work, have small children, and are wondering if you can make homeschooling happen, the answer may be “no” unless you are willing to hire a babysitter or nanny. But if you have a responsible high schooler, you might find a virtual school — complete with teachers — might make it work even if you do have to go to work.

What supporters say

• Learning is for real. When you learn something because you want to know the answer and through real-life experience, you remember it. Those facts your student crammed into his head the night before a test? Not so much.
• Family bonding is sweet. Instead of fighting over homework, attendance, grades, and getting to school on time, you can argue over philosophy, take a day off to go to the park or a museum, feel real pride in your child’s knowledge and abilities, and start your school day at a time that suits your schedule.
• You can travel. Instead of cramming all your vacations and family relaxation time into spring break and summer, travel when it suits you. There is no better way to learn a language, geography, or about different cultures than visiting foreign lands — or touring your own land as a foreigner. Money may limit your adventures but school schedules will not.
• Homeschooling allows you to share your values. You may not like the values your child is bringing home from school. Homeschooling allows parents to raise and educate their children according to their own values and/or religious beliefs. Or the school’s climate may not foster the emotional, social, and academic approach you do. At home, you set the tone.
• Homeschoolers do well academically. According to NHERI , home-educated students typically score 15 to 30 percentile points above public-school students on standardized academic achievement tests. NHERI also claims that homeschoolers score above the average on the SAT and ACT tests.

What critics say

• Homeschooling is for those on the fringe. According to the National Center for Education Statistics , in 2019 only about 13 percent of parents cited the need to provide religious instruction as the most important reason they homeschool.  The most important single reason, cited by 25 percent of families, was dissatisfaction with the school environment because of safety, drug use, or negative peer pressure.  Most families had more than one reason for choosing the homeschooling route.
• Homeschooled kids are antisocial. There is no doubt that a school with classrooms full of other kids offers more opportunities for social interaction than staying home. But in some schools, those social interactions can be overly negative. This may account for the NHERI research that finds homeschooled kids are doing above average on this measure. But homeschooled kids and their parents do have to look elsewhere for social engagement: clubs, sports teams, and homeschool support groups.
• It’s hard work for parents. If you have three children under ten and decide to homeschool, you will certainly have your hands full for a few years. Even having one teenager at home all the time can wear a parent down — especially if that parent also has a job. Without a doubt, this is a decision to put your child’s education before your own career and free time.
• Homeschoolers don’t do as well academically. While critics say that homeschoolers aren’t getting the quality education they’d receive in a traditional school, statistics on low achievement among homeschoolers is hard to find. (Conversely, student achievement among homeschoolers that is not funded by homeschooling organizations is also hard to come by.) Additionally, there is relatively little regulation for homeschool parents. There are 21 states that require some form of standardized testing.   As for being qualified to teach your own kids, most states will allow any parent to home school, although a few require that a parent have at least a high school diploma or GED. Check with your state or the Home School Legal Defense Fund to see if yours is one of them.

Is homeschooling right for my child?

Whether this is the right way to educate your child or not depends on a lot of factors and can change from one year to the next.

If your school is failing your child and you have no other viable options (such as a quality private school), homeschooling might be the best solution. But if your child craves a group to belong to and resides near a friendly public school full of friendly faces, he might do better there. If your school has a bullying problem or your child can’t fit into the social environment, though, socializing there will probably do more harm than good. If you don’t have the time and can’t afford to take the time, then creating a successful home school might put more strain on your family and its finances than they can take. But if you are home and able and want to spend more time with your children, this might be the thing that frees you from some of the strains and difficulties that traditional schooling can present, like homework battles and predetermined vacation days.

A final word of advice about homeschooling

If you decide to leave your child’s existing school and begin homeschooling, do so gently and politely. Tell your child’s school you want to try this and don’t point the finger of blame at the school.  If you are reacting to a bad school situation , you may decide in a year that your child wants to go back to that school. Or you might want to ask if your child can attend one class there, be in the school play, or play on a sports team. Don’t burn any bridges. And remember, you aren’t stuck doing this forever any more than you are stuck taking your child to the neighborhood school. You can always change your mind and send the kids back to that school.

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Homeschooling pros and cons - Is homeschool better than public school?

We discuss the benefits of homeschooling and the difficulties parents may face. Is homeschooling better or worse for children than standard education?

Is homeschooling better than public school?

The critically acclaimed American film Captain Fantastic , directed by Matt Ross, has made many families think about the problems and benefits of homeschooling . In the film Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) and his wife Leslie live with his six children in the wilderness in the Northwest. These children don't go to school but are educated directly by their parents into critical thinking, left-wing politics and living in harmony with nature . However, after the Leslie dies, they are forced to leave their small paradise and face the challenges of American society. As in Captain Fantastic , many parents today decide to opt out of the traditional public or private school and take full responsibility of the education of their kids.  These families make some sacrifices and may encounter some problems, however, they are often very satisfied and proud of the results of homeschooling. We discuss here if homeschooling is better and worth the effort and potential risks.

What is homeschooling? Approaches

Homeschooling refers to the education of children at home rather than in a private or public school environment. An increasing numbers of parents have decided to educate their kids outside the formal education institutions. Often this is due to a lack of trust in the public education system or to strong beliefs concerning alternative methods of individualized learning which could hardly be offered in regular schools .  

There are different approaches to homeschooling. The most common are:

• Classic or Socratic method: it focuses on the Trivium, this is teaching based on the three stages of the child's cognitive development (concrete, analytical or abstract thinking).
• The Charlotte Mason method: it is based on the belief that children can better learn from real-life experiences and situations and absorb things from the environment.
• Unit studies: revolves around a specific area of interest or theme. Children get in-depth knowldege by analysing that topic from different disciplinary angles (maths, language, history , etc.)
• Unschooling or natural learning: founded by John Holt, it is based on the belief that children better learn subjects like language, math, arts, etc. naturally, without following any formal lesson schedule or homework .
• Relaxed or eclectic homeschooling: it is based on combining and alternating the different methods of homeschooling.

Watch these videos discussing the problems and benefits of homeschooling

Homeschooling pros and cons

Homeschooling is also a highly controversial issue and there are discrepancies on how different governments deal with this issue. Due to the different approaches to homeschooling some education authorities find very difficult to monitor if children outside schools comply with the expected standards. Homeschooling is only legal in some countries such as the UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia and the US. In America,  homeschooling requirements vary across states. For instance, in New York, Philadelphia and Rhode Island homeschooling is highly regulated, while in other states, such as Texas, Michigan and Alaska parents have extreme freedom with homeschool and do not even need to give notice to the authorities. Click here  to see what are homeschooling requirements in your state.

These are the most important benefits of homeschooling: 

Homeschooling pros

• It is an expression of educational freedom . Children usually experience fewer constraints than in formal education. Parents can choose what to prioritize. 
• Less pressure on children and capacity to adapt to the needs and abilities of children. They avoid competition and bullies and  learn at their own rythm.
• Some parents think that religious education is important and insufficiently covered in schools. Homeschool allows parents to devote more time and effort to faith and religious studies. 
• Flexibility : no need to go to school or follow school calendar and timetable. Families can also travel outside typical course breaks and holidays.
• Strengthen family relationships . As parents spend much more time with their children, they get to know each other much better.
• Some studies  show that children educated home score as good or better than those attending schools. 

On the other hand the critics of home education point at the following disadvantages:

Homeschool cons

• Homeschooling can create problems of socialization because children do not interact very often with other children outside their family. In particular interactions with children of different ethnic or socio-cultural backgrounds are minimal. 
• Likelihood of inadequate standards of academic quality and comprehensiveness. Not all parents have a thorough understanding of the education system and therefore they may miss the mark when delivering content and helping their children develop useful skills.
• Formal pedagogical training . Not all parents can facilitate education as teachers do. Teachers undergo formal education on how to lead classes and deal with challenges.
• Children may develop extremist views (religious or political) or values that are inconsistent with the country's standards of citizenship and community. As parents control homeschool and children interact less with other adults and kids, if parents hold radical beliefs and attitudes, they will be likely transmitted through homeschooling.
• Capacity of the homeschool children to adapt to secondary and higher education institutions may be undermined. Some children educated home may experience a cultural shock when enter a much more rigid and formalized education system.

Homeschool vs public school, do you think society and governments should play a role in childrens' education? Is better than children adapt to school or should school be adapted to individual children? Is homeschooling a sort of gamble or experiment for some children?

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Home Schooling: Pros, Cons, What You Need to Know

Just a few weeks into COVID-related distance learning, Lauren Pelissier’s 11-year-old son, Jack, started really struggling. “Being on a screen with 20 to 30 kids and not being able to connect with another student or the teacher was really hard on him,” says the Georgia mom and event planner. “There was a lot of confusion, tears, and sadness.”

They stuck it out for the rest of the year. But in the spring, when their school district was waffling on a return to in-person learning for fall, Pelissier took action. She wanted to find an option that was “solid and consistent.” But she also knew she wasn’t prepared, or even able, to home-school Jack herself. So she did what any desperate parent does: She went to Google.

Pelissier “typed in ‘private homeschool instruction’” and quickly found her way to a small home school created by two local parents. And with that, she joined a national trend of families struggling with virtual school who are looking to home-school for the first time.

Jamie Heston, a home-school consultant in the Bay Area of California and a former board member of the Homeschool Association of California, has been hosting “Homeschool 101” a few times a year to an audience of 20 to 30 people. Since last April, she’s “been doing them weekly and getting 100 people every time.”

We put together a Homeschool 101 to answer common questions for any family that’s home-school-curious.

What Is Home Schooling?

“Home schooling is a broad umbrella,” says Blair Lee, founder of SEA Homeschoolers, the nation’s largest secular home-school organization. What started as a grassroots movement among Christian and “hippie” families has become a booming industry.

“More families are drawn to home schooling because they feel the public education system is not a good fit for their child,” Heston says.

“At its heart,” Lee says, “home schooling is education with a focus on the individual.”

Why Home Schooling?

“The most profound benefit of home schooling is there is no timeline for learning anymore,” Lee says. That means if, for any reason, the pace of traditional school doesn’t work for your child, you can create a pace tailored to them. This might mean moving faster through material and getting to additional areas of study or having focused time in challenging areas.

Pelissier says Jack is doing really well in an environment that lets him tap into his creativity. “The public school system kind of put him in a box,” she says. “Looking back, he was really stifled; there was no room for his brain to expand beyond what was being provided to him.”

In his new “school,” Pelissier says, there’s room for him to grow in relation to his interests.

Who’s a Good Candidate for Home Schooling?

“Anyone can benefit from this approach,” says Blair. But home schooling could really be a good fit if your child:

• Is gifted or has a learning challenge and would benefit from more individual teaching
• Has sensory issues and finds the school environment overwhelming
• Is an actor or athlete who needs a more flexible schedule
• Is being bullied at school
• Learns better at their own pace
• Has behavioral issues in school. These are often related to movement and behavior. They disappear in a home-school setting.

It can also help if someone in your family has a medical condition that requires limiting germs in the home ( pandemic or no pandemic).

Where Do I Start?

Home schooling is regulated by states, so there isn’t any one-stop shopping. Getting set up can be confusing.

Search for your state’s home-schooling organization to find out what it looks like where you live, Lee says.

“Every state is different,” Heston says. “Some you have to file a letter of intent. Some states have charter programs that are still under the public school system.”

They also vary in what they expect your kids to learn. “Some are completely hands-off, and you have a lot of autonomy,” Heston says. Others require you to submit a plan that the superintendent has to review. California, for example, says you need to provide an equivalent education to public school and cover the main topics. But, Heston says, you have complete flexibility in how you do that.

Once you know what your state requires, reach out to home-school groups (most of which are on Facebook) to find out what people are doing in your area. “Find two or three groups with descriptions that seem like they would be a good fit for your child or family, and join them, and ask questions,” Heston says. You’ll likely find like-minded folks who can serve as mentors, sharing resources for curriculum, local programs, and more.

How Do I Know What and How My Kid Should Learn?

You can buy an all-in-one curriculum and just “open the box and do it,” Heston says. But she encourages families to experiment before they spend money on anything. “It takes some time to find out what works for your kid and your home and your schedule -- and you can get overwhelmed with all the choices out there.”

“I usually see home school fail when people try to duplicate school at home -- when I see people making out long, specific schedules,” says Richmond, VA., home-schooler Alycia Wright. “For most people, that’s not real life, and that’s exactly what you’re trying to get rid of. You don’t need a classroom. A kitchen table will be fine.”

“Just start somewhere covering your major topics and then fine-tune it,” Heston says.

“Embrace the freedom and try it,” says Wright. “If it doesn’t work, you can change it up.”

Don’t Home-Schoolers Get Left Behind?

When parents are worried about keeping their kids “on track,” Heston tells them, “topics like math, reading, and writing are linear, so any program you use is going to keep you ‘on track.’”

For subjects like science and history, which aren’t necessarily covered every day in school, “there are a million and one websites out there that will tell you what the typical topics are and what kinds of experiments you can do.”

History was one of the main reasons Wright, a mom of three and former public school teacher, began home schooling. “In school, they start talking about African Americans in 1619 with slavery,” she says. “So, your whole lens starts with these traumatic events.”

Wright, who is Black, wanted to give her kids a fuller view of history that reflects her culture and community. She’s part of a movement among African Americans who are finding freedom in home schooling where they “can research and find all the stories that we wish we had when we were children, all the stories that are missing from the books.”

Can Home-Schooled Kids Get Into College?

“You can go to college as a home-schooler, no problem,” Heston says. “Most colleges now have special admissions officers just for the home-schooling set, and they covet home-schoolers because they know they are more autonomous.”

“Colleges have become very home school friendly,” says Lee, whose son got scholarship offers from all but one of the colleges he wanted to go to. And Wright says home schooling helped her oldest daughter enter college at 15. “Even though she didn’t get a traditional education, she was able to move at her own pace, which is what enabled her to get to such an advanced place,” she says.

What if I Don’t Want to -- or Can’t -- Teach My Kids?

You aren’t alone. But there are many small programs such as the one Pelissier found. It’s more like a mini-school, she says. “There’s been real growth in that area,” Lee adds.

Pelissier researched home schools with an outside teaching component. She found a hybrid home school, “which is 2 days a week in person, taught by teachers, and 3 days a week independent work, at home with little to no screens.”

Or you can look into a co-op like the one Wright founded. When she started home schooling, she says, she did a lot of networking to find other home-schooling families of color. As a result of her efforts, she launched the Cultural Roots Homeschool Co-Op. Her goal was to create a broad network of home-schoolers that can help culturally diverse kids learn more about their own backgrounds.

Co-op members can share teaching responsibilities or pool resources to hire a teacher for some or all of the subjects.

Other options include:

• Using outside “vendors” that offer math, science, nature, and other programs, much like an afterschool program. Your child attends those for a portion of the day or the week.
• Looking for public school programs that offer 2 days a week in a more typical school environment, and the other days you home-school

The bottom line, Heston says, is that “there are all kinds of different programs out there.”

Will Home Schooling Isolate My Kids?

Home-schooling folks hear lots of concerns about kids not interacting with others their age.

And while that’s true to some extent, they say home-schoolers still have plenty of opportunities to connect with other kids. It just takes some work.

“Everything that schools have, we have as well, just in smaller groups,” says Heston, who helps organize teen parties, moms’ nights out, Nerf battles, park days, field trips, and team day competitions.

With the home-school population growing during the pandemic, Heston says, “there’s going to be an even larger contingency of people clamoring for connection.”

And one of them will be Jack Pelissier. “This has worked out significantly better than I could have ever imagined,” his mom says. “I was exposed to it as a byproduct of COVID, but he will probably stay there, because the format works better for him as a person.”

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Essay on Home Schooling in 150, 250 and 400 words

• Updated on  
• Jan 8, 2024

Homeschooling refers to the practice of education at home or any other place outside the school premises. Over the years, the popularity of homeschooling has increased quite a bit. It is much more convenient for both students as well as parents. It saves time, is efficient, and de-stresses children, unlike normal schools that distress children. But just like everything else, along with the pros, homeschooling too has some cons. 

A lot of people believe that education in homeschooling is confined to home boundaries only. These students are not able to develop social skills and find it hard to socialise with others. Some of them become introverts too. These are just misconceptions. We have provided below samples of essays on homeschooling. Let’s have a look at them.

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Home Schooling in 150 words
• 2 Essay on Home Schooling in 250 words
• 3 Essay on Home Schooling in 400 words

Also Read:- Importance of Internet

Essay on Home Schooling in 150 words

Homeschooling is a concept that has been becoming quite popular over the years. Especially in times of natural calamities and pandemics such as COVID-19, it has gained quite a reputation for being an alternative to traditional schooling. Some of the benefits of homeschooling include convenience for both, children as well as parents. It provides tailor-fit learning education to children as every child has his/her own learning pace. 

