Homeschooling is something that some parents consider for their kids. They see it as a different way of learning alternatives for their children who have problems going to traditional schools. “These reasons include concerns about the local school’s quality of education or environment; a desire to provide a certain kind of religious or moral teaching; a child’s inability or unwillingness to fit into the local school environment; a school’s inability or unwillingness to provide an education that meets a child’s psychological or learning needs; a family’s living in a remote location; a temporary situation like travel, illness, or family transition; and a parent’s wish to manage their child’s education,” explains developmental psychologist Dona Matthews, Ph.D.

However, though it seems widely allowed and a lot of people practice it, it’s not merely that acceptable in some parts of the judgmental sides of society. Let’s try to enumerate the pros and cons of homeschooling to better understand the different opinions and point of view of parents.

• Lose Schedules – Homeschooling doesn’t require kids to get up in bed too early or travel across a couple of streets to learn something. Since the preparations almost don’t take up a valuable amount of time, it makes children less likely to become tardy or late. Also, the learning materials are within reach, so there’s no reason for kids to delay or disregard education. Aside from that, the whole family can have enough time to spend with each other. No required time or schedule will hinder them from bonding.

 

• Emotional Stability – Homeschooled children are less likely to experience peer pressure. Homeschooling somehow makes them feel safe and comfortable within their surroundings. They don’t get bullied or experience harassment in any sort. They don’t feel left out and don’t suffer from self-esteem issues. Therefore, there’s no reason for kids to become stress and anxious about social interaction. The love and attention they get from their families grow enough for them to sustain emotional stability.
• Close Family Ties – Homeschooling allows parents to have more time with their kids. It supports a growing strong and loving family relationship. It establishes the bond between parents and children, which is beneficial for sustainable behavioral and emotional enhancement. Kids learn to become more adaptive, respectful, loyal, caring, and loving.
• Educational Freedom – The process of homeschooling tailors a teaching strategy that specifically meets the children’s needs. It supports creative and fun teaching methods that allow kids to participate comfortably and playfully. It enhances moral and spiritual values, as well as relationship awareness. Homeschooling allows educational freedom by letting kids learn things within the personal discovery. Laura Brodie, Ph.D. explains that parents’ “reasons ranged from a desire to supplement a public school’s curriculum, to the need to escape a persistent bully. And then there were the families who simply wanted to enjoy more unhurried time between parent and child.”

The list of positive things about homeschooling can go a long way. However, parents should not disregard the cons it may somehow provide.

• Time-Consuming – Homeschooling is time-consuming. However, it depends on every child’s capability to process the required lessons for the day. And since homeschooling only focuses perhaps on one subject a day, the whole internalization pretty much takes some time. Fortunately, there are methods and guidelines that parents can follow. But, it’s safe to note that not all of those techniques apply to all kids.
• Financial Constraint – Homeschooling somehow hinders a unit’s financial stability. Since one parent needs to stay at home, only one of them can work full time. In some unfortunate circumstances, a single-family income becomes very tight on a budget due to a one-working parent family agreement. Though it’s not a bad thing, it still causes monetary issues. That’s because all financial matters are inconsistent and all units are susceptible to experience an unexpected situation that involves money.
• Limited Extra-Curricular Activities – Homeschooling parents’ struggle in teaching their kids things related to arts, sports, and other activities. That’s because it requires a mouthful amount of time to get done. Since homeschooling focuses on particular lessons one at a time, the supposed time for extracurricular becomes limited. Therefore, some specific learning becomes an option. Also, homeschooled kids are less likely to get involved in community support, and that leads to limited social interactions.
• Criticism From Other People – Homeschoolers struggle with negative comments. Children’s way of living outside the norm becomes questionable and sometimes unaccepted by others. People see it as isolation. Though there’s nothing wrong about the process of homeschooling, it makes other people less likely to care.

Deciding what appropriate education is best for children can be very difficult for parents. “Increasingly parents carve out an eclectic mix of “school” options to best meet the needs of their individual children,” says Jessica Korhler, Ph.D. “We may consult experts in specialized fields to gain valuable information and to develop necessary interventions for our children, but sometimes we must make a difficult personal choice.” But whatever the reasons there might be, it is necessary to consider the children first above all decisions.

