by Kyla

Created on: July 21, 2009

"I'm homeschooled."

Those words bring on the funny looks. After that, the only thing that brings on slightly weirder looks is the fact that I have six younger siblings, and don't date. And then come the questions.

"Do you go to school in your pajamas?" (No, do you?) "Do you have friends?" (Yes, I do. I'm not sure if I'm complimented by your apparent incredulity than anybody would actually like me.) "Are your parents like, crazy or something?" (Not that I know of. Of course, that could certainly be debated at times, especially on long road trips.) "How does your mother do it?" (Uh...I don't know.)

All these questions, and more. A lot of people seem amazed that I actually prefer homeschooling to public education. Somehow, the fact that I prefer to remain at home and have fun with my family rather than sit for over eight hours straight in a school room is amazing. Totally crazy choice.

But is it really? For one thing, homeschooling offers so much more opportunity for growth! My mom does more of an 'unschooling' program with us: we don't actually 'do school'. We learn at our own pace. I have read over 50 (adult) nonfiction books just this school year (including this summer), and am loving it! My little sister knows virtually everything there is to know about bugs, thanks to many, many experiments in that category. Our family is growing a garden this year. We're not doing very well at it, but that's okay. We're learning.

We have fun while we do school. Yes, yes I know. Kids at public schools have fun, too. Frankly, I can think of no better way to have fun than just going on a hike with my family at our local state park, or just taking a walk. Even rides down the road are fun! We make it fun, and we don't need fifty other kids our age to have fun. How can you help having fun when the world is your school?

People are always concerned about 'socialization' when homeschooling is discussed. I'm not sure what this mysterious 'socialization' is, but let me tell you one thing- I have no problem interacting with people. I meet people everyday, from all ages. In a regular day, we see or talk to people anywhere from ninety to nine months. That is where I go to school.

When we say we're homeschooled, others are instantly so worried about our poor mother. It's amazing. She has seven children, and homeschools them. No problem. But to hear some people talk, you'd think she was either Wonder Woman or the Mad Hatter- and some people aren't sure either way. She manages just fine, really. We all chip in with the housework, and things get done.

Another thing others get inordinately worried about is the quality of our education. We learn much just with a trip to the library or the park. There are numerous plant varieties where we live, and we've identified several. We regularly come away from the library with 20+ books, most of them books about war, weapons, history, politics, and the like. My dad reads books about Greek warfare or the World Wars to my little brothers for bedtime stories!

In the end, I enjoy homeschooling more because of the freedom it offers than anything else. Every single bit of reading I do, with a few exceptions, is purely recreational. I like that. I enjoy being able to read what I want, do what I want, and be what I want without constraints being placed on me in the form of peer pressure and a bell that summons me to my next class.

I truly believe that homeschooling is better than public education.

Learn more about this author, Kyla.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.