Homeschooling de-stresses children, unlike schools that distress them. But just like any other thing, homeschooling too has some drawbacks. One of the drawbacks that most concern parents is that their child would not be able to have social interaction. Children need to have social interaction in the early stages of childhood to develop their minds. Hence, it’s up to each child and parent whether to take up homeschooling or not. 

Essay on Home Schooling in 250 words

One of the aspects that has been gaining quite a lot of attention and popularity is homeschooling. Over the years, it has been gaining quite a reputation of becoming an alternative to traditional schooling. Homeschooling is a good way to deliver tailor-fit education to children as every child has his/her own pace of learning. 

So for children who are unable to cope with the pace of school education, homeschooling is a great option for them. Homeschooling is extremely convenient for both, children as well as parents. It saves time and money as well. The children who are homeschooled have to deal with less stress as traditional schooling gives them a lot of stress. By tracking the progress of their child on their own, parents get to understand their child better and hence make necessary adjustments for them. 

But just like any other thing, homeschooling too has some drawbacks. One of the major drawbacks is that children who are homeschooled lack social skills. Having social international for children in their early stages of childhood is essential for developing their minds. Children who are homeschooled may even become introverts. Parents might find it stressful for them in the long run to have to homeschool their child if they do it on their own.

They might also not be able to have any time for themselves. Homeschooling is a choice that requires assessing the situation. It might be suitable for some, while others may not find it fit for them. Hence, the decision to homeschool should be made judiciously.

Also Read:- Essay on Pollution

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC in 6 Months?

Essay on Home Schooling in 400 words

Over these past few years, the concept of homeschooling has gained quite a lot of attention. Especially in a time like the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become an alternative to traditional schooling for many parents. Parents can hire a tutor for the same or can even teach their children themselves. Homeschooling has a lot of pros for both, parents as well as children. 

Pros of Home Schooling

Homeschooling is much more convenient than traditional schooling. It also saves commuting time and a little money too given what the situation is. Homeschooling allows parents to tailor-fit education for their child. This is great because every child has his/her own learning pace and this way they can easily cope with the learning. In traditional school, all have to learn at the same pace irrespective of whether or not they are learning. 

Also for many students, the school environment can become quite stressful making it difficult for them to get comfortable and hence causing them stress. Homeschooling, on the other, de-stresses children. They are safe from even getting bullied and have the comfort of their own home. Parents get a chance to track their child’s progress and hence, get to know them better. Such a thing generates positivity all around. 

Cons of Home Schooling

But just like any other thing, homeschooling too has some drawbacks. One of the major drawbacks that concern parents the most is that their children would not be able to have proper social interactions. Social interactions are very important in the early stages of childhood to develop a child’s mind properly. 

Failure in that can even lead to a child becoming introverted. Some of the homeschooled children also face problems in mixing with others. For parents, depending on the situation, homeschooling can turn out to be costly as the tutors they hire may charge high fees from them. Parents may also find that they are not able to have time for themselves, which, in the long, can become quite stressful for them.

The decision of homeschooling shouldn’t be just opted for the convenience of it. Parents should take into account every scenario of their current as well as to some extent, their near future situations to make a correct decision. Hence, it would be fitting to say that the decision to homeschool should be made judiciously.

Related Reads

Homeschooling is much more convenient than traditional schooling. It also saves commuting time and a little money too given what the situation is. Homeschooling allows parents to tailor-fit education for their child. This is great because every child has his/her own learning pace and this way they can easily cope with the learning. In traditional school, all have to learn at the same pace irrespective of whether or not they are learning. Also for many students, the school environment can become quite stressful making it difficult for them to get comfortable and hence causing them stress. Homeschooling, on the other, de-stresses children. They are safe from even getting bullied and have the comfort of their own home. Parents get a chance to track their child’s progress and hence, get to know them better. Such a thing generates positivity all around. 

Some of the benefits of homeschooling include convenience for both, children as well as parents. It provides tailor-fit learning education to children as every child has his/her own learning pace. Homeschooling de-stresses children, unlike schools that distress them.

In some aspects, homeschooling is better than traditional schooling. It is more convenient, children can learn at their own pace, it de-stresses them, etc. but on the other hand, it does have some cons too such as no social interaction which can lead to less developed minds, no healthy competition, etc. 

This brings us to the end of our blog Essay on Homeschooling. Hope you find this information useful. For more information on such informative topics for your school, visit our essay writing and follow Leverage Edu.

Deepansh Gautam

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Homeschooling Pros and Cons for Kids and Parents

Jess Faraday

Before the COVID-19 pandemic , just over three percent of American families homeschooled their children. In the years since, that number has jumped to just over 11 percent overall, and as much as 16 percent among Black and Hispanic families (Eggleston and Fields, 2021).

Today, families considering homeschooling h ave a wide range of resources at their disposal. From packaged homeschool lesson plans to websites and meetups, and even activity groups just for homeschoolers, all of the ingredients are there to help homeschooling parents make the most of their child’s education.

But doing homeschooling right can be a huge commitment and a lot of work. It’s definitely not for everyone, and that’s okay.

Is homeschooling right for your family?

Related: Can Homeschoolers Go to College? Learn How to Apply

Academic Benefits of Homeschooling

Homeschooling has some distinct advantages over traditional school. For families who homeschool during the early years and send their children to a traditional high school, the benefits are still there.

Homeschool families like to point out that students with a homeschooling education often score higher on academic achievement tests than students from conventional schools. This is true — at least when students follow a structured homeschool curriculum. Though the opposite is true for students who have not followed a structured program (Goodwin, 2021).

Smaller Class Sizes and Individualized Attention 

Academic benefits come down to a combination of small group size and individualized curriculum.

Homeschooled children can learn at their own pace rather than being chained to the progress of a larger group. This means that students who struggle with some subject areas are free to go over the material as often as they need to. It also means that students can move more quickly through the material that’s easy for them.

Personalized Lessons That Meet Kids’ Needs 

Another benefit is that families can tailor lessons to an individual student’s interests, needs, and learning style . The current educational system simply doesn’t have the resources to do this for every student.

More Educational Freedom

Some parents choose to homeschool out of concern for the learning environment: what is being taught and how.

Educating children at home gives families control over both of these factors. Many states require homeschooled students to study certain core subjects, such as math, reading and writing, but homeschool families can decide how to approach subjects such as moral and religious education.

Social Benefits of Homeschooling 

Proponents of traditional schooling often express concern that homeschooled kids are missing out on opportunities to bond with their peers. This isn’t necessarily true.

A Strong Homeschooling Community 

As home education becomes more widespread, homeschool groups for study and extracurricular activities have appeared for just this purpose. Homeschool networks allow parents to organize get-togethers for study, play, field trips, and more.

Less Peer Pressure and Bullying 

Families concerned about peer pressure or problems with their local public schools no longer need to choose between educational and social development

Homeschooling families have greater control over their children’s social interaction — who, where, when, and how. So rates of bullying are far less in a homeschool environment. 

Flexible Schedules and Special Accommodations 

Home education can be the best option for families with certain concerns, including:

• Professional or family obligations that require a flexible schedule
• Religious or moral concerns
• Special needs that can’t be met by the school system or at a private school

Academic Disadvantages of Homeschooling

Homeschooling is hard work, and it’s not right for everyone. Before embarking upon this journey, it’s important to understand some of the challenges that you might face.

It’s easy to underestimate how difficult the job of teaching can be—in a lot of ways.

Lack of Structure

One of the benefits of home study is a flexible schedule. But that shouldn’t mean “anything goes.” A lack of structure can mean wasted time, and that can mean falling behind very quickly.

Setting up up a home schoolroom and having dedicated school hours can help to keep your family on track.

Limited Resources

Homeschoolers have a lot of resources and options, especially online. However, if you’re living in an isolated area, you may have a lot less opportunity for social activities and field trips.

Potential for Knowledge Gaps

Credentialed teachers study specialized techniques for teaching reading, writing, numeracy, and more. It’s harder than a lot of people think. And as your children grow older, the gaps between what you know and what they will need to know will grow. 

Moreover, if your kids have special needs, such as learning disabilities, you may have to hire outside professional assistance. After a long day of working with your kids, you may find yourself using your “free time” to play catch-up.

Access to Higher Education 

Finally, some universities accept academic credit from homeschool study, but many do not . You’ll need to plan ahead to make sure your child has the most options when they reach adulthood.

Emotional and Social Disadvantages of Homeschooling

Homeschooling also poses emotional challenges for both parents and kids. 

Homeschool Parent Burnout 

We all love spending time with our kids, but for homeschool parents, that time can seem endless.

Being a homeschool teacher can mean always being “on.” Burnout is common, and when you are the teacher, principal, social director, and janitor, it’s hard to find time for a break.

Social Isolation 

Homeschooling can also be isolating. Most other kids will be at school, and many other parents will be at work. Being a homeschool parent means carving out the time for self-care and for adult social interaction , and that can be challenging.

Logistical Challenges of Homeschooling 

Schools have lots of different personnel to facilitate academics, field trips , sports, social activities, teaching life skills , and so forth. But when you’re homeschooling, it’s all you.

You will have to make the opportunities for socializing. You will have to direct sports activities. You will have to organize field trips. And on and on.

This can be daunting, but it’s not impossible. If you’re not naturally organized, however, you may need a crash course in organization and time management.

You’ll need plans for each day. You’ll need yearly plans to make sure your kids meet state requirements for each grade. And you’ll want to plan in the long term so that your kids learn what they need to learn and gather the necessary credits for university or career education.

Financial Challenges of Homeschooling 

Homeschooling can be expensive.

Pre-made homeschool lesson plans can run as high as $600 per year per child. If you want to join a homeschool group (or “learning pod”), that can cost several hundred dollars a week (Guha, 2022).

Other expenses may include:

• School supplies like pens, books, etc.
• Tutors or special needs learning specialists
• Field trips (museum admissions, transportation, and so on)
• Sports activities
• Outside classes

You’ll also have to factor in having one unpaid adult at home, rather than the two incomes that many families have.

How to Make an Informed Decision About Homeschooling 

Is a homeschool education the right learning experience for your family? Ask yourself a few questions.

Do You Know the Law?

Many states have laws and requirements to make sure that students who study at home learn the subjects they need to succeed in adult life. Some states also require homeschool instructors to pass a general knowledge test. Other states test homeschooled students periodically to make sure they’re keeping up with their peers.

Those laws vary by state. The Homeschool Legal Defense Association has a state-by-state breakdown here .

Are You Organized?

A homeschooling parent is a teacher, curriculum designer, school psychologist, activity director, social director, and more. You will have to have organized lesson plans that give your children the knowledge they’ll need to succeed.

 You’ll also have to make opportunities for them to engage with their peers and develop appropriate social skills.

You may also have to provide records of what, when, and how you teach your students, to state authorities, or later to colleges and universities.

That’s a lot of balls to juggle. But if you can do it, you may have what it takes to be an excellent homeschool parent.

Are You Willing to Study?

Do you remember everything you were taught as a child? Me, either. But if you want to homeschool your kids, you’re going to have to learn, or re-learn school subjects well enough to teach them. Even the subjects you hated.

And you’ll have to familiarize yourself with your child’s study materials so you can answer the questions that will inevitably arise.

You might also consider taking child development courses through your local community college so that you’re familiar with the educational milestones and techniques to help your kids to meet them.

Do you love to learn? You could be an awesome homeschool teacher!

Can Your Family Afford it?

Doing homeschooling right is a full-time job. It’s unpaid, and materials and field trips can get expensive. Can your family afford to have one full-time unpaid teacher at home? If not, are you willing to get creative to make it happen? If so, you’ll be in good company!

Do You Have a Solid Social Network?

Education isn’t only academics. One of the most important parts of education is learning social skills . In school, opportunities to interact with other kids and adults are built in. But if you’re educating your kids at home, you’ll need to seek out regular social opportunities for your kids.

This can be hard if you’re not naturally outgoing, or if there are limited social opportunities in your area. Homeschool groups, sports clubs, youth groups, and service organizations are a few places to start.

Are You Willing to Work Hard?

For many homeschooling parents, educating their children is the most rewarding and important thing they will ever do. And like everything that’s important and rewarding, it can be nonstop.

Are you ready to spend a lot of time organizing and interacting with your kids? Are you prepared to constantly seek out new academic and social opportunities? Are you prepared to do these things even when you’re frustrated, burnt out, and just don’t feel like it?

Then you just may be a homeschooler!

Resources for Families Considering Homeschooling

Curious? Here are a few resources to start your research.

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association should be your first stop for learning about the laws in your area. They also have resources for putting together lesson plans, addressing special needs, preparing your child for the real world, and more.

The Homeschool Mom has a variety of resources about types of home education, curricula, planning your school year, and so forth.

The Homeschool Resource Room has a handy roundup of free resources for homeschooling families.

Eggleston, C. and Fields, J. (2021, March 22). Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey Shows Significant Increase in Homeschooling Rates in Fall 2020. Census.gov. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/03/homeschooling-on-the-rise-during-covid-19-pandemic.html

Goodwin, C. (2021, September 1). The Research on Homeschooling. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/parenting-translator/202109/the-research-homeschooling

Guha, N. (2022, January 26). How Much Does Homeschooling Cost? Parents. https://www.parents.com/kids/education/home-schooling/homeschooling-costs/

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The Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

By Eric Eng

As the trend of homeschooling continues to rise, understanding the pros and cons of this educational approach becomes increasingly important. This article aims to offer an unbiased look at the advantages and disadvantages that homeschooling presents. If you’re contemplating this educational path for your child, read on to gain valuable insights that could influence your decision. Make an informed choice by learning the facets of homeschooling, both positive and negative.

Understanding Homeschooling

Homeschooling , or other variations of home-based education, is a form of learning where parents choose to educate their children at home rather than sending them to a traditional school. This practice has a long history, with notable figures like Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln being educated at home. Over time, homeschooling has evolved and gained recognition as a viable educational option.

When considering homeschooling , there are different approaches that families can take. Some opt for a structured curriculum that follows a specific program, similar to traditional schools. This approach provides a clear framework for learning, with set goals and milestones to achieve. It ensures that children receive a well-rounded education that covers various subjects.

On the other hand, some families prefer a more eclectic approach to homeschooling. This approach allows for a diverse range of educational materials and methods. Parents can choose from a wide array of resources, such as textbooks, online courses , educational games , and field trips, to create a customized learning experience for their children. This flexibility enables parents to adapt their teaching styles to suit their child’s learning abilities and interests.

Moreover, when we explore the pros and cons of homeschooling, we find that it allows for a personalized learning environment. Unlike traditional schools, where classrooms are filled with students of different abilities and learning styles, homeschooling provides an opportunity for one-on-one instruction. Parents can tailor their teaching methods to match their children’s unique learning needs, ensuring that they receive individualized attention and support.

Another advantage of homeschooling, when considering the pros and cons, is the ability to create a flexible schedule. Unlike the rigid structure of traditional schools, homeschooling allows families to set their own pace and prioritize subjects based on their child’s interests and strengths. This flexibility enables children to delve deeper into topics they are passionate about and spend more time on challenging subjects, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the material.

Furthermore, homeschooling provides a nurturing and supportive learning environment. With parents as their primary educators, children can develop strong bonds and open lines of communication with their family members. This close-knit relationship fosters a sense of security and trust, allowing children to feel comfortable asking questions, seeking guidance, and exploring their interests without fear of judgment.

In addition, homeschooling offers opportunities for real-world learning experiences. Since homeschooling is not confined to a classroom setting, children have the chance to engage in hands-on activities, field trips, and community service projects. These experiences provide practical applications of the knowledge they acquire, allowing them to see the relevance of their education in the world around them.

Overall, when we weigh the pros and cons of homeschooling, it becomes clear that it is a versatile educational option that allows parents to take an active role in their child’s education. It provides the flexibility to tailor the curriculum, teaching methods, and schedule to suit the individual needs and interests of the child. With a rich history and a range of approaches, homeschooling continues to be a popular choice for families seeking an alternative to traditional schooling .

The Advantages of Homeschooling

Personalized learning experience.

One of the primary benefits of homeschooling is the ability to tailor the curriculum and teaching methods to each child’s individual needs. Unlike a traditional classroom setting, homeschooling allows for one-on-one instruction and personalized attention. This personalized approach can foster a love for learning, encourage the exploration of individual interests, and enable students to progress at their own pace.

Imagine a homeschooling environment where a child who is passionate about science can delve deep into the subject, conducting experiments, and exploring scientific concepts in a hands-on manner. With the freedom to adapt the curriculum, parents can provide resources and materials that cater to their child’s specific interests and learning style. This level of customization not only enhances the learning experience but also nurtures a sense of ownership and enthusiasm for education.

Furthermore, when considering the pros and cons of homeschooling, it allows parents to identify and address any learning challenges or gaps in their child’s understanding promptly. With the ability to provide immediate feedback and individualized support, parents can ensure that their child grasps concepts fully before moving on to the next topic. This personalized attention promotes a solid foundation of knowledge and builds confidence in the child’s abilities.