 

Homeschool is seemingly getting popular in a lot of countries. Over the past few years, the standard one-on-one learning supports an education that benefits both the teacher and the student. Let’s try to figure out why homeschooling significantly becomes an option in terms of educational learning.

1. There is an excellent teacher-to-student ratio when it comes to homeschooling. It is one of the factors that are extremely important in an effective education system. Since the number of students on which the teacher is responsible for attending matter, the lesser would be much better. That’s because smaller classes significantly increase focus and attention which is beneficial in early learning improvements of the students. Since homeschooling is done mostly on one-on-one interaction, it creates a more detail-oriented relationship when it comes to teacher-student learning.

 

 

2. Since homeschooling focuses on children’s individual needs, it creates a significant advantage in tailoring education according to the student’s personality and capabilities. Meaning, the one-on-one interaction can identify and accelerate the areas in which the student excels. For instance, if the student is a visual learner, the incorporation of more visual elements will become extensively beneficial for the learning process. Compared to the traditional book-oriented way of teaching in schools, homeschool provides the opportunity to design an educational approach specifically for the child’s needs.

Dona Matthews, PhD, wrote, “None of your child’s time is wasted in busywork, waiting for the other kids to catch up, or working on material they’re not yet ready for.” She also added that “their learning time and your teaching time can be spent actively learning and teaching.”

 

3. Homeschool permits children to have more time exploring things. It allows them to play and have fun. Compared to the traditional school approach, there are more things that children can learn when they are free. Since playing enhances early child development, homeschool increases kids’ learning adjustment and improves their language skills too. It also reduces kids’ stress and emotional problems as well. That’s due to homeschooling’s implication on both educational and intellectual development in children’s everyday life.

“Home schooling creates the opportunity for having education tailored to the child’s nature and the parents’ values. Children learn to discover and develop their individual interests, sheltered from the problems that same age peers can bring to school. Children learn to work on their own, in a self-paced fashion,” wrote Carl E Pickhardt, PhD.

 

4. Since bullying is the number one issue that children can experience at school, homeschooling prevents it from happening. The widespread adverse effect of physical and emotional torture in every child is the reason why school becomes unsafe for them. And when not properly assisted, victims suffer from emotional and mental turmoil such as anger, anxiety, stress, and depression.

Timothy Legg, PhD, PsyD, wrote, “A report issued by the Bureau of Justice Statistics states that bullying occurs on a daily or weekly basis in 23 percent of public schools across the United States. The issue has gained more attention in recent years because of technology and new ways to communicate and harass one other, such as the internet, cell phones, and social media.”

 

 

5. These adverse effects can potentially lead kids to suicide and self-harm. In homeschooling, everything is different. There’s no way children will experience humiliation in front of a lot of people. No kids will endure getting shoved into a locker. No one will make fun of what they do, and no one will care if they behave differently.

 

6. One of the reasons why most parents consider homeschooling their kids is due to time freedom. Homeschooled children don’t have to spend a lot of time sticking their physical bodies into their chairs for a whole day and still get exhausted when coming home. They can be free as much as they want. They can travel and have fun altogether without thinking about strict school schedules. Since homeschooling focuses on one-on-one education, the process of learning becomes twice as fast as the latter. Therefore, it gives children enough time to do what they want since the whole progress of a 20 minute to 40-minute teaching equivalents to an entire day school classroom discussion.

 

7. Homeschooling provides children a lot of napping time. Since sleep is a hugely important factor for kids’ development, it should become one of the things that they must have to do. That’s because sleep is a vital requirement for good health and better brain function. If young kids get enough of it, it will help in boosting their overall emotional and mental well-being.

There’s a degree of connection between homeschool and school. But as parents, it is still your choice to decide what’s educationally beneficial for your child’s learning development.

Homeschooling is getting popular again after a long time. It is not a surprising subject due to education getting overly expensive, slow, and uninteresting. There is also the issue saying that success is not entirely due to a person’s educational attainment. As such, some parents choose to teach their children exclusively on their premises. In this case, parents take the entire responsibility. As well as control the type of education their children will receive. However, is homeschooling practical and advantageous?

