Homeschooling

[ctwins]

I noticed there are a lot of people on this forum who either homeschool their kids, were homeschooled, or advocate homeschooling.

I was thinking about it and realized I don't think I've ever talked to someone who was homeschooled.

What reasons did you have for choosing it?

I started homeschooling when my kids were babies because I thought I could provide a better academic education for them one on one than they could get in a classroom. I am not positive it has worked out to be a superior academic plan to public school, but it has had a lot of benefits that I didn't know were worth having when I started. I love that we have flexibility with our schedule and can study or travel or work or rest as needed. As I've caught snips of the garbage and drama at public schools, I have been thankful to not be subject to bizarre education requirements, illogical or immoral teaching and kids being rotten to each other without relief.

My five kids are doing fine academically--they have their strengths and weaknesses in the standard subjects. One thing I really like is that they have had many hours to develop interests like music, blacksmithing, beekeeping, sewing historical clothing, small engine repair, horseback riding and more. They are odd--I didn't see that coming. But they are odd in ways that I can live with--they honestly don't care about fashion for anything but practical purposes, they most enjoy people who can engage them intellectually and really DO things, and they are self-motivated learners and workers, etc.

Education is always brainwashing. It always sets up a perspective from an adult view and imposes it on a defenseless young mind. I do not believe my personal goals for the good of my kids are in line with the goals that a government would want its citizen to have (lots of unquestioning workers.) I want to be able to teach my kids to think and reason, not only about math and science but also about their personal beliefs about God, humans and the world. I think the public school system tends to be heavy handed in dealing out a perspective that precludes objectivity.

As for sheltering, we certainly have shielded them from what we thought were obnoxious experiences when they were young. But we have also been intentional with exposing them to what the world is like as they get older, forcing them (at times) to deal with people and situations that are immoral, or sad, or stressful. They have had chances to mess up or make bad choices, but it is hardly an issue--there is no draw to lie, get drunk, be stupid, etc. Risky behaviors haven't been outlawed but rather discussed and revealed for what they are. They don't suffer from the twist of peer pressure. I didn't really know that would be a result of homeschooling, but it has been a positive perk.