Flexibility in Schedule

Homeschooling offers families the advantage of a flexible schedule. Without the constraints of traditional school hours, students have the freedom to pursue extracurricular activities, hobbies, or even travel while still engaging in their educational pursuits. This flexibility can enhance the overall learning experience by allowing students to explore their interests and develop time management skills.

Imagine a homeschooling family that decides to take a spontaneous trip to a historical site. Instead of being confined to a classroom, the children can experience history firsthand, immersing themselves in the culture and significance of the location. This experiential learning not only brings lessons to life but also fosters a sense of adventure and curiosity.

Moreover, when examining the pros and cons of homeschooling, the flexibility in schedule allows students to allocate time according to their individual needs and preferences. Some students may thrive in the morning, while others may be more productive in the afternoon or evening. Homeschooling accommodates these differences, enabling students to optimize their learning potential during their most productive hours. This personalized scheduling also promotes a healthy work-life balance, as students have the freedom to engage in activities outside of academics without feeling overwhelmed.

Strengthening Family Bonds

Homeschooling provides an opportunity for strong family bonds to develop and flourish. Spending significant amounts of time together fosters a closer relationship between parents and children, allowing for deeper connections and understanding. In addition, siblings often benefit from sharing the same learning environment, fostering cooperation and peer support.

Imagine a homeschooling family engaging in daily discussions and debates, where every member has a voice and contributes to the learning process. These conversations not only deepen the understanding of various subjects but also strengthen communication and critical thinking skills. The shared experience of homeschooling creates a unique bond between family members, as they navigate the educational journey together.

Furthermore, when weighing the pros and cons of homeschooling, it allows parents to instill their values and beliefs into their children’s education. This personalized approach ensures that children are exposed to a curriculum that aligns with the family’s principles and priorities. It also provides an opportunity for parents to impart life skills, character development, and moral values in a consistent and intentional manner.

In conclusion, when considering the pros and cons of homeschooling, it becomes clear that it offers numerous advantages. These include personalized learning experiences, flexibility in scheduling, and strengthened family bonds. By tailoring the curriculum to individual needs, homeschooling fosters a love for learning and allows students to progress at their own pace. The flexibility in schedule enables students to explore their interests and develop time management skills. Finally, homeschooling strengthens family bonds by providing opportunities for deeper connections, cooperation among siblings, and the transmission of values and beliefs. Homeschooling truly offers a unique and enriching educational experience for families.

The Disadvantages of Homeschooling

Time and effort required from parents.

Successfully homeschooling a child requires a substantial commitment from parents, and it’s essential to consider both the pros and cons of homeschooling. Acting as both educators and caregivers, parents must invest considerable time and effort into planning and executing lessons, assessing progress, and providing support. Homeschooling parents must possess a genuine passion for education and be prepared to dedicate a significant portion of their time to their child’s learning.

In addition to the time and effort required for planning and executing lessons, homeschooling parents also need to create a structured and conducive learning environment at home. This involves setting up a designated study area, organizing educational materials, and ensuring a quiet and distraction-free space for learning. Parents may also need to research and select appropriate curriculum and teaching resources, tailoring them to their child’s individual needs and learning style.

Furthermore, when considering the pros and cons of homeschooling, it’s important to acknowledge that homeschooling parents often take on the role of a facilitator, guiding their child’s learning and providing one-on-one attention. This personalized approach requires continuous engagement and active participation from parents, as they need to constantly assess their child’s progress, identify areas of improvement, and adapt teaching strategies accordingly. This level of involvement can be demanding and may require parents to constantly stay updated with educational trends and methodologies.

Limited Social Interaction

One of the potential drawbacks of homeschooling, which should be considered when evaluating the pros and cons of homeschooling, is the limited social interaction compared to a traditional schooling environment. While homeschooling families often engage in co-op activities, extracurricular programs, and organized social events, the opportunities for daily peer interactions may be diminished. Consequently, parents must be proactive in seeking out socialization opportunities for their children to ensure they have a well-rounded social development.

To address this concern, homeschooling parents often join local homeschooling groups or organizations, where they can connect with other families and organize group activities. These activities may include field trips, sports teams, art classes, or science clubs, providing opportunities for children to interact with their peers and develop social skills. Additionally, parents can explore community resources, such as libraries, museums, and community centers, which often offer programs and workshops specifically designed for homeschooling families.

Moreover, homeschooling allows for a flexible schedule, which can be advantageous in fostering socialization. Children can participate in community-based activities during school hours, such as volunteering, joining community service projects, or attending classes and workshops offered by local organizations. This flexibility enables children to interact with individuals of different ages, backgrounds, and interests, promoting a diverse social experience.

Potential Gaps in Learning

Another consideration when evaluating the disadvantages of homeschooling is the possibility of gaps in learning, a topic that is important to discuss when discussing the pros and cons of homeschooling. Despite diligent planning and execution, homeschooling parents may lack expertise in certain subjects or the ability to provide specialized instruction. Addressing these potential gaps may require additional resources or seeking outside assistance, such as tutors or online courses, to ensure a well-rounded education.

Fortunately, the availability of educational resources and support for homeschooling families has significantly increased in recent years. There are numerous online platforms and curriculum providers that offer comprehensive courses in various subjects, including math, science, history, and foreign languages. These resources can supplement homeschooling parents’ efforts and help fill any gaps in knowledge or expertise.

In addition, homeschooling parents can take advantage of local resources, such as libraries, museums, and community centers, which often offer educational programs and workshops. These institutions can provide valuable learning experiences and access to specialized knowledge that may not be readily available at home. Furthermore, parents can consider enrolling their child in extracurricular classes or activities outside of homeschooling, such as music lessons, art classes, or sports teams, to ensure a well-rounded education that includes areas where they may lack expertise.

Overall, while homeschooling offers many benefits, it is important to acknowledge the potential disadvantages and take proactive steps to address them. By investing time, effort, and resources into creating a structured learning environment, facilitating social interactions, and filling any potential gaps in learning, homeschooling parents can provide their children with a comprehensive education that prepares them for the future.

Making the Decision: Is Homeschooling Right for Your Child?

Evaluating your child’s needs.

Before embarking on the homeschooling journey, it is crucial to evaluate your child’s unique needs and learning style. Consider their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and any special educational requirements they may have. Reflecting on these factors will enable you to tailor homeschooling to suit your child’s specific needs.

Assessing Your Capability as a Homeschooling Parent

Homeschooling demands a significant commitment from parents, so it is essential to honestly assess your ability to assume the role of an educator. Reflect on your own educational background, teaching skills, patience, and motivation. Additionally, consider your availability, support system, and willingness to continuously learn and adapt as an educator.

Considering the Long-Term Implications

When deciding if homeschooling is right for your child, it is crucial to consider the long-term implications. Analyze factors such as college admissions, future career opportunities, and overall socialization. Research the legal requirements and regulations in your area to ensure compliance and eligibility for higher education or transition to a traditional school if necessary.

In conclusion, when weighing the pros and cons of homeschooling, it becomes evident that this educational approach offers several advantages and disadvantages that vary depending on each family’s unique circumstances. It provides the opportunity for a personalized and flexible learning experience, strengthening family bonds in the process. However, it also demands significant commitment and may require proactive efforts to ensure adequate socialization and address potential gaps in learning. By carefully evaluating your child’s needs, assessing your own capabilities, and considering the long-term implications, you can make an informed decision about whether homeschooling is the right choice for your family.

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41 Experts Share on the Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

Deciding on how to educate your children may be one of the most important choices you make as a parent. Their social, emotional, and physical well-being need to be taken into account, as does the quality of their education, and their unique learning style.

While some parents seem to have known the answer to this question from day one, others are struggling with what to do as their children inch closer to school age.

Because I have always found that the best way to make a smart decision is to speak with as many people as I can, I went out in search of parent bloggers who homeschool their children, and asked them the following question:

“What is one Pro and one Con of homeschooling?”

The list you are about to read is the result of that questioning. 41 seasoned homeschoolers chimed in with their best experiences and biggest challenges, and I just love the honesty with which they responded. 

The answers you read below may help you come to a decision of your own. Good luck, and happy reading!

Amy Roberts ~ Blogger ~ Raising Arrows

"I have learned infinitely more than I did during my own school years...

PRO  – My favorite is how much I am learning alongside my children.

I have learned infinitely more than I did during my own school years, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share these moments of education, observation, discovery, and wonderment with my children.

CON  – It’s difficult for me to think of a con when there are so many pros! If I had to give a con, it would be that it can be hard on a mom depending on her circumstances, the pressure and expectations she is burdened by, and even her own personality.

The homeschool moms who really thrive are the ones who learn to not look around them at what others are doing, and just stay steady at their own pace in their own unique style.

Gena Suarez ~ Publisher ~ The Old Schoolhouse

PRO  – The world is your schoolhouse.

Your children are not confined to the four walls of a building, but are out and about, interacting with children their own age, adults, and older people, gaining insight and experience in the real world into which they will enter as well-rounded adults.

CON  – The biggest con to homeschooling is that nearly all of your non-homeschooling friends, family members and neighbors think you have all this free time all day and have nothing to do, so they frequently ask for your help with their errands and projects.

And generally, you help them because you’re demonstrating a servant’s heart to your children. So it’s a win-win.

Jamie Gaddy ~ Manager ~ A2Z Homes Cool

"It's the perfect way to put success in the hands of your kids!

PRO  – Homeschooling is flexible! Because of the nature of homeschooling, you can tailor your studies, your schedule, and your teaching style to fit your student’s needs!

Your child is the focus of the homeschool process, and the benefits are limitless! In addition, there are so many options with homeschooling.

From co-ops to help with difficult subjects to internships that prepare your high schooler for their future – it’s the perfect way to put success in the hands of your kids!

CON  – Homeschooling requires a big investment and it’s not money! As with anything that is worth doing, homeschooling requires an investment from the parents.

The responsibility of education rests on the parent, however, today there are many resources that help to lighten that load. It takes a lot of heart to work with your children every day, and it’s important to take steps to ensure that you don’t get burned out!!

Jen ~ Blogger ~ Practical, By Default

"You get to choose the schedule and style that is best for you...

PRO  – You get to choose the schedule and style that is best for you, your child, and your family.

If you are a stay at home mom homeschooler, working homeschooler, working at home homeschooler, traveling homeschooler etc. you can find and design a schedule that works for you!

CON  – You need to stick to this schedule that you just planned! Making sure it is if flexible enough for any emergencies that may spring up, and for when “life” gets in the way. Guarding your time must be a priority as a homeschool mom.

Karen Loutzenhiser ~ Writer ~ Layers Of Learning

"We get to adapt everything we do to our schedule...

PRO  – One pro about homeschooling is that it is totally flexible and exactly what we want to make it. We get to adapt everything we do to our schedule, our abilities, our interests, and our passions.

We study maps and globes, but we also visit museums, national parks, landmarks, and even other countries and continents.

Sure, we get our math assignment done and learn to spell words, but we also get to go talk with engineers who are using the math and write to real authors who splash those words across their pages. 

We read about science and health, but we also 3-D print, pretend play on kids teepees and build drones, volunteer at zoos, and shadow real dentists. The world is our classroom and our lessons are unforgettable.

CON  – One con about homeschooling is that it fills our lives in big and sometimes exhausting ways. It’s all the joys and hardships of parenting doubled up.

It takes real patience and more heart than you can imagine, You need a team of people who are cheering you on.

With believers behind you, you can do anything, but too often the skeptics stand in your way and cast their doubts. 

With a positive tribe who believes in and reminds you of the joys when you’re in the middle of the hardships, you can accomplish anything.

Mary Hood ~ Author ~ ARCHERS for the Lord

"Parents can individualize instruction to the child's needs...

PRO  – Flexibility. Parents can individualize instruction to the child’s needs , and also have the flexibility to make up their own schedules and vacation at off times of the year.

CON  – Parents can unwittingly pass on their own academic weaknesses and a dislike for certain subjects if they aren’t conscious of their own feelings and aren’t willing or able to seek out help from others.

Meagan ~ Blogger ~ More Than a Homeschool Mom

"The ability to see your kids master something they struggled with.

PRO  – One pro of homeschooling would definitely be the ability to see your kids master something they struggled with. After hours of working to learn to read and write, the first time it really clicks is enough to take your breath away and make you thankful for the journey.

CON  – One con of homeschooling is the constant pressure to reach a standard you can’t quantify set by people you don’t know without a clear direction as to who is right or wrong.

It means constantly reminding yourself that you don’t have to compare, you only have to teach your kids the way they learn best.

Latonya Moore ~ Blogger ~ Joy in the Ordinary

"I do believe homeschooling provides room for more moments of quality of time...

PRO  – Homeschooling has allowed me to develop close relationships with both of my daughters. I don’t feel like I am behind when new experiences happen in their lives because we spend quite a bit of time together.

Although I don’t necessarily believe that you have to an abundance of time to have a good relationship with your child, I do believe homeschooling provides room for more moments of quality of time which leaves room for conversations and experiences that might not happen if my daughters were at school.

CON  – It is true that homeschooling can be isolating especially if you don’t have a circle of friends and family who support you.

Luckily, we do have support within our regular community, but with most things in life there’s a desire to have relationships with those who have a similar life too. 

In our early years of homeschooling, being the diversity was hard. I am not only speaking of diversity when it comes to race, but even when it came to being a homeschool mom who worked.

It was hard to find others who related to me. Now there are more working homeschooling moms, but the racial diversity in the homeschool community still lacks.

It’s still very normal for my daughters to be the only Black students in a class even though we live in a more diverse community when it comes to homeschooling.

Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur ~ Editor ~ Today's Catholic Homeschooling

"Children have the opportunity to learn at their own pace.

PRO  – It’s hard to just list one pro for homeschooling, but I’d say its greatest benefit is the gift of time. Children have the opportunity to learn at their own pace.

In addition, because homeschooling does not take as many hours as traditional school, they have the time to pursue their own interests on a deeper level.

CON  – One of the cons is that it can be hard for homeschooling parents to spend so much time with their children without the benefit of adult interaction.

It is so important to have a network of other homeschoolers so that you can have friends to talk with who understand your lifestyle.

Shelly Buck ~ Vlogger ~ Simply Shelly

"The biggest Pro for me is that I have been able to spend all this time with my kids.

PRO  – After 10 years of homeschooling, I think my husband and I would agree that homeschooling is one of the best decisions we have made.  

The biggest Pro for me is that I have been able to spend all this time with my kids. I’ve had the privilege to build a closer relationship with them because of the time homeschooling has afforded me.

I’ve been able to instill our beliefs and values into them, instead of someone else. 

CON  – My con would also be time spent with my kids! when you homeschool, you spend all of your time with your kids and this can become exhausting when a tired mom doesn’t get a break.  

My sister once told me you have to remember your “why”, which is the reason you began homeschooling in the first place, and always go back and remind yourself of that reason.  

I will never regret the tiring moments because of the amazing bond it has created in my family.

Dianna Kennedy ~ Blogger ~ The Kennedy Adventures

"Having a support team (my husband and close friends) helps me tremendously.

PRO  – I can meet my children where they are, and work with them to progress at their pace, instead of an arbitrary timeline.

I have sons with learning issues (dyslexia, dysgraphia and auditory processing disorder), and having them at home with me has allowed them to soar. 

CON  – As a homeschooling mother, I feel like I’m being judged by the outside world, to live up to others’ expectations for education.

It’s hard for me to close my eyes to the nay-sayers and press on. Having a support team (my husband and close friends) helps me tremendously. 

Lee Binz ~ Homeschool Consultant~ The Home Scholar

"Parents can create a cozy corner to encourage reading real literature.

PRO  – The biggest pro of homeschooling is the love of learning.

Homeschooling provides the best possible learning environment to encourage the love of learning.

Homeschooling is education safe and secure, allowing children to learn more in a relaxed environment. Parents can create a cozy corner to encourage reading real literature.

Behind a couch, laying on the dog, or cuddling up inside a teepee can be a great way to encourage the true love of reading. Supply the throw pillows or blankets, fill a shelf with age-appropriate books, and presto!

You have created a warm and welcoming environment to promote the love of reading, learning and homeschooling.

CON  – The biggest cons of homeschooling is the quantity of books. Homeschool parents constantly battle an overwhelming, always growing collection of books.

A frequent consumer of shelving units, homeschool parents are known to have rooms where all walls are bookshelves, with books littering the floor and filling boxes laying everywhere.

It’s not just books they own, either. Homeschoolers are often regulars at the public library, filling boxes of books weekly.

Amy Milcic ~ Blogger ~ Rock Your Homeschool

"A good planner can be a homeschool mom's best friend.

PRO  – Homeschooling provides you with the opportunity to help your kids enjoy learning.

You can jump down rabbit holes, explore interests, and add fun to your day. Also, you have the gift of time. You get to know your kids for who they are and select resources that best fit their needs.

CON  – It can feel like you never have enough hours in your day to do all the things you need and want to do. There are so many wonderful things to learn about and explore!

Plus, dishes, changing the kids curtains , and dust to distract. To overcome that overwhelm, it’s essential to focus on your why and pair those goals with realistic expectations. Also, a good planner can be a homeschool mom’s best friend.