Life And Learning

Kids learn basic knowledge in schools and classrooms, but that’s it. Most of the children only learn how to make a living upon going to the college of their chosen course. It doesn’t prepare them for handling life outside the school. However, in homeschooling, parents teach their children more about living. There’s the combination of basic knowledge which shows children how the real world works. It gives them a significant advantage that traditional education doesn’t provide. Real learning is about stepping into the world and not just comparing test results with others. A diploma can land you a good job, but a wizened individual can start their way to success as a proprietor.

Flexibility

Traditional education focuses on textbook knowledge which is why customization is almost not an option. That’s because it practically kills the imagination and individuality of a child. The lack of choice and the firm reliance on test results in memorization and enumeration do not bring the best qualities of a child. That’s where homeschooling becomes better in a way. “You can take advantage of learning opportunities as they become available, and you can choose the teaching approach that works best for you and your child,” developmental psychologist Dona Matthews, Ph.D. explains. She also said that parents can also “make changes as you see fit, or as you learn about new, alternative methods,” Hence, homeschooling teaches children that every problem is solvable in a variety of ways depending on skills and understanding. Using trial by error, children can explore their imagination better than enumeration and memorization. It also focuses on the good qualities of children and ensuring that they can use it to their advantage once they go on different fields.

Special Needs And Disability

Some children may require more attention compared to others. It could be due to disability or unique traits. In cases such as this, it is better to get homeschooling than traditional education. Parents can create a suitable way of learning to fit the needs of their children. Additionally, the required focus that special children need may not be available on campuses. “Much inclusive education takes place in chronological age/ grade level classrooms, but many included pupils with autism are not as close to academic grade levels as their general education peers,” explains Bryna Siegel, Ph.D., developmental psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of California. She says, “If you can picture this, you can picture how inclusion in general education deprives many autistic children with IEPs to access to the social world of classmates as well as special education methods that have been shown to be beneficial.” Therefore, it might create a problem in the long run.

Convenience

Homeschooling is very convenient in many ways. Parents don’t have to check their children as much regarding the people they get along or the kind of friends they tend to choose. The long transportation problem is non-existent, and there’s also a reduced traveling cost which gives more allocation for time and funds. Additionally, the traveling time used to come to campus becomes available for other meaningful activities or projects.

Progress Control

Parents can decide and control what their children can learn. They can also adjust it to fit the unique qualities of their children. Judy Willis, M.D., a board-certified neurologist and middle school teacher explains that, “These discussions increase the relevance of new learning so it is incorporated into long-term memory.” She adds, “Even more critical, through your encouraging her to make comparisons and express and support her opinions, she is processing new learning through her executive function networks as she forms and defends her opinions, analyzes source reliability, and questions things she hears or reads using her developing critical analysis.” As a result, homeschooling can give better results with the right combination of subject concentration.

Family Travel

Homeschooling enables the family to travel more often compared to traditional learning. Parents can choose any free date and travel without the inconvenience of checking the schedules of their children if there is anything important going on at the campus. Parents do not need to make excuses for teachers to free their children on a specific date. As a result, the family has more time to bond with each other and create more happy memories.

Homeschooling is a desirable alternative way of learning. However, it all boils down to the children’s need and the conviction of the parents for it to work. Nothing is without faults, but homeschooling is indeed a cut above towards the interest of both parents and children. It is a kind of learning which revolves around practicality rather than intelligence comparison.

 

It is impossible for kids with a disability to get full educational essentials in a public school. Even if there are private schools that specialize in catering to their needs, it is not something that most parents can afford. But if parents can, there’s no assurance that it will fit the needs of their children. As such, parents ponder on how they can provide the proper education for their children with disabilities. According to developmental psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of California, Bryna Siegel, Ph.D., “While Americans embrace all sort of inclusion, desegregation, gender equality, and the need for public access for the physically disabled—arguably, educational inclusion of many children with autism is not cut from the same civil rights ‘cloth.’” She adds that, “Many children with autism have more behavior incompatible with instruction, and so many master educational content more slowly, and often only with the use of special methods not included in the training of general education teachers.”

As of now, the best choice for parents with special needs children is to opt for homeschooling. It is because no one can better understand a child than his parents. Additionally, there are numerous advantages to special needs homeschooling which we will discuss in this article.

The Advantages

There are numerous advantages of homeschooling for kids with special needs. However, parents need to exert more time and effort into making it possible. Here are the few of the following benefits they can potentially get.

