| The decision to home school your child | | | | or not. Some sacrifices will need to be |
| can be a very difficult decision to | | | | made if the family is used to depend on |
| make. With the high rate of two-income | | | | two incomes. Of course, if you are a |
| families today, many parents wonder if | | | | single parent, this could be an even |
| they can make the financial and time | | | | bigger problem. |
| sacrifice, even it is the right thing to | | | | 4. Time for socialization |
| do. Many more wonder if their children | | | | More attention will need to be given to |
| can get the same level of quality | | | | getting your children to spend time |
| education if they choose homeschooling. | | | | together with his/her peers. The best |
| However, despite these concerns, the | | | | part of homeschooling is being able to |
| rate at which parents are choosing to | | | | have more control of the potential |
| home school their kids continue to rise. | | | | social contacts your child makes. |
| There are a huge number of reasons why | | | | However, the downside is that you must |
| parents choose to home school their | | | | personally prepare your child yourself |
| kids. For many parent, it is because | | | | on how to socialize with other kids. |
| they want to be able to add religious | | | | Homeschooling can have a tendency to |
| content to their children's learning | | | | make your child feel quite isolated. |
| experience. For others, they see the | | | | 5. Household organization is harder |
| decline in the public education system | | | | Housework, laundry and other chores will |
| today and want to choose something that | | | | still have to be done, but it probably |
| is better for their kids. | | | | will get done first thing in the |
| According to a recent an August 2006 ABC | | | | morning. If you are a neat freak, you |
| 20/20 special, many kids today are not | | | | might be in for a big big surprise. Not |
| being taught even the needed | | | | only does housework need to be let go at |
| fundamentals for them to graduate. For | | | | times, but also homeschooling does |
| example, one student was interviewed who | | | | creates messes and clutter on its own. |
| was in high school but was only able to | | | | You will have to get really organized so |
| read properly at a fourth grade level. | | | | that you can keep your home together. |
| Another student interviewed mentioned | | | | 6. Both parents must agree to it |
| that cheating was actually encouraged by | | | | It is important that both parents agree |
| his teacher - goodness!. | | | | to the idea of homeschooling. It is very |
| Although the public education system is | | | | difficult for this to work if one of the |
| not as good as it should be and expected | | | | parents is against it right from the |
| today, the decision to homeschooling as | | | | start. If your spouse is against it at |
| an alternative is one that should not be | | | | this time, try doing more research and |
| taken too lightly. When choosing to home | | | | talking to more people so that you can |
| school your kids, you must first | | | | be absolutely certain it is something |
| consider these 7 things: | | | | that both of you can agree upon and |
| 1. Time commitment | | | | pursue. Otherwise, the chances for |
| Homeschooling has a tendency to take up | | | | success are very much smaller. |
| a lot of time of the parent. The process | | | | 7. Your child has to be willing |
| involves more than just sitting down | | | | A willing student is crucial to the |
| with books for a couple of hours. There | | | | success of homeschooling. Ultimately, |
| are experiments and projects that have | | | | the decision is the parents to make, but |
| to be done, lessons to prepare, papers | | | | if your child is dead set against it, |
| to grade, field trips, park days, music | | | | you might have a very difficult time in |
| lessons, and the list just keeps on | | | | teaching and convincing them. The fact |
| going and going. Fortunately, you can go | | | | of the matter is that an unwilling child |
| online and search for some homeschool | | | | can sabotage his/her own education |
| sample schedules that will help to give | | | | progress efforts. |
| you an idea of a typical day. | | | | There is a lot more to homeschooling |
| 2. Personal sacrifice | | | | than is often seen at first sight. As a |
| The homeschooling parent sacrifice much | | | | parent, you must know that your child's |
| and has very little personal time or | | | | education is the most important factor |
| time alone and away from their children. | | | | in their future. You need to be |
| If a lot of care is not taken to set | | | | thoroughly prepared for all of the time |
| aside time for yourself, it is easy for | | | | and commitment that is going to be |
| the parent to feel overwhelmed and | | | | involved. If you are thinking of |
| stress. It is not unusual for the parent | | | | choosing homeschooling for your |
| and child to be together 24 hours a day, | | | | children, it will be very important to |
| which can eventually lead to frustration | | | | network with other like-minded parents |
| on both sides. | | | | in your local area. Not only will this |
| 3. Financial problems can arise | | | | help with the program planning process, |
| Though homeschooling can be accomplished | | | | but will also provide a place to share |
| with very little cost to you; however, | | | | ideas and concerns with others who are |
| it usually requires that the teaching | | | | probably experiencing the same thing. |
| parent not work, either out of the home | | | | |