Ticia ~ Former Teacher ~ Adventures in Mommydom

"If Mom is lackadaisical, her children will suffer and their education will show it.

PRO  – You can adapt to your child’s interests, their strengths, and their weaknesses. This becomes especially important as your kids age.

This year each of my children have an independent project geared for their current career plan. I was able to change the math curriculum we were using for my daughter because she wasn’t learning with our current curriculum.

CON  – Homeschooling is made or broken by Mom’s involvement. If the Mom (or primary homeschooling parent) is on top of it and involved homeschooling will surpass all other educational systems because of her passion.

If Mom is lackadaisical, her children will suffer and their education will show it. That can be very stressful for the homeschooling parent.

Michelle Cannon~ Single Mom ~ The Heart of Michelle

"We are free to homeschool in the style or method that works for our family.

PRO  – Freedom. We are free to homeschool in the style or method that works for our family. Most importantly, I can adapt what we’re doing to my children’s individual special needs.

CON  – The only negative things I can think of are not directly caused by homeschooling, but occur in homeschools all the time. Those negatives are things such as comparison, putting pressure on ourselves to fit in imaginary boxes we think everyone else is in. 

Renee Brown ~ Homeschool Mom ~ Renee at Green Peace

"For my family homeschooling is absolutely the right choice for our only child.

PRO  – As a mom of an only child I get questioned quite a bit about whether homeschooling is the right choice for a single child. For my family homeschooling is absolutely the right choice for our only child.

The biggest pro of homeschooling an only child is that I can fully allow him to grow and explore his own interests and develop his own passions. It’s easier for a single child family to foster individual learning because the educational focus is placed on only one child.

CON  – The biggest con, however, of homeschooling an only child is that mom becomes his partner in all areas of learning where a child needs to work with someone else.

Therefore, I become his lab partner, his exercise partner, and have to try to converse with him for his foreign language study. Therefore, there is often a huge time constraint and learning curve to act as an educational partner for my only child. 

Tracy Zdelar ~ Writer ~ Hall Of Fame Moms

"We have the freedom to teach our children according to our values...

PRO  – Perhaps the biggest advantage to homeschooling is FREEDOM. We have the freedom to teach our children according to our values, limit the bad influence of unsavory socialization and travel when it suits us, anytime of the year. 

CON  – The one con to homeschooling would be that it can be hard for the stay at home, homeschooling mom to find time to herself.

Jaimi Erickson ~ Stay at Home Mom ~ ​The SAHM Survival Guide

"I chose to homeschool for the purpose of having more quality time with my children...

PRO  – I chose to homeschool for the purpose of having more quality time with my children and making sure that they were learning to live by our values.

That is a huge benefit in my opinion of being not only a guide to your children as a parent, but an instructor as they are working on their academics.

CON  – A con that is a byproduct of homeschool is I do not get much time to myself. I know this is just a season of life and one day my children will be grown and out on their own, so I am eager to soak up the time we do have together, but it is part of homeschooling.

Kimberly Storms ~ Military Wife ~ A Little Crunchy

"One thing was solid, we would be learning and exploring together.

PRO  – It is truly hard to pick just one pro to share, I have a list of reasons why we homeschool that is nearly 500 reasons long now. If I had to pick just one I think it would be that I believe homeschooling builds a strong family.

You see we are a military family and have moved over a dozen times in the last 20 years. So much changes in our lives, Daddy deployed, we move to a new state, so much change.

One thing was solid, we would be learning and exploring together. The kids could count on us homeschooling where ever we happen to be. The kids have learned they can count on each other as well. We are just such a solid unit together. 

CON  – With all the moves and homeschooling some of the kids are reluctant to make new friendships. Homeschooling them doesn’t really force the matter I think as much as public school does as the kids always know they have their siblings.

Thankfully only one is actually really shy and she does wonderfully if she has one of her siblings with her to meet new people. For sure 4/5 kids are very social and time may help the 5th bloom!

Leah Courtney ~ Blogger ~ As We Walk Along the Road

"Because of homeschooling, we've had the joy- and sometimes challenge- of being together every day.

PRO  – There are many pros for homeschooling, but one which has been particularly important to me has been the time I’ve had to spend with my children.

Because of homeschooling, we’ve had the joy- and sometimes challenge- of being together every day.

This can sometimes cause stress, but it has also led to the unmistakable blessing of strong relationships with my children as they are now teens and young adults.

CON  – Although the ability to customize curriculum and teaching methods to each child is a definite pro of homeschooling, this has also led to one of the biggest cons for us.

My college-aged kids sometimes face frustration because they are stuck in a class that seems to them irrelevant or that doesn’t work well with their learning styles.

Unlike our homeschooling, they can’t just change up what they’re doing. They have to stick with it. Although they understand, this sometimes causes frustration and overwhelm.

Michelle Curren ~ Blogger ~ Mid-Life Blogger

"Children all develop at different rates and have different strengths and weaknesses.

PRO  – It’s hard to choose just one “pro” because there are so many benefits to homeschooling, but the one that comes to mind first is being able to taper your homeschool to each child’s needs.

Children all develop at different rates and have different strengths and weaknesses.

If they go to public school and can’t keep up with the class, they may be labeled, held back, or taunted by the other kids, all of which have a negative affect on the child’s self-esteem, and for life!

But in your homeschool you can give them the time they need to master a concept or skill without that baggage, while at the same time focusing on the areas where they’re stronger.

An example that I can give is when my daughter was about 14, she couldn’t deal with writing assignments. She would sit and look at a piece of paper and cry without writing a single word on it.

I tried handling it in different ways. At the beginning of the following school year, I started out with a lighter load, holding off on algebra. I wanted to give her more time and less pressure until she could over come that roadblock.

She did get past it within a few months and now she’s in college and writes 8-page papers without batting an eye and is an honor student.

So just because your child is having difficulty with something doesn’t mean that they always will, they just may need time to mature and overcome it. They can’t get that in public school.

CON  – I have a much harder time thinking of a “con.” Some of them are actually kind of silly.

For example, in a popular post I wrote called “Homeschool Graduates in College ~ From the Professors’ Perspective,” two of the cons the professors lightly gave were that “they expect quick grading and feedback” and “they forget to put their name on their papers.”

A few others mentioned research and note-taking skills. When students reach the high school years, I think it’s helpful for them to take classes from outside sources such as the community college or co-ops, to help prepare them for these expectations.

Brittany Dixon ~ Health Coach ~ A Healthy Slice of Life

"We are able to speed through things they get quickly...

PRO  – Can I choose two? First, the flexibility of our schedule. I love having the quality and quantity time with them and appreciate being able to do school when it works for us, and being able to travel or go on field trips whenever works for us, too.

Vacationing off season is such a gift! I also love the ability to have such a deep understanding of my girls’ academic abilities. We are able to speed through things they get quickly, and slow down and dive deep into the subjects they need more practice with.

CON  – I really love my girls to have exposure to art, music, and foreign language.

As a homeschooler, I find I need to be more purposeful in my pursuit to find quality avenues for this exposure than I would if they were in school and getting weekly exposure to these subjects in the classroom.

Stephenie Peterson ~ Author ~ Stephenie Peterson

"All three of my kids have the freedom to learn new skills when they are ready.

PRO  – Did your child learn to walk at exactly the same age as every other baby in the neighborhood? Probably not! What about talk, crawl, or wave goodbye?

Your child learned these early skills when they were ready. In a school setting, children are expected to learn their academic skills on a schedule. At home, they can learn at a more natural pace.

My oldest has Asperger’s. Some things come very easily to him, while other skills are a struggle. He started reading the Harry Potter series independently the week he would have started Kindergarten, but at the age of eleven, he still struggles with his fine motor skills.

At home, we can make that work. He can type longer assignments. He can read books that challenge him. We can take time out of our day to be sure he gets occupational therapy.

All three of my kids have the freedom to learn new skills when they are ready. They’re never rushed through difficult material or forced to wait for classmates to catch up before being allowed to move on to more challenging assignments. 

CON  – I am not going to lie, sometimes it’s hard! Sometimes I butt heads with my kids. There are days when I want to send them off on the yellow school bus as it rattles on by our house.

There are days that my daughter tries to talk her way out of a math assignment or my youngest son hides his school books.

We’re a family made up of imperfect people and this kind of thing is inevitable. In the end, the good days outweigh the bad ones and I wouldn’t change it for the world. 

Anne Marie Sweden ~ Blogger ~Zephyr Hill

"I love being able to take an individualized approach with each child...

PRO  – I love being able to take an individualized approach with each child, according to the way he or she learns best. This is an invaluable experience that children rarely get in a homeschool vs public school setting!

CON  – One of the drawbacks of homeschooling is the pressure that it puts on parents. When you decide to homeschool, the full burden of their education is fully on your shoulders.

No dropping them off at school each day and leaving the teaching up to someone else!

Victoria Carn ~ Work-at-Home Mom ~ Mommy's Playbook

"Your homeschooling has to evolve. You have to evolve.

PRO  – The ability to create a safe place and compassionate learning experience for our children is one of my greatest pros with homeschooling. It is an amazing gift to give our children the freedom to explore whatever interest them without being ridiculed or discouraged. Our children are never asked to lay their childhood interests aside too soon, nor are they limited from advanced interests due to their age. 

CON  – Everything changes. As soon as you have a great system in place, one of your children will need an exception (or an interest will change, puberty, etc.) Your homeschooling has to evolve. You have to evolve. The constant requirement to improve upon ourselves to better our children’s education is challenging. Especially if the parent is set in their ways or doesn’t accept change easily. (*cough* not me at all – HA!)

Brittany Meng ~ English Professor ~ The Bam Blog

"I realized that I am a better mom when I am not their teacher...

PRO  – One homeschool advantage that we enjoyed when I homeschooled my twin boys in 4th grade were a flexible schedule (we played at the park in the mornings and did school in the afternoons while my younger son napped), Bible study, and enjoying chapter books together.

CON  – For our family, however, homeschooling was very difficult due to learning disabilities, ADHD, and major outside stressors (military life).

Homeschooling affected my relationship with my sons (as well as my mental health) in a negative way. I realized that I am a better mom when I am not their teacher and that I need more outside support to help them succeed educationally.

They are back in public school for 5th grade and it is a much better fit for our family.

Dawn Camp ~ Blogger ~ My Home Sweet Home

"Homeschooling moms put too much pressure on ourselves...

PRO  – The births of our eight children spanned a 19 year time period.

I had heard adults talk about never really knowing their older or younger siblings because they didn’t attend the same school at the same time and had such different schedules, but I wanted my kids to know each other. 

They definitely do—some of them might say they know each other too well! We may not always be in sync or in harmony, but we do life together.

Four of our children have left the nest and four still live at home. I love seeing the strong bonds they have with each other and how those have extended into adulthood.

CON  – Homeschooling moms put too much pressure on ourselves when our kids are in the high school years and looking at life beyond our home.

Do you hold your high school guidance counselor responsible for your life beyond graduation and your career path? I didn’t think so. God has a plan for your child and it’s bigger than you.

You will not be the one who makes it happen or the one who derails it. Some children will grow up and follow the exact path you would choose for them and some will go against everything you taught them (don’t worry, this phase might not be permanent).

Do the best you can. Speak the truth in love. Love them unconditionally even if you don’t support their choices. Pray for them and over them.

Your words and example are etched in mind and memory and will bear fruit when least expected. (p.s. – Grandchildren are awesome!)

Christy Knockleby ~ Blogger ~ Houseful of Chaos

"You get to watch as your kids progress and tailor their studies to them.

PRO  – You get to watch as your kids progress and tailor their studies to them. If they have a hard time on something, you can seek out solutions and alternative methods of explanation.

Your kids can progress as their own speed, whether that is slower or faster than they would be doing so at school. When there are topics they are interested in, you can make the time to dive in deeper and learn more about it.

CON  – The cons is that homeschooling can be a lot of work. It can be intensive, particularly if you have intensive, talkative children.

I think it is common to over think oneself, worrying that one is doing too little or pushing too much. Then sometimes homeschooling can strain a parent-child relationship a bit.

Bettijo Hirschi ~ Blogger ~ Paging Supermom

"We have so much more time to devote to the things we love...

PRO  – The number one thing I love about homeschooling is flexibility! We have so much more time to devote to the things we love and explore things that capture our interest.

I also love the ability to travel more and to visit places when they’re not as crowded since we have the flexibility to visit on our own timeline rather than following a school schedule.

CON  – At first homeschooling was really tough on me — having all four of my kids around me ALL. THE. TIME. It was definitely an adjustment, and by bedtime everyday my patience still runs pretty thin.

All moms need to remember to take time for themselves, but for a homeschooler it is vital.

Ronda Bowen ~ Blogger ~ Secular Homeschool Today

"I think it helps develop self-confidence in a way that doesn't happen in a standard classroom.

PRO  – The best part of homeschooling, for me, is the ability to tailor each child’s education to him or her. I go for mastery of subjects, so if a child is zooming through basic math concepts, I let her.

If she needs extra help with reading, then we spend more time on it. I think it helps develop self-confidence in a way that doesn’t happen in a standard classroom. That makes it a good choice when a child is asynchronous in development.

CON  – I won’t lie, the time it takes to seek out social opportunities is what makes me sometimes long for the classroom experience. We’re secular, so it can be tough to find other secular homeschoolers in our area.

It’s always worth it, in the end, but it’s also a constant concern of mine: is my child getting out enough and being exposed to others’ ideas enough?

Amir Nathoo ~ Co-Founder ~ Outschool

"Right now, tools exist to give your learner a personalized education that engages and inspires them.

PRO  – One pro of homeschooling is it has never been easier. Right now, tools exist to give your learner a personalized education that engages and inspires them.

The internet opens up opportunities for curriculum and connection that were impossible just a few years ago. As online education evolves beyond slideshows and voice-overs, homeschooling no longer means sacrificing connection or socializing with other kids.

In fact, homeschoolers now can connect with students around the world while learning about topics that are meaningful to them.

CON  – One con of homeschooling is the decision fatigue that can happen. With so much high-quality educational content around today, families have to work with their learners and make some choices.

What topics do the children want to explore? What skills do they want to develop? With the speed at which the world changes and children’s interests evolve, these questions can be challenging to answer. It’s hard to find everything you need in one place. 

Camille Kirksey ~ Mom ~ Homeschooling in the D

"Living a homeschooling lifestyle is exactly what you make it.

PRO  – The biggest pro about homeschooling is the freedom it provides. Living a homeschooling lifestyle is exactly what you make it. Your family is able to experience the journey together, which is something that can be challenging, yet liberating at the same time. 

CON  – The biggest con of homeschooling is that it’s an enormous responsibility that can feel like a burden at times. 

Being a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom requires that I wear many hats throughout the day, and as an emphatic introvert, I can easily feel overwhelmed and “done” often.

I didn’t experience that when I worked outside of the home and my children were in school and daycare.

Dana Wilson ~ Founder ~ Train Up a Child Publishing

"Our kids are my best friends, and I'm theirs

PRO  – The closeness of our family as a result of having homeschooled. Our kids are my best friends, and I’m theirs!  

CON  – There are things they had to learn for themselves in college to complete their undergraduate work. Fortunately they knew how to learn and were successful, but this made extra work

Melissa Corkum ~ Parenting Coach ~ The Cork Board Online

"My favorite part is how well-rounded and socially adjusted my kids are...

PRO  – You get to reclaim your education! I’ve learned Latin, Biblical Greek, and more English Grammar than most professors. Plus, I decided that I love history.

It was just never presented well to me when I was in school. Our family has also taken advantage of the flexible schedule to travel. Our kids were able to go on our adoption trips to South Korea and Ethiopia.

My favorite part is how well-rounded and socially adjusted my kids are because they are exposed to so many different groups of people and real-life situations.

CON  – If you don’t set boundaries with your kids, you can all get burned out on each other pretty quickly! It can also be tough to homeschool when you’re running a business or working full-time.

Teri Olsen ~ Editor-in-Chief ~ Homeschooling Teen

"Free from bullying, peer pressure, and cliques, they can better develop their self-esteem, self-confidence, and independent thought.

PRO  – An increasing number of teenagers have been homeschooled their entire lives, and more teens are leaving public school to be homeschooled.

This allows them to learn at their own pace, study what they want, and discover what they really love to do. Free from bullying, peer pressure, and cliques, they can better develop their self-esteem, self-confidence, and independent thought.

It enables them to focus all of their energy on academic and creative pursuits without being preoccupied with problems at school.

These homeschooling teens are studying subjects in depth, taking college classes, volunteering, traveling, and “learning by doing” through apprenticeships, on-the-job training, even starting their own businesses.

CON  – There is a need for more detailed record-keeping during high school, especially if your son or daughter plans to attend college.

This can be kind of a pain if you enjoyed a relaxed and unstructured style of homeschooling during the earlier grades. But believe me, when it comes time to create a homeschool transcript, you will be glad that you kept good records!

