by Meredith Bartlett

Created on: October 06, 2009   Last Updated: October 07, 2009

Is Homeschooling Really For You?

One of the first books I ever read as a homeschooler was You Are Your Child's First Teacher. Depending on where you live, you may find homeschooling to be a popular choice or alternative to public schools. I happen to live in a place where it is quite common to home school; however, three years ago I lived up North and it was definitely neither commonly practiced nor smiled upon. The response most people gave me was one of horror and dispute.

Why on earth would you home school when we have such good schools here? My response had been rehearsed many times and usually worked well. My husband and I have moved a lot with job promotions and homeschooling has kept us sane. Homeschooling has created stability and given us the opportunity to be more mobile as his career has taken off. Now that we have settled down and are not so mobile, I have wondered just how I would respond if I had such a question posed to me today.

My response is simply this, do what is right for your family and enjoy the time you have with your children no matter your choice. If you choose to home school and find you resent the time taken from you to teach a lesson or if you find you resent being told exactly how your child should be doing and they are not measuring up to an arbitrary standard, know how your gut feels. Listen to your heart and your mind. There comes a time when even the best home school mom needs help from others in teaching certain topics. It is not always math or science.

Sometimes the challenges arise in other areas such as technology or essay writing. It is important to balance the needs of the family with the needs of the individual. It is equally important to know when you can no longer challenge the student and they need a little push out of the comfort of the home nest. I know we have recently gone through the challenge of deciding on High School or home school for my oldest student and child. I decided she was old enough to make a wise decision for herself regarding this choice and asked her opinion. She wanted to home school.

A year later, I think maybe I should have challenged her decision more and asked exactly why she wanted to stay at home. Was she scared? Did she think she could not handle it? We are now in our second year of High School at home and we are addressing her needs as a student again. We are seriously thinking she needs the last two years in a public school to help her with overcoming these doubts and prepare her for college. Another student might not need this at all and find they thrive in the home environment.

Always give your family and your children the space they need to make the right decision for themselves and continue to use your authority as their parent to help them make the right choices as they grow. An involved parent is always going to find they worry about their children and want to provide the best learning environment possible. Watching your child progress and grow is very rewarding. Finding balance as a mother and a teacher can be the hardest task you ever take on. Be forewarned home schooling is not easy but it can be very rewarding . Remember, You Are Your Child's First Teacher.

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