Why You Should Never Home School Your Child
Let’s face it, schools just aren’t what they used to be!
From unqualified teachers to the teaching of inappropriate topics, there are plenty of reasons why you might be considering homeschooling your child. After all, no one cares more about your child’s education than you do!
More and more parents are turning to homeschooling, and as a result, there’s a lot more support and resources available than there used to be.
However, homeschooling requires a lot of patience, dedication, and knowledge. Unless you’re prepared to commit to all of that, you shouldn’t homeschool your child. Let’s take a look at some compelling reasons why this might not be the best educational route for either of you.
14 reasons why you shouldn’t homeschool your child
1. You’re not a qualified teacher
Teaching isn’t easy! It takes years of training and experience to become a good teacher. It’s not just about knowledge of the subject matter, but also about how to effectively convey that information to students.
If you’re not a qualified teacher, homeschooling your child is likely to do more harm than good. Your child will miss out on vital elements of their education, and they may even develop behavioral problems from being taught at home by someone who isn’t a professional.
2. It’s a full-time job
Homeschooling is a full-time job, and not everyone is cut out for it. You’ll need to be prepared to dedicate a significant amount of time to homeschooling, which means you’ll have to make some sacrifices.
This might mean you have to give up work or at least reduce your hours. It could also mean giving up your social life, as you’ll need to be available to homeschool during the day.
3. You might not have enough patience
Patience is key when homeschooling. You’ll need to be able to deal with interruptions, tantrums, and days when your child just doesn’t want to learn.
Not only that, but you’ll need to have patience when your child doesn’t understand something that might seem obvious to you. Remember, everyone learns at their own pace!
4. It can be expensive
Just because you’re saving money on things like uniforms and/or school fees doesn’t mean you won’t have to shell out for other homeschooling-related expenses.
You’ll need to buy textbooks and materials and even pay for trips and extracurricular activities like science museum visits. In some cases, you might even need to hire a tutor that specializes in areas you’re not as knowledgeable in.
5. You might not be able to cover all the subject areas
When you’re homeschooling, you’ll be responsible for teaching all the subjects. This can be a lot to take on, especially if you’re not confident in your knowledge of certain subjects.
Your child might end up missing out on important topics, or they might not be able to reach their full potential in areas that interest them.
6. It can be isolating
One of the major advantages (or disadvantages, depending on how you look at it) of schools is that they provide socialization opportunities for children. They’re constantly surrounded by other children their age and can make friends, play games, learn teamwork, and more.
When you homeschool your child, they won’t have as many opportunities to socialize. This can lead to them feeling isolated, and can even cause behavioral problems.
It’s not just your child who’ll feel lonely, either. As a homeschooling parent, you might find yourself feeling isolated from other adults.
7. It’s a lot of pressure
Homeschooling puts a lot of pressure on both the child and the parent. The child is under pressure to perform well and meet the expectations of their parents, while the parent is under pressure to ensure their child gets a good education.
Parents know that their child’s education will be fully in their hands, so there’s a lot of pressure to get it right. This can be very stressful, and can even lead to depression.
8. You’ll get frustrated often
Homeschooling can be frustrating, both for the parent and the child. The parent might get frustrated with the child for not understanding something, or the child might get frustrated with the parent for not being able to explain things properly.
This frustration can lead to arguments and can make homeschooling a very negative experience for both parties.
9. Homeschooled children can become antisocial
Homeschooled children can sometimes become antisocial, as they don’t have many opportunities to interact with other children their age. This often leads to social anxiety and depression.
They’re also less likely to be “street smart” or “worldly” as they haven’t had to deal with things like peer pressure and other social situations.
Now, while keeping your child away from negative influences might be a good thing in the short term, there’s something to be said for preparing them for the real world.
10. You might go crazy
Parenting is hard enough without adding homeschooling into the mix!
There will be days when you feel like you’re about to lose your mind, especially if you’ve got young kids at home who are also trying to learn. By sending them to school, at least someone else will bear the brunt of their energy and antics for a few hours each day!
If you’re homeschooling, however, you’ll be dealing with their non-stop energy and questions all day long. This can be incredibly draining, both physically and mentally, and can lead to burnout.
11. It might damage your relationship with your child
Homeschooling can put a strain on your relationship with your child. The parent-child dynamic can become skewed, as the parent is essentially their child’s teacher.
This can lead to the child feeling like they’re not being treated like an equal, and can even cause them to rebel. In extreme cases, it might even damage the parent-child bond and make it less likely for your child to confide in you about things that are troubling them.
12. You still have to follow the syllabus
Just because you’re homeschooling your child doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. You’ll still need to follow the school syllabus, which means teaching your child all the core subjects like math, science, English, and history.
This is obviously a lot of work, especially if you’re not particularly strong in those subjects yourself. It can also be difficult to find appropriate resources and materials, as not all homeschooling parents have the same resources available to them.
13. You need to have other sources of income
Chances are that unless you work from home or for yourself, you won’t be able to homeschool your child full-time and still earn a living. This means you’ll either need to have a spouse who’s working, or you’ll need to have another source of income.
If you’re a single parent, this will be difficult to manage. Unless you have a lot of family support, you’ll likely have to choose between homeschooling your child and working to support them.
14. It’s not for everyone (or most people, for that matter!)
Homeschooling is simply not for everyone. It takes a lot of time, energy, and dedication to do it well. Most people aren’t cut out for it, and that’s OK!
Your child might work much better in a traditional school setting, and that’s OK, too. Don’t feel like you have to homeschool your child just because it’s the “trendy” thing to do.
Conclusion
This is one of the hardest decisions you’ll have to make as a parent, and there’s no easy answer. Weigh the pros and cons carefully and decide what’s best for you and your family.
There are benefits and drawbacks to both homeschooling and traditional schooling, so it’s important to choose what’s right for your child.
If you’re not sure, try doing a trial run of homeschooling during summer vacation, and see how it goes.