Documenting activities, courses, hours, credits, GPA, etc. as you go is much easier than trying to piece everything together later.

Katica Blajic ~ Founder ~ Little Tots Learning

"Homeschooled children can accomplish in a few hours what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover.

PRO  – Homeschoolers enjoy unlimited educational resources; the world is their classroom, and resources abound in the community. Homeschooling provides a high adult-child ratio for the student.

No busywork. Homeschooled children can accomplish in a few hours what takes a typical classroom a week or more to cover. In many classrooms, less than one hour out of each school day is spent on “on task” learning.

No wonder students have so much homework. And that brings us to a major “pro” of homeschooling: No more homework!

CON  – Time Restraints. There’s no way around it: learning outside of a school environment can consume a lot of mom or dad’s time.

 Living Outside the Norm. Like any activity that challenges mainstream thinking, homeschooling may be seen as an oddity at best, or even as a threat to those who unable to accept ordinary parents succeeding where sometimes trained professionals fail.

Patrick Farenga ~ President ~ John Holt GWS

"The significant amount of time it gives back to parents and children...

PRO  – I’d say the biggest pro of homeschooling is the significant amount of time it gives back to parents and children to live and learn together.

CON  – I think the biggest con of homeschooling is responding to the same, perennial questions about homeschooling—“Why do you homeschool?” and “What about socialization?”

Deb Chitwood ~ Child Educator ~ Living Montessori Now

"We were able to follow our children's needs and interests so that they loved learning and followed their own unique passions.

PRO  – It’s hard to choose one pro because homeschooling my two children through high school was an amazingly positive experience for my whole family.

One of the best parts was certainly the freedom we had … to individualize our children’s education, to follow our children’s passions, to teach our values, to travel when we wished, and to spend enough quality time with our children that we were always close and still are.

My two children were figure skaters, so we adapted our school schedule around their skating. My son (now 33) was able to have fascinating experiences as a pairs skater while homeschooling, eventually competing and traveling internationally.

He also started his own DJ business during high school and is now the owner and head of one of the largest DJ companies in San Diego.

My daughter (now 28) graduated from homeschool high school at 16 and then had the opportunity to train and compete in ice dance with a dance partner in England.

Because of homeschooling, she was able to do her bachelor’s degree work from ages 16-19 while competing internationally in ice dancing. 

She was able to use her experiences training in sports and later as a professional ice dancer to create her online business. She loves that she has the freedom now to homeschool her own children.

Through the freedom to be Montessori homeschoolers using character-based unit studies, we were able to follow our children’s needs and interests so that they loved learning and followed their own unique passions.

They thoroughly enjoyed their bachelor’s degree work after homeschooling, got straight A’s, and both became entrepreneurs who continue to love learning and creating.

CON  – The only real con I experienced with homeschooling became a benefit in some ways. I tended to not plan as well as I should have and to get way off schedule at times.

My children didn’t worry about it, but it troubled me. Later on, I realized that my children may have become even more self-directed as a result. It was so freeing to realize that I didn’t need to be perfect.

My favorite advice to give homeschoolers now is simply that you don’t need to be perfect.

Rachel Ramey ~ Blogger ~ Titus 2 Homemaker

"This is great for building relationships (and training children in relational skills!)...

PRO  – You’re with your children (and they’re with each other) all the time. This is great for building relationships (and training children in relational skills!) and it’s the foundation of discipleship.

The mixed-age setting is also excellent for learning and growth, both academically and socially.

CON  – You’re with your children (and they’re with each other) all the time. It never stops. Let’s face it, (almost?) all of us have days when we kind of wish we were putting our kids on the bus.

If we don’t have good reasons for having made this choice, we probably won’t have the gumption to persist through those hard days.

Galadriel Grace ~ Book Author ~ Heritage Grove Academy

"With homeschooling, kids can do and become anything.

PRO  – With homeschooling, kids can do and become anything. Because we have so much more flexibility there’s more time for them to perfect their talents and I have the opportunity to tailor their curriculum to meet their needs for what they want to do.

While still in school they’re already pursuing their entrepreneurial activities, and by the time they grow up, they’ll be so much further along.

CON  – The only negative thing regarding homeschooling is simply the doubt and worry that sometimes hangs around the back of our minds from anyone who might oppose or question our lifestyle choice.

That’s something that can truly test our faith, especially when we hear of difficulties that some homeschoolers have had.

Doing what we know is meant for our family and educating our children to the best of our ability is really the only answer for that.

Roxanne Raiche ~ Homeschooling Mom ~ Home, Work, & Horseplay

"I love being able to mix and match curriculum and grade levels to fit my children perfectly.

PRO  – Customization!

My youngest son has special needs and struggles with reading and writing. Homeschooling allows me to not only customize his school work, but also his siblings. Every child learns differently and at their own pace.

I love being able to mix and match curriculum and grade levels

to fit my children perfectly. I know being in control and custom fitting curriculum for my children has allowed each of them to blossom in their own way.

CON  – As much as I love being with my children, my biggest con of homeschooling is being with them almost all of the time.

When you are homeschooling there is not a lot of quiet time for mom. If you are not teaching lessons you are cooking, cleaning, playing chauffeur, lesson planning, and every other part of what being a stay-at-home mom entails… 

All while your children are underfoot, complaining about what you made for dinner, making endless messes, asking to go to the 10th place that day, and fighting with their siblings !

Just like everything there are good days and bad days. 

My best advice is to make sure you take some time for yourself. Everyone will benefit if you get time to relax and do something just for you once in awhile.

Creating Inspiring Learning Environments: The Role of Decor in Homeschooling Success

Embarking on the homeschooling journey is an enriching experience that intertwines challenges with immense rewards. 

At Teepee Joy, we’re passionate about creating environments that nurture the imagination and support your children’s educational development. It’s about more than the curriculum or schedules; it’s about crafting spaces that inspire learning and creativity.

Our carefully curated product range, including  wallpaper  and decorative accents, is designed to make every learning environment vibrant and stimulating. 

Our  kid’s wallpaper  brings walls to life with designs that spark curiosity, while our second mention of wallpaper emphasizes its role in setting a thematic educational backdrop. 

Additionally, our  blackout curtains  are perfect for creating an optimal learning environment, free from distractions and suitable for activities requiring varying light conditions.

Beyond wallpapers and blackout curtains, our collection extends to  wall art ,  throw pillows ,  blankets , and  rugs , all crafted to add comfort and inspire a love for learning. 

These elements create a cozy, engaging space where your child can explore new ideas and embark on educational adventures without leaving home.

Creating the right atmosphere for homeschooling extends beyond mere aesthetics; it’s about building an environment that fosters growth, curiosity, and joy. 

Our offerings are designed with this in mind, turning every room into an inviting and stimulating potential classroom.  Visit our store here.

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An Introduction to Homeschooling

Homeschooling is an educational option that allows parents to teach their children at home instead of sending them to school. There are today a wealth of resources and opportunities available to homeschooling families, and in a landscape of increasing school choice homeschooling has become more and more accepted by the public at large. Parents choose homeschooling for a variety of reasons. Modern homeschooling began in the 1970s and 1980s, championed by progressive educational reformers hoping to free children’s inner creativity and conservative evangelical leaders concerned about the environment of public schools. There are now around two million children being homeschooled, and in the early twentieth century homeschooling has become increasingly diverse, both in terms of race and class and in terms terms of parental motivations. See Homeschooling Numbers and and Homeschool Demographics .

Parents choose homeschooling for a wide variety of reasons. Some parents have concerns about the social environment or academic quality of local public schools. Some want to ensure that their children are educated in accordance with their religious beliefs. Some believe their children will learn better through child-directed learning outside of a classroom setting. Some have children who were bullied in school or have health problems or demanding practice schedules. A growing number of families enjoy the flexibility homeschooling offers, and many children may find that homeschooling is a good fit for their natural learning styles or personalities. If there is one thing that can be said about parental motivations for homeschooling, it is that they are anything but monolithic. For more, see Reasons Parents Homeschool .

While homeschooling is legal throughout the United States, the level of oversight for homeschools varies from state to state. Most states require parents to notify state or local education officials of their intent to homeschool, and half of all states have some form of assessment requirement. Most states have days of instruction or subject requirements and a smaller number of states have parent qualification and bookkeeping requirements. Some states require none of the above. The patchwork and often woefully inadequate nature of homeschool oversight means that there are few protections in place safeguarding the interests of homeschooled children. For more, see  Current Policy .

Research has shown that children who are homeschooled can succeed academically, especially when given support and resources from their parents. Many homeschool parents are driven and motivated, and are extremely involved in their children’s education. They educate themselves as they go along and seek out resources, tutors, or classes for those subjects they may not be able to teach themselves. In many ways these parents are more facilitators or coordinators than teachers. However, while homeschooled children can succeed academically, that success is not guaranteed. In cases where homeschool parents are not driven and motivated or do not place as much importance on their children’s academic progress, homeschooled children may struggle academically or even not receive any education at all. For more, see Academic Achievement .

Homeschooled children are typically involved in an array of social activities, including homeschool cooperatives, dance and music lessons, church and Sunday school, field trip groups, and other classes, clubs, and groups outside of the home. With the networking potential of the internet and the greater social acceptance of homeschooling, the opportunities available to homeschool families have grown in recent years. If parents put in the effort to find social outlets for their children, homeschooled children can be well socialized and can integrate well into society. In contrast, if parents do not ensure that their children have adequate opportunities to meet their social needs, homeschooled children may be lonely, develop social phobias, or have difficulty integrating into society. For more, see Homeschooling & Socialization .

An increasing number of states allow homeschooled children to enroll in public school part time to take individual classes or to participate in public school athletics and other extracurricular activities. Some studies have found that as many as 20% of homeschooled students enroll in public school part-time.  Some states have public school at home or public or charter correspondence programs that allow children to be taught at home while receiving benefits from enrollment in public school. “Cybercharters” have become popular among some homeschoolers, and a number of charter schools have developed programs where children come to an actual school for classes once or twice a week and are otherwise educated at home. In an increasingly educationally diverse world, homeschooling offers a variety of flexible and creative options.

Feedback from the first generation of homeschooled students, now in their 20′s and 30′s, indicates that those who are homeschooled responsibly frequently do well in college and professional life while those who were neglected or subjected to an abusive homeschooling environment often face low-wage job prospects, poor integration and connection with their communities, and struggles with poverty and dependency that could have easily been prevented. For more, see Homeschool Outcomes and Abuse and Neglect . The quality of a child’s homeschool experience depends almost entirely on the parents’ dedication to providing a functional, nurturing environment with optimal conditions for education and healthy child development.

Read more about homeschooling:

• What Is Homeschooling?
• Homeschooling by the Numbers
• Who Homeschools?
• Motivations for Homeschooling
• Academic Achievement
• What about Socialization?
• Homeschool Outcomes
• What Scholars Say
• A History of Homeschooling
• Our Research
• For Parents
• For Policymakers
• For Researchers
• Abuse & Neglect

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• Take Action
• Bill of Rights
• Find Your State
• Homeschooling’s Invisible Children

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Homeschooling kids who learn and think differently

By Gail Belsky

Expert reviewed by Andrew M.I. Lee, JD

At a glance

Homeschooling is education that takes place outside of the school system.

It’s not public school at home or distance learning.

Each state has different rules and requirements for homeschooling.

Homeschooling is on the rise. If you know kids who are homeschooled, or if you’re thinking of teaching your own child at home, you may wonder how it works — especially for kids who learn and think differently.

First, it’s important to know that homeschooling isn’t public school from home. It’s education that takes place outside of the public school system. (Kids still need to meet state standards, though.)

Since COVID, many more families are homeschooling. In the first year of the pandemic, the number of families teaching from home jumped from 5.4 percent to 11 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Parents homeschool for different reasons. Some want a certain type of education for their child. Others do it for religious reasons. And many choose homeschooling because their child struggles in traditional school settings.

Some kids who learn and think differently do well with homeschooling. But it’s important to know that public schools may or may not provide special education services to kids who are homeschooled. 

Dive deeper

Rules and requirements for homeschooling.

Homeschooling is regulated by state law and is allowed in all 50 states (as well as all U.S. territories). But each state has its own legal rules and requirements. Some have strict laws and require a lot of paperwork to homeschool. Others require much less. 

Here are some of the requirements you might see:

Notice: Most, but not all, states require parents to notify the state or local school district if they’re going to homeschool.

Parent qualifications: Some states require parents to have a certain level of education, like a high school diploma , if they want to homeschool their child.

Record keeping: Some states require parents to keep records, like grades and attendance, and submit them.

Instruction and core subjects: Many states require parents to have homeschool classes for a minimum number of days or hours per year, or to teach their child core subjects, like reading and math.

Tests: Several states require homeschooled kids to take standardized tests or other assessments every few years.

Find out about homeschooling requirements for different states. 

Homeschooling and school services

Under federal law, all states (and school districts) must find and evaluate homeschooled kids who may need special education. But they can choose whether to require kids to attend public school to get those services.

A few states offer traditional IEPs to homeschooled kids. An IEP entitles a child to services, just like in a public school. In other states, local school districts will typically offer a service plan. This is like an IEP but provides less. 

Some states don’t require school districts to provide special education to homeschooled kids at all. If parents want services, they have to send their kids to public school. Other states let local districts decide whether to provide services to homeschoolers.

Learn more about special education laws in your area through your state’s Parent Training and Information Center . 

Social interaction with other kids

A common concern about homeschooling is the effect it has on kids’ social skills. Many kids who learn and think differently have trouble with social interactions. Homeschooling may reduce the social anxiety some kids feel at school.

But building social skills is an important part of school. That’s especially true for kids who have a hard time connecting socially.

Homeschooling families need to find other ways for their child to spend time with peers. Community youth groups or sports programs are just two examples of how kids can connect and form friendships outside of school.

Plus, some school districts let homeschoolers participate in the district’s extracurricular clubs and sports. Ask your district what its policy is.

Learn why some kids struggle socially . 

For parents: Deciding on homeschooling

Deciding whether to homeschool can be hard. There’s a lot to consider as a parent, especially if your child learns and thinks differently.

For example, can you pay for supports like assistive technology that the school might give for free? How will homeschooling affect your child socially? And does your child need special education services?

It can help to talk to other local parents who homeschool and hear about their experiences. But what works for one family may not work for others. In the end, the decision comes down to what you think is best for your child.

Read about factors to consider while deciding on homeschooling .

Hear from a young adult with dyslexia who was homeschooled as a child .

Explore related topics

Homeschool Pros and Cons: What You Need to Know

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 01/30/234

If you’re a parent or student considering homeschooling, you may be wondering if it's worth it. To learn more about the major homeschooling pros and cons, read on.

In today's digital age, it's hard to find someone who isn't glued to their phone. Whether we're waiting in line, going to school or work, or simply relaxing at home, many of us have our smartphones within arm's reach at all times. 

But before our high-tech smartphones were created, there were telephones. In fact, the first telephone bears absolutely no resemblance to our modern phones. Nonetheless, it was a revolutionary creation that changed the face of telecommunications.

Alexander Graham Bell , the creator of the first telephone, was one of the many famous inventors who spent a large portion of his childhood being homeschooled. So, while there is no denying homeschooled students can achieve greatness, you still may be on the fence if it is the right option for you and your child. 

Rest assured, this guide will cover the pros and cons of homeschooling and answer frequently asked questions about this form of education!

What are the Benefits of Homeschooling?

Let's explore the advantages of homeschooling and why it's a choice many families consider.

Lifestyle Change

Homeschooling is more than just a change in education; it's a lifestyle shift. As a homeschooling parent, you wear multiple hats, taking on the roles of both teacher and administrator. This means organizing lessons, arranging field trips, and ensuring compliance with local homeschool regulations—all on top of your usual parental duties. 

There are financial costs, too, as you invest in textbooks, supplies, and tools for homeschooling. While there are ways to cut costs, like using bundled resources from programs like Calvert Education, it's worth noting that dedicating more time to teaching can impact your family's income, especially for single parents. And your daily routine? It'll need some rearranging to accommodate the extra time dedicated to homeschooling.

Educational Freedom

Homeschooling offers a unique educational freedom that's hard to find in traditional schools. Parents can tailor the curriculum to their child's specific needs and learning pace, ensuring a deep understanding of concepts. If a child excels in a subject, there's no need to wait for others to catch up—they can progress at their own speed. 

Homeschooling encourages learning beyond the classroom, with real-world experiences that make subjects more engaging and memorable. But, it comes with responsibilities. Parents must plan and schedule lessons effectively, recognizing that organization is key to successful homeschooling.

Socialization

Now, let's talk about socialization in homeschooling. Contrary to some myths, homeschoolers do have a social life—it's just a bit different. Homeschooling can shield kids from peer pressure and bullying, fostering better self-esteem and academic performance. Parents often choose this path to protect their children's values and well-being. 

While homeschoolers might have less daily interaction with same-age peers, they engage in various community activities, interact with a diverse range of adults, and participate in sports and social events through recreational leagues or classes.