• Individual Focus

Most children with special needs require guidance to a far greater degree. As such, it is within the expectation that a one on one education is more efficient for them rather than the usual educational curriculum. This type of focus-oriented education can deepen the relationship and understanding between parents and children. That’s because there will be an additional time spent together that a typical school curriculum won’t be able to provide.

• Specialization And Customization

In homeschooling, parents can build a specific program that complements the peculiar needs of their children. It also helps avoid the hindrances or dangers the children might encounter on campus, particularly bullying. Also, parents can make minute adjustments if the program is not practical in case of specific impairments or learning problems.

• Lesser Distractions

Most special children have a harder time focusing on their work. It is why distraction is the last thing they need. Homeschooling can remove all the unwanted disturbances or at least keep it to a minimum range. It will give the parents more opportunity to get the necessary learning attention they need. “It is the internal distractions that we have the most difficulty with during treatment because they are very difficult to identify and not easy to resolve,” says  Nicole Kolenda, M.S., CCC-SLP, P.C. She emphasize that, “You have to make sure you are working at the “line of learning”—where you are able to maintain the student’s attention and they are processing and learning.”

• Sharing Moments

Homeschooling provides more opportunity for parents and child to share more time thus creating more memories. The parents are there when kids learn, fail, struggle, and achieve something. The joy, excitement, and tears are all priceless treasures to recollect. There is nothing more rewarding than the familial bond created in such moments.

• Less Negativity More To Improvement

Special children face a lot of bullying, discrimination, and negativity at most public schools. Debbie Glasser, Ph.D. wrote, “According to the study findings, students who receive special education services are also more likely than others to be sent to the school office for discipline issues.” In addition to that, “children who are victimized by others may experience anxiety, depression, and various health concerns.” The negative environment hinders developmental improvement as well. However, it is a situation that homeschooling can prevent. Parents allow an environment where there’s no discrimination and judgment. It also keeps them away from bullying. There’s a focus on the kids’ strongest characteristics while boosting their confidence. As a result, there are more personal achievements gathered from homeschooling program.

• Understanding And Patience

Nobody understands children better than their parents. The familiarity allows them to adjust the teaching methods to what their kids’ are feeling, needing, or experiencing. Parents provide more patience and understanding because they know what particular things are required.

• Progress As A Family

When parents choose to homeschool their children, it is essential that they learned things before teaching. They have to use and provide a specific reference about the lessons they are going to add in the homeschooling program. Not only it helps children with disabilities to develop their skills, but it also allows parents to learn with them at the same time.

It is hard to educate children with special needs because they require the most attention, effort, and affection. However, it’s not enough reason not to provide them with proper education. If all else is not working, at least homeschooling can be a good option for learning.

Amidst all the advantages mentioned above, if your child has persisting mental health issues that are hindering him from learning smoothly, try reaching out to BetterHelp, an online platform composed of experienced and trustworthy counselors who are ready to listen and discuss your child’s emotional and mental problems anytime and anywhere. It has great reviews from clients that you can read here. You can also check out employee testimonials on this link. Good luck with you and your child’s homeschooling journey!

 

 

Are you aware that there is no perfect formula when it comes to parenting? Many people will probably tell you how to do things exactly, but you will still discover that the results are different on your part. As such, you need to avoid stressing yourself out about becoming the perfect parent to your child. At most, be sure that your goal would be to become the best parent and not a perfect one. Take note that the two are entirely different from each other.

As already emphasized above, there is no way that you can become a perfect mom. No matter what you do, there will always be room for error and improvement. This kind of experience is something that must not be the cause of your worry. The best and right thing to do is to follow the guide that we have provided below, but be sure to avoid pressuring yourself into doing everything on our list. As early as now, you must instill to your mind that what we have written below are merely suggestions:

 

Always Make Time

One of the vital things that you must never neglect is the importance of making quality time for your child. Regardless of your hectic schedule, be sure that you will always have an opportunity to bond with him. Never let your busyness take out the fun and excitement in your relationship. Keep in mind that failure to do this can have adverse effects on your child’s mental health. He may start to look for affection from other people. At the same time, he will also begin to think negative thoughts due to lack of attention and love from you.