In a nutshell, homeschooling provides the flexibility to adapt to individual learning styles, protect children from negative social influences, and offer unique hands-on learning experiences. Just remember, it also brings lifestyle changes, financial considerations, and added responsibilities for parents to juggle.

Pros of Homeschooling

Let’s dive even deeper into the positives of homeschooling. 

1. Tailored Education

One of the biggest advantages of homeschooling, and one of the main reasons parents choose it, is that it allows for personalized and tailored education. Parents can adapt their teaching methods and curriculum to match their children’s learning styles and interests, which can result in more effective and enthusiastic learning!

Students get individualized attention from their parents or tutors, which can allow them to identify and rectify their weaknesses and hone their strengths. Whereas in traditional school, students are all taught the same curriculum, and teachers can only give students limited personal help, as they have to teach over 20 students in each class.

2. Flexibility

Homeschooling provides flexibility in terms of scheduling and curriculum. Parents can set their own schedules and pace, allowing for a more relaxed and less stressful learning environment. Homeschooling also allows for unique field trips, travel, and other experiences that may be difficult to incorporate into a traditional school setting!

This way, students can enjoy their education and feel more in charge of their learning! This flexibility also allows students more opportunities, as they can change their schedule to accommodate work, extracurriculars , or community service commitments , all of which will strengthen their college applications .

3. Effective Learning

In traditional classrooms of over 20 students, it’s easy for students to get distracted, which can decrease the efficacy of their education. When they’re homeschooled, they will have fewer distractions and can focus on learning. 

4. Independence

When students are homeschooled, parents are partly responsible for their education, but it is ultimately up to the student to complete their coursework and ask for the help they require to succeed. They can learn independence, become self-reliant, and hone their time management skills.

5. Diversity

Homeschooling is an untraditional method of learning when it comes to college applications. Only a small percentage of applicants are homeschooled, which can give you an advantage because you can bring different perspectives to your college’s community.

The challenges of being homeschooled or unique skills developed, such as self-motivation and independence, can make for an excellent personal statement !

Although a less common reason for students to be homeschooled, more parents decide to homeschool their children for its safety benefits. Homeschooling reduces children's risk of bullying, violence, and contagious illness. Students can also be more closely supervised in the event of any emergencies.

Cons of Homeschooling

While there are numerous pros to homeschooling, there are also some cons to consider:

1. Limited Social Interaction

While homeschooled students still have the opportunity to meet other students through homeschool groups, extracurriculars, and sports teams, they will not have the same access to peers their age as they would in traditional school. 

2. Limited Extracurriculars

Again, while students can search for external extracurriculars to pursue, high schools offer various clubs, sports teams, and other programs that are readily available and accessible to students. ​​

Homeschooled students miss out on these activities, which may impact their opportunities for personal growth and affect their college applications, which should include diverse extracurricular experiences.

3. Limited Resources

Traditional high schools have access to various resources, including gymnasiums, theatre stages, diverse art supplies, science labs, and specialized equipment. The majority of homeschooled students do not have access to these resources, which can impact the quality and depth of their education.

This is particularly relevant to students interested in STEM , as traditional high schools offer vast resources to support students’ learning in these subjects. 

4. Difficulty Getting Into College

While homeschooled students can certainly get into college, it is more challenging for them. Homeschooled students typically do not have transcripts and cannot receive school records or recommendations, which can make it difficult for colleges to review them in the same manner as traditionally-schooled applicants.

Additionally, homeschooled students can find it difficult to adjust to college once they’re admitted. They will go from one-on-one learning to being in large classes with hundreds of students! They will not be given the same personalized support, and may need to adapt their learning style to thrive in college.

The final drawback of homeschooling is it will be more expensive than public school, which is free! Parents will have to hire tutors and pay for the educational resources needed.

Is Homeschooling Worth It?

So, after learning about the key homeschooling pros and cons, you may be wondering “is homeschooling worth it?” 

The answer to this question largely depends on your personal circumstances and whether you’re willing to put in the extra effort to ensure your child receives the same quality of education and opportunities as traditionally schooled students.

While homeschooling will allow you to personalize your child’s education, can help them develop key skills, such as independence, and can make learning more fun and effective, homeschooled students may have a harder time getting into and adjusting to college.

If your child is prepared to supplement their homeschooling with diverse extracurriculars and put extra effort into their other application components, then homeschooling can absolutely be worth it!

FAQs: Pros and Cons of Homeschooling

To address any remaining inquiries about the homeschooling pros and cons shared in this guide, read on!

1. What Is the Biggest Problem With Homeschooling?

While it’s difficult to say which of the shared cons is the biggest, most parents decide against homeschooling because it may affect their child’s chances of getting into college and can limit their socialization opportunities. 

2. What Resources are Available for Parents Who are Interested In Homeschooling Their Children?

There is a common misconception that parents have to rely on themselves to homeschool their children! Homeschoolers are not alone! Some of the resources available to aid in the homeschooling process, including:

• Homeschooling Organizations : to provide resources and support to families that are homeschooling, such as the National Home Education Network 
• Homeschooling Conferences : some conferences are held by education organizations so parents can connect with other homeschooling families and learn about different methods and curricula
• Curriculums : Many organizations offer prepackaged homeschool courses, lesson plans, and curricula, such as Time4Learning and Sonlight
• Learning Platforms : there are many free or low-cost educational resources that can supplement students’ learning, such as Khan Academy or Coursera
• Homeschooling Groups : if you search your local area for homeschool groups, you can connect with other homeschool families and children to participate in social activities and gain useful advice

There are various resources available to support you and your child in your homeschooling journey! Take some time to research them to see which ones fit your needs and goals best.

3. How Do Colleges and Universities View Homeschooling Applicants?

Colleges and universities encourage homeschooled applicants to apply to their schools. In fact, many top colleges are increasing their efforts to evaluate homeschool students fairly and on an equal basis. But, this is difficult, considering traditional students have transcripts, school reports, and clear course descriptions. 

4. Is Homeschooling As Effective As Traditional Schooling?

Yes, homeschooling can be as effective as, or more effective than, traditional schooling, it all depends on the level of support students are given, their curriculum, and resources. 

5. How Popular Is Homeschooling?

Homeschooling has increased in popularity in recent years, largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While there isn’t significant data on high school students in particular, studies suggest there are between 1.9 million and 2.7 million home-schooled children in the US. These numbers are expected to only rise in the coming years!

6. Homeschool Better than Public School?

Deciding whether homeschooling is better than public schooling depends on what suits your family's needs and preferences best.

Final Thoughts

While many homeschooled children enjoy the benefits of personalized and individualized learning, others find it to be limiting in terms of socialization and extracurricular opportunities. 

Ultimately, the decision to homeschool is a personal one, and families should carefully consider their individual circumstances and priorities before making this big decision!

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How Homeschooling Compares to Public School in Academic Achievement

How does homeschooling stack up to traditional school for academics? Here's all you need to know about test scores, GPA, college placement, and more.

Test Results

Grade point average (gpa), college placement, emotional adjustment.

Many parents considering a homeschool education over a more traditional school experience want to know how homeschooling compares to public school—especially when it comes to students' academic performance.

You're not alone if you've considered removing your children from regular school in favor of homeschooling. When you think of the advantages of teaching your kids at home, you likely envision the freedom of making your own schedule, focusing on particular areas of interest, and going at your child's pace.

But does a home-based education offer a leg up for kids in terms of scholastic advancement? It depends. Here's how educating at home compares to public school for test results, GPA, college placement, and more. 

Rick Gomez / The Image Bank / Getty Images

Homeschool vs. Public School

An education at home differs from a traditional public school education in some basic (but significant) ways that can have an impact on a student's academic performance. Individualized attention from a parent-slash-teacher can make a world of difference for a student who is struggling academically or has a learning disability , for example.

Working independently may also allow more advanced students to go at their own pace, not having to wait for others to catch up. On the other hand, depending on the subject matter, you may have to learn about certain topics alongside your child (or access someone with the appropriate expertise).

Many factors you might expect to affect academic success at home have surprisingly little impact. Whether or not the homeschooling parent has earned a teaching degree or certificate is not associated with their child’s academic achievement, and neither is the degree of government control in their state. Parents’ level of formal education and household income are also not correlated with children’s scholastic proficiency.

While test results aren’t the only indicator of a child’s academic prowess, they can be an important benchmark of learning—and they do matter for college placement. The effects of homeschooling on test results are promising.

As far back as 1998, one study found that homeschooled children’s median scores on standardized tests such as the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills landed in the 70th to 80th percentile. Similarly, according to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), students educated at home typically score 15 to 30 percentile points higher than public school students on standardized tests for academic achievement.

For Black students, the numbers are even higher. Black children who are homeschooled score 23 to 42 percentage points higher on standardized tests than their counterparts in public schools.

On the ACT, a test used nationwide for college admissions, composite scores for homeschooled students fluctuated between 22.3 in 2007 and 22.8 in 2014. Keep in mind, the highest possible score is 36. Though not as high as scores from private school students, these rankings were 1.4 to 2.2 points above the average public school student.

Grade point average (GPA) is another common point of reference for academic performance. Because many homeschooling families don’t calculate GPA, limited data exists comparing homeschool vs. public school grade point averages. However, research has been conducted on the GPAs of college students who were homeschooled during their K-12 years. 

One study conducted at an unnamed private university in the American Southeast found a statistically significant increase in the college GPA of students who were homeschooled versus those who were not. In another study from an unnamed university in the Midwest, students who had been homeschooled finished their freshman year of college with an average GPA of 3.37, compared with the 3.08 average GPA of other students.

The academic advantages of homeschooling continued throughout the college years. As seniors, the same students earned an average GPA of 3.41, compared to the 3.16 average GPA of non-homeschooled seniors.

Other, more in-depth research tells a somewhat different story, however. A 2016 study analyzed data from nearly 825,000 students at 140 colleges and universities and found that students who had been homeschooled did not achieve higher GPAs in their first year of college, nor were they more likely to return for a sophomore year.

For many colleges and universities, admissions are handled very similarly between students who have had a traditional education and those who were homeschooled.

With the rise in various nontraditional forms of education, even institutions like Ivy League schools have acknowledged the value a home-based education can provide their potential students. (However, many do not publicize statistics about their homeschool admissions.)

Homeschooled students may need to emphasize certain aspects of their education in a college application to improve their chances of admission. Homeschooled applicants may need to provide extra information about their academic curriculum and take optional tests to establish their academic abilities.

On the other hand, because homeschoolers can often earn college credit before high school graduation, they may have an advantage for college placement—or, at the very least, for finishing a degree sooner than students from public school. 

A comparison between homeschool vs. public school education isn’t all about academics. Your child’s emotional development matters, too. Stereotypes about homeschool education may have you believe that homeschooled kids are more likely to be socially awkward or emotionally stunted. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case.

According to the NHERI, homeschoolers often rank above average in measures of social, emotional, and psychological development . The degree to which your child grows emotionally will largely depend on the environment in your home and the activities you expose them to.

Consider how you might involve your child in volunteer work , participating in academic or extracurricular cohort groups, playing league sports, or learning to play an instrument . These outside-the-home extras can all expose your child to other people of various backgrounds and help them make friends .

Only you can decide if homeschooling is the best choice for your family. In large part, the success of homeschooling depends on you as an educator and your child as a learner. However, much of the research indicates that homeschooling can provide your child a greater likelihood of academic achievement.

Homeschooling: The Research . National Home Education Research Institute . 2020.

Scholastic achievement and demographic characteristics of home school students in 1998 . Educ Policy Anal Arch. 1999.

African American homeschool parents’ motivations for homeschooling and their black children’s academic achievement .  Journal of School Choice. 2015.

Trends in ACT composite scores among homeschooled students . ACT . 2015.

The difference in the academic achievements of homeschooled and non-homeschooled students . Home School Researcher . 2016.

Exploring academic outcomes of homeschooled students . Journal of College Admission. 2010.

Predicting college performance of homeschooled versus traditional students . Educ Meas . 2016.

How homeschooling affects college admissions . U.S. News & World Report . 2018.

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The Case Against the Case Against Homeschooling

A harvard law professor wants to ban or greatly restrict homeschooling. ouch..

Posted May 16, 2020 | Reviewed by Matt Huston

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An article published in the May-June 2020 issue of Harvard Magazine sent shockwaves through the homeschooling community. At the top of the article, entitled "The Risks of Homeschooling," is a drawing of a forlorn girl looking out of the barred windows of a tiny house where one of the walls is composed of books labeled “Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, and Bible.” What she sees outside are children—presumably public-school children—joyfully skipping, chasing, and in other ways playing. Yikes.

The article then goes on to summarize the view of Elizabeth Bartholet, a Harvard law professor who contends that homeschooling should either be banned or severely regulated. The words in the article misrepresent homeschooling to such a degree that, if I didn’t know better, I would think it was satire. So, I decided to read the 80-page article that Bartholet had published in the Arizona Law Review , entitled "Homeschooling: Parents' Rights Absolutism vs. Child Rights to Education and Protection." Oy.

Before summarizing what is wrong with Bartholet’s arguments, let me start by agreeing with her on one point. It is absolutely true that some parents who are seriously neglectful or abusive of their children use homeschooling as a cover. Child abuse is a very serious problem and I believe, as does Bartholet, that the state has an obligation to protect children from abuse. States need to have clear and reasonable definitions of abuse and means to enforce laws against such abuse in all families, whether they are homeschooling families, public schooling families, or private schooling families. But that is the end of my agreement with Bartholet.

I have chosen to organize my case against Bartholet’s case against homeschooling by focusing on three terms that she uses in the title of her Law Review article: Child rights , child protection , and education .

Child Rights

Bartholet, with no hint of irony, contends that children have the right to government-enforced compulsory schooling. Think about that for a moment. A right that they can’t refuse. A perfect example of Orwellian doublespeak if ever there was one. Somehow, according to Bartholet’s logic, a state that forces children to attend the state schools is respecting children’s rights, but a family that offers their child the option of homeschooling is not.

The Bill of Rights in the U.S. Constitution was designed to guarantee such rights as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and liberty. All of these rights are violated for children in school. Liberty is the basic right; the others are correlates of it. The Fifth Amendment in the Bill of Rights declares, “No person shall be deprived of liberty without due process of law.” Nowhere in the Constitution, or anywhere else in law that I know of, is there any statement that a human child is not a person. Yet children are regularly deprived of liberty without due process of law when they are sent against their will to school.

It’s obvious that compulsory schooling (which literally means forced schooling) is an assault on children’s liberty. Children are required to go to school, and in school, they are not free. They are told exactly where they must be and what they must do almost every moment; freedom of speech and assembly are banished; they have no say in the rules they must follow; and when they are accused of violating a rule, there is no due process in determining guilt or innocence or what their punishment will be.

Sometimes people say that a child’s experience at school is like an adult’s at work, but that is a delusion. A job might sometimes feel like prison to some adults, but adults are not forced by law to work at a particular job, and adults are always free to quit. Involuntary servitude is illegal for adults; it’s called slavery.

I don’t know of any adults who would willingly accept a job where they are so tightly micromanaged as children are at school; a job where you can’t talk with your co-workers, can’t leave your seat without permission, and are continuously monitored, tested, and compared with your co-workers in a manner that seems almost deliberately designed to shame .

More than a century ago we banned full-time child labor for children, believing it was not good for them. But now schooling has become, in time commitment, the equivalent of a full-time job and, in onerousness, something worse than the kind of full-time job that adults would tolerate.

And now here’s another right that I think should be enshrined: The child’s right to be a child. Children are by nature curious and playful. There’s a reason for that. Self-directed exploration and play are how they learn. Children were designed by nature to educate themselves by playing and exploring. And yet our schools shut off these natural ways of learning. Homeschooling is a way to open them up.

Child Abuse

As I said, I deplore child abuse in all forms, and I agree with Bartholet that we need better protection against the abuse that occurs within families. What Bartholet overlooks is that school itself can be abusive and that many families who remove their children from school are doing so precisely to protect them from abuse.

The harm that forced schooling can do has been documented in many research studies. Such research (which I previously reviewed and documented here and here ) has, for example, shown that:

(a) children are less happy—more anxious , angry, and bored —in school than in any other setting in which they regularly find themselves;

(b) when adults are asked about traumatic experiences in their childhood the most commonly reported instances are abuse that occurred in school, primarily from teachers;

(c) hair cortisol level (a measure of chronic stress) was significantly higher in children two months after they started kindergarten compared to two months before they started;

(d) school-aged teenagers are the most stressed-out people in America and 83% of them cited school as a major source of their stress if not the major source; and

(e) the rates of emergency mental health visits, suicide threats, and actual suicides for school-aged children are roughly twice as high during months when school is in session as during periods of vacation from school.