Be Forgiving

Another thing that you must always put in mind is the need to become more forgiving to your child’s mistakes. Remind yourself that he is still in a phase in his life when committing mistakes is indispensable. As such, do not get mad or shout right away when he screws up. Instead, teach him the value of asking for forgiveness. At the same time, be sure to explain to him his errors so that he can improve. Consequently, Amy Morin, LCSW says, “If your parenting mistakes hurt your child, apologize. Role model how to accept full responsibility for your actions and show you’re committed to doing better next time.” Conversely, learn how to use positive reinforcement to let him know that you appreciate his good deeds.

Listen To Him

Communication is the secret to a happy and peaceful connection with your child. Take note that it feels good to establish the right relationship with your child, wherein he can trust you with everything he feels. Your goal is to make an effort or see to it that he will become more motivated to open up to you when something is bad in his life. The best way to make this happen is to learn how to listen to him well. “By listening you can learn more about your child’s situation so you don’t make assumptions and can eventually give better advice. Don’t just listen to see things from your son’s perspective, listen to understand how their perspective makes sense to them,” suggests Adam Price, Ph.D. an expert in child and adolescent psychology. Never judge him right away just because you think he committed a mistake. Make sure to encourage him to approach you at any time so that he can get the right guidance and support from you. “Trustful parents do not try to guide their children’s development; they trust their children to guide their own development.  They support, rather than guide, by helping children achieve their own goals when such help is requested and needed,” Peter Gray, Ph.D., research professor at Boston College wrote.

In recent times, homeschooling has started to gain popularity among several parents around the world. Many moms and dads have discovered how good this educational setup or arrangement is. As such, they are beginning to transition from being traditional parents to modern ones. Nowadays, many of these parents are already selecting homeschooling for their kids. Board-certified neurologist and middle school teacher Judy Willis, M.D. emphasizes that the parent’s role is to connect academics with the child’s interest to motivate him to perform well. She says that, “…by engaging their curiosity, their brains get a jump start on critical information processing skills that will promote success in academic, social and emotional challenges and opportunities throughout their lives.” She further explains that, “When children are motivated by curiosity and interest to ask and then find answers to questions, their brains build skills of prediction, deduction, expanded thinking, analysis, and the ability to distinguish fact from opinion, make judgments, and support their own opinions or ethical beliefs.”

If you are one of the smart parents who have decided to go for homeschooling, then be sure to read the rest of this article. For today’s post, we are going to provide you with a list of guidelines to remember when it comes to homeschooling. Keep in mind that no matter how smart you think you are, there are still some rules or guidelines that you must observe about this kind of arrangement. As much as possible, avoid assuming that you are well versed in the said setup. Otherwise, you will end up committing errors or mistakes.

Ask Around

The first thing that you must never forget is the necessity to get to know the other parents who have chosen to homeschool their children. Do not hesitate to ask questions about why they have decided to do so. At the same time, be honest in making inquiries as to how they make it happen. Keep in mind that talking to people who are similarly situated with you can help you a lot in experiencing convenience about homeschooling. 

Read About It

 Recently, there are already several studies or research conducted about the homeschooling setup. What you must do is to grab a copy of the findings of the said study. Once you do, learn how to use the information to guide you about homeschooling. “Homeschooling books and magazines often insist that all parents are capable of educating their children,” says Laura Brodie, Ph.D. However, she adds that, “While the vast majority of homeschoolers might be well-suited to “teach their own,” not all parents are cut out for homeschooling.” Hence, to figure it out, as early as now, you must already understand the value of keeping yourself informed so that you can avoid committing significant mistakes.

Contacting Homeschool Teachers

The next step that you must do now is to get in touch with professionals who are engaged in providing homeschool education. “If you don’t like any of the public high schools, you could spring for private school because it’s only for a few years,” wrote Marty Nemko, Ph.D. “And if you decide to keep home-schooling him through high school, you’d supplement, for example, with the many online courses that are available.” Take note that there are several options to choose from in this area. One of the options is to research for the top institutions that have homeschool teachers in their team. The second one is to look for direct contact with the said teachers. Do whatever you think is best for your child. The choice is not something that we will impose upon you. Be smart enough to select the right option, as you are the best person who can make such a decision.