Bartholet, in poorly documented or undocumented statements, claims that most families that homeschool are doing so for religious reasons (which she assumes to be a problem because she equates religiosity with narrow mindedness); but the only systematic nationwide data on reasons for homeschooling indicate that a far more common reason is to protect children from harm. In their most recent nationwide survey (2016), the U.S. Department of Education found that only 12% of homeschooling families reported homeschooling primarily for religious reasons. In contrast, 29% cited their concern about the lack of safety of the school environment as their primary reason and 74% cited that as one of the reasons. Other common reasons checked included the special needs of the children, which the school couldn’t meet, and illness or physical disabilities that the school could not appropriately accommodate.

On the basis of available evidence, it is absurd to believe that the total amount of hurt done to children would go down rather than up if homeschooling were outlawed.

Bartholet, in her article, contends that one of the ways that homeschooling abuses children is by depriving them of an education. She argues, essentially, that if homeschooling is allowed at all it should be allowed only for families where a parent is qualified to teach the standard school curriculum and that homeschooled children should be tested regularly by the state to be sure they are learning that curriculum. Apparently, to Bartholet, education is whatever the state decides to include in their curriculum, and children who are not learning those particular things, on the state’s schedule, are not getting an adequate education.

What really is an education? That’s something to which I’ve given a lot of thought. Our team at the Alliance for Self-Directed Education defines education as follows: Education is the sum of everything a person learns that enables that person to live a satisfying and meaningful life . I think that’s a really meaningful, practical definition. Now, think honestly here, how much of education, by that definition, actually occurs in school? And, how much of what is supposed to be learned in school actually contributes to education, so defined?

The amount of knowledge and valued skills in our world keeps going up, at exponential rates. Nobody can learn more than a tiny sliver of it. What possible sense does it make to believe that everyone should learn the same sliver? We are much better off with diversity. What is a satisfying and meaningful life for Person A is not the same as that for Person B. Our standard schools do not account at all for these differences; they force everyone to go through the motions of learning the same things, at the same pace, regardless of interest, regardless of need, regardless of the harm caused by forced learning. Homeschooling, properly done, allows children to discover and pursue their own interests and in that way achieve a real education.

I understand that the anti-homeschooling, invitation-only conference that Bartholet and her backers had planned to hold at Harvard to follow up on her article has been at least temporarily canceled, maybe because of the pandemic. I hope it will be replaced with a conference where people on all sides of the homeschooling questions are invited for rational discussion of the problems and benefits of homeschooling.

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And now, what do you think about this? … This blog is, in part, a forum for discussion. Your questions, thoughts, stories, and opinions are treated respectfully by me and other readers, regardless of the degree to which we agree or disagree. Psychology Today no longer accepts comments on this site, but you can comment by going to my Facebook profile, where you will see a link to this post. If you don't see this post at the top of my timeline, just put the title of the post into the search option (click on the three-dot icon at the top of the timeline and then on the search icon that appears in the menu) and it will come up. By following me on Facebook you can comment on all of my posts and see others' comments. The discussion is often very interesting.

Facebook image: LightField Studios/Shutterstock

Peter Gray, Ph.D. , is a research professor at Boston College, author of Free to Learn and the textbook Psychology (now in 8th edition), and founding member of the nonprofit Let Grow.

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The Homeschooling Debate: Advantages & Disadvantages

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in homeschooling has been increasing. The exact number of children that are currently homeschooled is unknown, however it is estimated that there are over 80,000 children being homeschooled in the UK. 

Choosing to homeschool is not a decision to be made lightly. Permanent homeschooling may not be what you expect and the education provided for children that are homeschooled must be efficient, full-time and suitable. To help you make an informed decision, we will look at the debate around homeschooling, thinking about the potential positive and negative effects, and how to tell if it is right for your child.

What Does Homeschooling Mean?

Legally, every child in the UK needs to have an education. However, they don’t have to attend school to get this education; they could also be educated somewhere else, such as at home.

‘Homeschooling’ is also known as ‘home educating’ or ‘elective home education’ (EHE). Some people distinguish between EHE and homeschooling, defining EHE as permanent home education, and homeschooling as temporary with continued support from their previous school (like the situation during the COVID-19 pandemic). However, the UK government uses the terms interchangeably to mean permanent home education, and this article will follow their lead.

Parents that decide to homeschool their children must ensure that the education provided is efficient, full-time and suitable for the child’s needs. However, the education provided does not have to follow the National Curriculum . 

Being homeschooled means that the child’s parents or carers have to take sole responsibility for their child’s education . This doesn’t mean that you have to teach your child yourself – for example, you could hire tutors, or use online tuition – but rather if their education is found to be inadequate, you are accountable for this. The Local Authority monitors the quality of education being provided at home, including annual assessments and visits to your home. They have the power to issue a School Attendance Order or an Education Supervision Order, if necessary.

You are also responsible for covering the costs of the education, including public exam fees. Schools and Local Authorities are not required to give homeschooling parents any support, even special educational needs support. Additionally, when you withdraw your child from their school roll, their place will not stay open. If homeschooling doesn’t work, you may not be able to send your child back to the same establishment.

Flexi-Schooling

There is sometimes the option for a child to do flexi-schooling. This is where you arrange for your child to receive part of their education at a school, college or other education provider, so that they can take subjects that are difficult to teach from home. Schools and education providers don’t have to agree to doing this, but some are happy to do so; you might find a list of these particular establishments on your Local Authority’s website.

Why Do People Choose to Homeschool?

The most common reasons for parents and carers choosing to homeschool a child are:

• The child’s health issues, particularly mental health issues – for example, anxiety, school phobia, separation anxiety or depression. 
• Special educational needs and/or disabilities not being met within the school system – for example, dyslexia, autism or gifted and talented needs. 
• The child being bullied.
• The child’s unwillingness or inability to go to school.
• As a short-term intervention for a particular reason.
• The parent’s ideological or philosophical views – for example, they might support the concept of ‘unlearning’.
• Dissatisfaction with the school system – for example, disliking the National Curriculum, believing that children start school too early or that the school system does not suit their child.
• Distance to a local school.

Some parents also choose to homeschool as a way of avoiding their child being excluded. However, this is often more harmful than helpful, and the government advises against it.

What are the Advantages of Homeschooling?

There are a number of benefits that homeschooling has for children and their parents, including:

Individualised Learning

One key benefit is the fact that, if you homeschool, you can personalise the education that your child receives according to their interests, needs and ability. This might include spending more time outside doing physical exercise or letting them learn more about a subject that has piqued their interest. When education is personalised, children are more engaged.

Additionally, subjects that they are less confident with can take up more of the day, when necessary. In schools, whilst teachers are required to adapt their practice to meet the needs of each pupil, they have to balance the needs of the whole class. Teaching one-to-one gives the child much more attention, and leads to less wasted time. In fact, some parents report getting a day’s worth of learning completed in two hours.

The efficiency of homeschooling – and the fact that you don’t have to follow the National Curriculum or the typical timings of a school day – leaves you with time to spend broadening your child’s learning. You can make more time for play, projects, experiments and the arts. Real-life skill building – including cooking, cleaning, volunteering and learning to budget – could form a part of your school day. You could also choose to learn in different places, like museums, parks and science centres.

Achievement Without Stress

Even if you are following the curriculum – which you will need to do if you intend to enter your child in GCSE or A-Level exams – you don’t purely need to teach to the tests. Your child won’t have continuous mock exams and assessments. They will have time to learn things that they want to learn on top of what they have to learn. As a result, they could be less stressed, and less likely to experience burnout.

A lack of stress could be the reason behind the success that homeschooled children seem to achieve. Research from the National Home Education Research Institute found that, on average, children that are homeschooled scored 30% higher than public school students on their public exams. 

Children who are homeschooled often have much more well-developed CVs than other children’s, due to the extra time available to them. Although some universities and employers might not understand homeschooling, many (including Oxford and Cambridge) are happy to accept homeschooled children, as long as they meet their grade requirements.

Flexibility for Your Whole Family

Being able to homeschool from anywhere, at any time, means that you could move as much as you wanted (or needed) to. For this reason, it often suits Armed Forces families, or those that need to travel.

You can schedule schooling around work shifts and appointments and go on holiday out of peak seasons. If your child or someone in your family is ill, homeschooling gives them a way to spend more time together.

There’s also the advantage of no school run – you and your children are able to get up at the time that suits you. This is a particular advantage for teenagers, since their biological clocks shift during this period of life.

Social Development

If you homeschool, your children have the ability to socially develop in a different way. For example, you might have close family relationships with strong shared values. Rather than feeling the pressure to change to fit in, they can be themselves – whatever that might look like.

Moreover, your child can be involved in the local community, and meet people of all ages and backgrounds to develop their social skills. You might join local homeschooling groups, where you can socialise with families in the same situation. Parents sometimes share their skills within these groups so that the children are taught most effectively. Your child could also join local activities, such as Scouts, sports clubs or volunteer at community events.

Continuing Education for Parents

Homeschooling is not just about your child’s education – it also helps your own. By teaching your child, you might learn things that you never knew before, whether that is a foreign language, algebra or history. You can share your interests and areas of skill with your child in a meaningful way, too. You might choose to go on trips that you both enjoy, or work together on a project, this leads to personal growth and fulfilment.

In the next section, we will explain some of the challenges that you may be faced with if you are homeschooling.

What are the Challenges of Homeschooling?

In order for you to make a balanced decision, the challenges of homeschooling need to be taken into account alongside the benefits.

By homeschooling, you are making it your responsibility to meet all your child’s educational needs. You have to be able to deliver the depth and breadth of learning that they require in order to meet their potential. This takes time and energy, even if you’re hiring tutors for some lessons; you will still need to ensure that they’re teaching effectively, and that they are suitable to have access to children. Homeschooling also involves preparing the child for any exams that they will sit and taking them to external examination centres to sit them. 

In effect, you are adding two more jobs to your role as parent: you are also becoming a teacher and an administrator. As well as doing everything you do already, you have to plan and implement lessons, organise trips, coordinate activities with other parents and make sure that you meet the Local Authority’s requirements. You will be spending a lot of time with your child – perhaps the whole day, every day – and you might not be able to do things that you normally do whilst they are at school. This can lead to stress and fatigue on your part.

Additionally, there is not much help available for homeschooling parents. Some Local Authorities operate support groups or forums, or are willing to give advice, but this is discretionary. There are plenty of internet resources but, unfortunately, the quantity of information does not guarantee quality, and they may not be as helpful as you hoped.

The greatest cost of homeschooling is that you will have to give up your full-time job in order to do so. This has implications for your lifestyle – you will need to be able to budget more than you already do. Your energy bill will also likely increase, because of spending so much more time at home.

Aside from this, you will have to buy textbooks, stationery and a computer. If your child participates in sports activities, or if you go on educational visits, you will likely have to pay for these things too. Exams are a particularly notable expense: rather than the school paying for your child to enter them, you will be responsible for doing so. Each GCSE costs around £36 or more if you’re paying the exam board directly, and each A-Level is at least £50 (or much more, if they choose an unusual subject). You also have to pay the exam centre for letting your child sit the exam there – this costs around £40 per exam, but could be as much as £100, depending on the centre.

Some Local Authorities might provide financial assistance to home-educating families, but this is discretionary. You cannot rely on any outside source of help being provided to you.

Loss of Experiences

Although we acknowledge in the ‘advantages’ section that homeschooled children do still develop socially, they naturally lose some interaction by spending more time at home. They may be out of touch with their peers, have fewer friends and have less experience interacting with people from different backgrounds. Their view of the world could be very narrow and biassed. In the worst cases, they could be brought up to be intolerant and misinformed, with little knowledge of general societal values. This could disadvantage them in the future.

There are also other experiences that homeschooled children miss out on. Schools offer work experience opportunities, the ability to participate in sports leagues and opportunities for recognition and reward (for example, during assemblies). Those who are taught at home do not experience these things, and might feel as though they have missed out.

School-Home Imbalance

A natural disadvantage of homeschooling is that you cannot truly separate home from school. Attempting to maintain structure and balance requires intense self-discipline, focus and planning. It is extremely easy for everyday distractions to get in the way of schoolwork. You might also get into an unhealthy, ineffective routine. As a result, you might not fulfil your duty of providing a good education for your child. You will need to think of strategies to prevent this: for example, you could do schoolwork in a purpose-made room. You could also have regular ‘school’ hours and rules against interruptions. However, you can’t always stop distractions from occurring, and these strategies might not work, depending on your home environment.

Further Education Difficulties

Homeschooled children may well have the ability to get into university, but the application process can be hindered by parents’ lack of knowledge about it. School staff know how to fill in the forms, and have the ability to give you references for UCAS. Parents, on the other hand, are often inexperienced and unsure who to turn to for support. Specialist admissions tutors could be hired to help, but this means further costs for you.

Additionally, homeschooling might be straightforward during the early years, but at A-Level, parents sometimes struggle providing the support and resources that students need to achieve high grades. Subjects that require practical assessments might be particularly tricky to plan for – especially if you have little to no knowledge of the subject that your child is taking. In fact, homeschooling might limit your child’s choice of A-Levels, and thus impact their future career. This is because many courses are not developed with homeschooled children in mind.

Stretched Capacity of Local Authorities

Local Authorities are obliged to check on everyone who is homeschooling. The inspections and assessments might be a stressful experience for you, but they are also a struggle for the authorities themselves: the increase in the number of children being home-educated has severely stretched their capacity to maintain contact with them. This has led to less available support for parents and carers, and less ability for children to be safeguarded – any potential harm to a child might be missed without the presence of trained school staff to pick up on warning signs. 

If a child is taken out of school for homeschooling, the school is obliged to tell the local council. However, parents are not obliged to tell the Local Authority. Due to the soaring number of children being homeschooled, local authorities now struggle to attend the home of, and keep track of, all homeschooled children.

Is Homeschooling Right for My Child?

Considering whether homeschooling is right for your child or not is difficult. You need to think about:

• Why you want to educate them at home . Is it because doing so would be in their best interests?
• What your child thinks about the idea. They should be agreeable to it, because they are the person that it will impact most.
• If you have the time, resources and ability to teach your child properly. Think honestly about this.
• If your home is suitable in terms of noise, space and the general environment . Do you have the right set-up to sit comfortably – with no distractions – and work for hours?
• What support you, as a parent, have from others. There will be times when homeschooling will be difficult and you need some sort of help. Is there anywhere that you could guarantee this support from?
• What would happen if you couldn’t teach your child for a period of time (for example, if you were ill). Before you start, you need a back-up plan. If you were ill for a long period of time, you couldn’t just stop all lessons – this would mean that your child would be illegally out of education. Who would replace you as a teacher if anything happened?
• Whether you can provide the social, physical and cultural experiences to help your child develop. You need to think outside the box, and actively take your child out into the community. These opportunities won’t just come to you if you homeschool – you have to make it happen.
• Your long-term intentions for your child’s education . Will they be home-schooled forever or only for a few years? Thinking about these things could influence what you teach your child, so that they are prepared for the future.

You should also consider the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling that we have outlined in this article, and weigh up which is greater for your child. Homeschooling can be a great decision for some, but disadvantage others – it all depends on the case, and only you know whether it will work for your family.

If you decide that it is right for you, you will need to take a number of steps to start homeschooling, such as removing your child from the school roll. You can find a list of everything you will need to do in our article ‘ How to Begin Homeschooling: Guidance & Requirements ’.

Choosing to homeschool your child is a big decision, and you should be aware of the reasons for and against doing so before you take action. Research has shown that being homeschooled does not impact a child’s social, emotional and psychological development, or their achievement levels – in fact, they often achieve more – but it is a huge, expensive commitment to make. Homeschooling is not right for every family, but if you have the time, money, effort, and home set-up to make it work, your family might thrive in this environment.

Further Resources:

• Safeguarding Children Courses
• Why is Reading so Important for Children?
• The Importance of Routine for Children: Free Weekly Planner
• How to Begin Homeschooling: Guidance and Requirements
• How to Become a Private Tutor: Information & Safety Guidance

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Why Homeschooling your kid is a Good Idea

• May 7, 2020

Homeschoolers have met with opposition throughout history and have often been portrayed negatively. The recent article by Harvard Law professor, Elizabeth Bartholet, is a continuation of that school of thought. However, the concept is changing now and E-Learning & homeschooling during the Coronavirus pandemic is becoming popular with each passing day. Online homeschool planners like Home School Panda (HSP) , K 12 , and E-tutor are giving parents and educators a reason to opt for the future of schooling.

Related:  From School to Homeschool: What, Why & How

What are the benefits of Homeschooling?

According to Professor Elizabeth, the idea of schooling from home is synonymous to a prison. Yes, you heard that right. She calls it an academic prison. Just like the past, she thinks that the advantages of homeschooling your child are less than its disadvantages. Like many others opposing the idea, she believes homeschoolers are vulnerable to abuse and lack social skills .

“It is a prison of reading, writing, arithmetic, and Bible. Homeschooling not only violates children’s right to a ‘meaningful education’ and their right to be protected from potential child abuse but may keep them from contributing positively to a democratic society.”

However, there’s hardly any evidence supporting the ideology that the majority chooses schooling from home because of religion. According to recent stats, more parents are opting for homeschooling with an increase of 2% to 8% per annum. Parents are choosing to homeschool to provide 1 on 1 attention, prevent bullying, individualized learning, and reaping benefits of E-Learning during the Coronavirus chaos.

There’s a growing belief that the advantages of homeschooling exceed those of the traditional school systems. Here are a few reasons why you should homeschool your kids:

• Homeschoolers develop a better understanding of their subject because there’s a will to learn given a relaxed and less competitive environment.
• While traditional institutions stop working in a crisis like COVID-19 , homeschooled children continue to benefit from online schooling programs.
• Homeschooling can save your kids from bullying at schools. Such events are life-changing and can harm their personalities.
• National Home Education Research Institute's data shows that those schooled at home perform better academically.
• Physical disability might be a hindrance as far as traditional schooling is concerned. However, getting educated at home will pose no difficulty in such cases.

With public education systems deteriorating and private schools getting expensive by the day, homeschooling is turning out to be the best option available.

Do you agree with the Harvard professor or do you think it's an attack on homeschoolers and homeschooling?

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Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Bartholet calls for a radical transformation in homeschooling.

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Law School professor says there is little legal oversight of educational standards or safeguards against abuse

Nationally renowned child welfare expert Elizabeth Bartholet wants to see a radical transformation in homeschooling. In an  article in the Arizona Law Review, “Homeschooling: Parent Rights Absolutism vs. Child Rights to Education & Protection,” she argues that the lack of regulation in the homeschooling system poses a threat to children and society. The Gazette sat down with Bartholet, the Morris Wasserstein Public Interest Professor of Law and faculty director of the Child Advocacy Program at Harvard Law School (HLS), to talk about the problems.

Elizabeth Bartholet

GAZETTE:  How did homeschooling in the U.S. develop into such a fast-growing phenomenon over the past few decades?

BARTHOLET:   Behind the rapid growth of the homeschooling movement is the growth in the conservative evangelical movement. Conservative Christians wanted the chance to bring their children up with their values and belief systems and saw homeschooling as a way to escape from the secular education in public schools. They had fought the battle with public school systems to have their children exempted from exposure to alternative values in the schools and lost. When they started withdrawing their children for homeschooling, this propelled expansion of the homeschooling movement.

GAZETTE: Could you compare the homeschooling phenomenon in the U.S. to other countries?

BARTHOLET: If we look at what goes on in other countries, the U.S. stands out as the anomaly. When other countries allow homeschooling, they regulate it much more strictly. They demand that parents show they are qualified to teach and that they turn in the curricula they plan to use. Other countries impose home-visit requirements, which are both a protection against child maltreatment and also a check on whether the parents are actually providing the education they say they are. They also mandate that the homeschooling curriculum provides an education equivalent to public education and includes teaching about the fundamental values of our society. Some countries like Germany effectively ban homeschooling altogether. In the U.S. there is essentially no effective regulation.

GAZETTE:  Your article says that homeschooling in its current unregulated form represents a danger to both children and society. What evidence do you have to support that?

BARTHOLET:   One is the danger of child maltreatment, and we have evidence that there is a strong connection between homeschooling and maltreatment, which I describe in my article. Other dangers are that children are simply not learning basic academic skills or learning about the most basic democratic values of our society or getting the kind of exposure to alternative views that enables them to exercise meaningful choice about their future lives. Many homeschooling parents are extreme ideologues, committed to raising their children within their belief systems isolated from any societal influence. Some believe that black people are inferior to white people and others that women should be subject to men and not educated for careers but instead raised to serve their fathers first and then their husbands. The danger is both to these children and to society. The children may not have the chance to choose for themselves whether to exit these ideological communities; society may not have the chance to teach them values important to the larger community, such as tolerance of other people’s views and values.

GAZETTE:  Given the current circumstances, with schools canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, many parents are homeschooling their kids. Does this massive shift to homeschooling pose any risks for children?

“The homeschooling lobby may be even more powerful than the gun lobby today, because at least with the gun lobby we see a lot of pushback. When it comes to homeschooling, the victims are all children so it’s harder to mount a political movement.”

BARTHOLET: My article was written and submitted for publication prior to the COVID-19 crisis. When that crisis hit I was totally in support of the orders shutting down schools as obviously schools then presented a serious danger of spreading the virus, and of course I believe that the overwhelming majority of parents are capable of providing at least a minimal education at home without presenting any danger of abuse or neglect. I do think, though, that the present near-universal home education situation is illuminating. The evidence is growing that reports to Child Protective Services (CPS) have plummeted nationwide, because children are removed from the mandated reporters that schools provide. As my article says, school staff constitute the largest group of reporters to CPS. I wrote an op-ed article in the Boston Globe in which I note that many experts on child abuse believe that the rates of abuse are much higher now as a result of children being kept at home and the various tensions families are suffering. Evidence is beginning to surface that abuse is in fact escalating in amount and seriousness

GAZETTE:    Let’s focus on the legal landscape of homeschooling. You said homeschooling exists in a legal void. Who makes sure children are being educated?

BARTHOLET: Nobody. There’s a shocking lack of regulation in this area. And that’s a product of the homeschooling lobby, which has fought for several decades now to eliminate any existing restrictive regulation and to oppose any proposed new legislation even in the face of horrific child abuse scandals. For example, in about a dozen states homeschooling parents aren’t even required to register. They can just keep their children at home rather than send them to school. Only about 10 states require that homeschooling parents have any educational qualifications whatsoever. The handful of states that do require qualifications typically demand no more than a high school degree. Some states require that parents submit the curricula they plan to use, but there’s almost no check on what parents actually teach through home visits or meaningful testing requirements. All this despite the fact that we have laws and constitutional provisions in 50 states that guarantee children the right to education.

GAZETTE: Why has the homeschooling lobby become so strong?

BARTHOLET: The homeschooling lobby may be even more powerful than the gun lobby today, because at least with the gun lobby we see a lot of pushback. When it comes to homeschooling, the victims are all children so it’s harder to mount a political movement. Initially, homeschooling was a really interesting mix of left and right thinking — left-progressive views that children’s natural creativity was being ruined in schools and right-wing religious views. Over the past decades, right-wing Christian conservatives became the dominant group in terms of numbers, and they completely took over in terms of political activism. Their power has to do with their ideological fervor, their tactics, and the absence of any significant organized opposition. Many academics and the biggest teachers’ unions in the country have found homeschooling deeply problematic. Homeschooling graduates have formed organizations documenting some of the maltreatment and other problems their members suffered and calling for regulatory reform. But these groups have not constituted an effective political force. The homeschooling lobby believes passionately in its cause, and it uses extremely aggressive tactics in dealing with state legislators. If a state legislator, in response to a child abuse scandal, proposes some modest increase in regulation, the next day they may find 200 homeschooling parents in their office, and the day after that they withdraw the legislation. That has been the pattern for decades. The other reason why the homeschooling lobby has been so successful is that the whole system is stacked in favor of parents’ rights. Our federal Constitution provides parents with powerful constitutional rights to raise their children, but provides children with no countervailing rights to nurturing parenting or to education. This is by contrast to other countries, which recognize child rights as central in their constitutions. The homeschooling lobby wants to make parents’ rights even more powerful, which is why my article’s title talks of “parents’ rights absolutism.” They have taken the position that the United States should not ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child , which every other country in the world has ratified. They have proposed an amendment to the federal Constitution to make it even more protective of parents’ rights than it now is.

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GAZETTE:  What is the impact of the lack of legal supervision on children’s well-being in regard to possible abuse and neglect?

BARTHOLET:   We have laws in 50 states that say children are to be protected against abuse and neglect. The laws also say that teachers are mandated reporters — they have to report suspected abuse and neglect to child protective services (CPS). But if parents decide they want to keep their kids at home and abuse them, there’s really no check on that. There is no system in place in any of the 50 states to check with CPS to see if the parents have previously been found guilty of child abuse. There’s no requirement that homeschooled children ever see anybody who’s a mandated reporter of child abuse. Effectively, there’s a right to abuse your child and to not educate your child, so long as you homeschool.

GAZETTE: Supporters of homeschooling can point to examples of successful homeschooled kids such as those who are studying in Ivy League institutions or the Grammy-winner Billie Eilish. How do you respond to those critiques?

BARTHOLET: Of course, in a large population, there are going to be some success stories. But we have zero evidence that, on average, homeschooled students are doing well. There’s actually no way to learn how they do on average because homeschoolers don’t exist as a visible population due to the lack of regulation. There are claims being made in what is really junk social science that homeschooled students do just as well as kids in regular schools. But there is no justification for those claims. People making those claims are looking at a subset of the most successful homeschooled students. They’re looking at the ones who actually apply to college and go to college, and are assessing how they do in college compared to kids coming from public schools. Those studies tell us nothing about how well homeschoolers do on average.

GAZETTE: What’s your take on Tara Westover, who wrote about being homeschooled in her best-selling book “Educated”?

BARTHOLET:  I’d say that Tara Westover’s story is an overwhelming indictment of homeschooling. She describes growing up in a family where her father and brother were seriously mentally ill and subjected her to traumatic physical assaults, while she was taught essentially no educational skills. The absence of effective regulation meant that she could be raised in these conditions with no check. There are some amazingly resilient and brilliant children who manage eventually to thrive despite outrageous maltreatment. Tara is one of them. But we have no documentation of the success or failure of her siblings. And we know that children subject to the kind of maltreatment and educational deprivation characteristic of many homeschooling situations generally do not do well in life.

GAZETTE:  Finally, you call for a presumptive ban on homeschooling. What do you mean by this? What do you hope to achieve with this paper?

BARTHOLET: I’d like to see a radical transformation of the homeschooling regime. I would not ban all homeschooling but would require that parents demonstrate that they have a legitimate reason to homeschool — maybe their child is a super athlete, maybe the schools in their area are terrible. They should also demonstrate that they’re qualified to provide an adequate education and that they would provide an education comparable in scope to what is required in public schools. And for parents granted permission to homeschool, I would still require that their kids participate in at least some school courses and extracurricular activities so they get exposure to a set of alternative values and experiences.

Honestly, if legislators felt free to decide what to do based on what they think makes sense for children and society, I think they would radically reform the current regime. But legislators aren’t engaged in that kind of rational policymaking — they are simply responding to the homeschooling lobby’s overwhelming pressure. I see my article as an attempt to expose the reality of unregulated homeschooling. With more exposure, we might get some action. Even since I’ve written the article, I’ve been in touch with a lot of people around the country who share my concerns and have a range of ideas about how to pursue reform. My hope is that some of us can work together to develop a meaningful action agenda with the goal of better protecting our children’s rights to education and to protection against maltreatment.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

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Home — Essay Samples — Education — Educational System — Homeschooling

Essays on Homeschooling

When it comes to homeschooling, essay writing can be a valuable tool for students to develop critical thinking and communication skills. However, choosing the right topic is crucial to ensure that the essay is engaging, informative, and relevant to the homeschooling experience. In this article, we will discuss the importance of selecting appropriate homeschooling essay topics and provide a detailed list of recommended topics for students to consider.

Choosing the right homeschooling essay topic is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it allows students to explore and express their thoughts and opinions on relevant homeschooling issues, which can contribute to their personal and academic growth. Secondly, a well-chosen topic can make the writing process more enjoyable and meaningful for the student, leading to a higher quality of work. Lastly, the chosen topic should be relevant and engaging for the intended audience, whether it's the student's teacher, classmates, or the wider homeschooling community.

When selecting a homeschooling essay topic, students should consider their personal interests, experiences, and knowledge. It is essential to choose a topic that is meaningful and relevant to the student's homeschooling experience. Additionally, students should consider the audience and purpose of the essay, as well as the availability of credible sources and research materials. By carefully considering these factors, students can choose a topic that will allow them to showcase their critical thinking, writing, and research skills.

Recommended Homeschooling Essay Topics

If you are looking for some interesting homeschooling essay topics, you have come to the right place. Below is a list of 30 different topics structured by categories, to help you find the perfect topic for your essay.

Educational Benefits of Homeschooling

• The impact of individualized learning on homeschooling students
• The role of parents as educators in the homeschooling environment
• The benefits of homeschooling for students with special needs
• Comparing the academic achievements of homeschooled students to traditional school students
• The effectiveness of homeschooling in fostering creativity and critical thinking

Social and Emotional Development in Homeschooling

• The socialization of homeschooling students in comparison to traditional school students
• The impact of homeschooling on the development of social skills and emotional intelligence
• Addressing the misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding homeschooled students
• The role of extracurricular activities and community involvement in homeschooling
• The influence of the homeschooling environment on mental health and well-being

Homeschooling Curriculum and Methods

• Comparing different homeschooling curriculum options
• The benefits and challenges of online homeschooling programs
• The impact of technology on homeschooling education
• Exploring alternative teaching and learning methods in the homeschooling environment
• The role of field trips and hands-on learning in homeschooling

Homeschooling and Legal/Social Issues

• The legal requirements and regulations for homeschooling in different states
• The impact of homeschooling on the public education system
• The influence of cultural and societal attitudes towards homeschooling
• The rights and responsibilities of homeschooling parents and students
• The role of homeschooling advocacy and support groups

Personal Experiences and Reflections on Homeschooling

• The impact of homeschooling on family dynamics and relationships
• Challenges and successes of transitioning from traditional school to homeschooling
• The role of self-motivation and discipline in homeschooling education
• Personal growth and development through the homeschooling experience
• Addressing misconceptions and stereotypes about homeschooling through personal narratives

Global Perspectives on Homeschooling

• The prevalence and acceptance of homeschooling in different countries
• Comparing homeschooling practices and policies in different cultural and social contexts
• The impact of globalization and technology on homeschooling education
• Exploring the role of homeschooling in addressing educational inequality and access to quality education
• The influence of international trends and movements on the homeschooling community

Parental Involvement

• The role of parents as educators in homeschooling
• Challenges and benefits of homeschooling for parents
• Effective communication between parents and children in homeschooling
• Parental support for extracurricular activities in homeschooling
• Balancing work and homeschooling as a parent

Cultural and Diversity Perspectives

• Homeschooling in different cultural contexts
• The impact of homeschooling on religious and cultural beliefs
• Addressing diversity and inclusion in homeschooling
• Homeschooling and multicultural education
• The role of language and heritage in homeschooling

These essay topics should give you a good starting point for exploring the various aspects of homeschooling. By considering these categories and the suggested topics within each, students can identify a relevant and engaging topic for their homeschooling essay. Whether they choose to explore the educational benefits of homeschooling, reflect on their personal experiences, or delve into legal and social issues surrounding homeschooling, there are ample opportunities for students to showcase their critical thinking and writing skills in the context of homeschooling.

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As your child inches closer and closer to beginning school age, do you find yourself wondering which schooling option is best for them? You’re not alone. The decision on whether to send your child off to school or teach them from the comforts of your own home has become more or less the norm as of lately. In the past, it’s been a given that you send your child off to your nearest public (or private) school but times are changing, and homeschooling has become more popular in recent years.

Is homeschooling a good idea though?

There isn’t really a concrete answer to that question because it all depends on a few factors. Homeschooling may be a great option for one family but not the right fit for another. It all depends on the following factors whether or not you should homeschool your little ones.

What is your family’s lifestyle?

Everybody has a different lifestyle and living situation. Whether your family has two full-time working parents or you’re a single-parent doing your best to provide for your children, it is important to take into account how you and your little ones live your life.

Homeschooling takes a lot of time and motivation on both ends (you and your little ones), and if you work full-time and are a single parent, you may not be able to give your child the help they need in certain subjects. It is true that homeschooling allows your child to learn at their own pace, but what happens when they fall behind on math skills and are stuck learning simple addition when their other friends are already learning multiplication?

By no means is it your fault, but sometimes it is best not to pursue homeschooling for the sake of your child’s educational needs.

Is your child struggling in a traditional school (public, private, etc.) setting?

Maybe you’ve tried to put your child in a traditional school setting already. Let’s say they have had to deal with excessive bullying (God forbid) and it gets out of hand. Or, let’s say they had a hard time keeping up with the rest of the class or maybe they’re more advanced than their classmates. Each of these scenarios can cause feelings of isolation and not fitting in.

In this case, homeschooling may be a good route to take because your child may feel more comfortable working at home and at their own slower or more accelerated pace.

Do the schools in your area have a satisfactory rating?

Something several families struggle with today is the poor rating of schools in their district. With so many families struggling with poverty, and not enough funding going to inner city schools, this is enough to frustrate any parent who cares about their child’s future.

If you live in a school district with a subpar rating by the Department of Education, you are probably much more likely to seek out other options. There are always private schools, but in some cases, it may not be affordable to some parents, and they may not have the means to fund it.

In this case, homeschooling is the best option. To find out the rankings of your nearest schools, click here .

Choosing the best schooling option for your children can be really intimidating. You are responsible for determining where and how they get an education and the knowledge they will be using for the rest of their lives. Now you’ve had the chance to look at these factors, and now you must make a decision. Is homeschooling the best option for your family?

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