Conclusion

Homeschooling can be challenging in the beginning, especially if no one is around to guide you on how to go about the process. There will be several issues or struggles that you may encounter. Nonetheless, it does not mean that you can give up because things are hard. The right thing to do is to see to it that you will become steadfast in providing your child with the best and outstanding education he can have. Learn how to get support from other parents to unburden yourself. 

There are tons of responsibilities that every parent needs to accomplish. One of which is making sure that you can send your child to the right education institution or choose the perfect homeschooling arrangement for him. As you probably know by now, these things can be expensive or costly on your part. As such, there is a necessity for you to start saving up while your kid is still growing up.

Before anything else, you must keep in mind that your child’s education is essential to his growth and development. “Attempts to teach intellectual skills directly inevitably fail, because each child must develop them in his or her own way, through his or her own self-initiated activities,” wrote Peter Gray, Ph.D. “But adults can influence that development through the environments they provide,” he says. Because of this, you must never consider sending him to a low-class school. Make sure that you will become more motivated in working hard to provide for his needs, especially when education can take up years of endless expenses and payments. Here are the top things to remember if you want to save big for the school needs of your child:

Know Your Cash Flow

The initial step to consider is to see to it that you are aware of the amount of money that you earn as well as the cash that goes out of your pocket. According to a financial expert, the more you become more aware of your cash flow, the smarter you become in managing your money. As such, you must make an effort to list down your expenses as well as the amount of income that you receive monthly.

Separate Wants From Needs

If you only have a little amount of savings in the bank, then it is time to consider limiting yourself from shopping random stuff. Always put in mind that your child’s needs must be a top priority. “Willpower refers to effortful control that is exerted with the purpose of controlling our impulsive behavior,” explains Shahram Heshmat, Ph.D., professor emeritus at the University of Illinois. He says that, in some sense, willpower can be treated as resources, and “when resources are depleted, people tend to act on impulse and are more likely to be swayed by desires, urges, and cravings, although they may regret them in the long run.” The next time you enter a store, learn how to say no to sales and discounts. Instead, be brave enough to remind yourself that they are not necessities. You may want them right now, but they are considered non-essential.

Set A Budget

Knowing your monthly income and expense is not the only way that you must do to enjoy big savings. At the same time, you must learn to set a budget for a given week. Make sure that you will set a limit as to how much you can spend on a particular day, week, or month. Make an effort to avoid exceeding that budget. The right thing to do is to put 20% of your monthly income straight to the bank, and the rest of the 80% must be budgeted accordingly. Additionally, Utpal M. Dholakia, Ph.D. says that, “To form a robust habit, the targeted behavior must be repeated regularly, keeping the context constant.” He further elaborates that, “Actively saving money every single day, even if it’s only a couple of dollars, is crucial to forming a saving habit.”

Conclusion

There is no easy way to save money, especially when you have daily needs. However, you have no choice but to learn the rules of managing your finances right. Otherwise, you may put your child’s future in jeopardy if he cannot get into the right school. Whenever you get tired of setting aside cash for his education, remind yourself that you are doing it for the right reasons. Everything will soon be worth it as long as you remain patient and smart in managing your cash.

There are several ideas or things that you must keep in mind when it comes to providing your children with the proper education that they need. According to Eleesha Lockett, M.S. “Unschooling is the idea that children can direct their own learning, at their own pace, without the rigid structures of formal education. Instead of following curricula, students are given a supportive setting that fosters their natural curiosity about the world.” As much as possible, make sure that they will receive the right kind of schooling while they are still young. Always remember that childhood development is crucial while they are still young. It is the time when they can quickly get ideas about the right things to do and have an open mind to welcome new learning.

Nowadays, parents have several options to choose how to go about the education of their children. Some parents prefer or choose to send their kids to private schools while others decide to send them to public schools. These parents have varying reasons for doing so. At the same time, some mothers and fathers select homeschooling for their children. If you are also considering this option for your beloved child, then make sure to read this article from top to bottom.

For today’s post, our focus will become about the benefits of homeschooling for your child and even for everyone in the family. This article aims to answer the question, “Is homeschooling a good idea?” To find out the answer, check the list below:

It Is More Accessible

One of the selling points of homeschooling is that it provides easy access or convenience to parents. It is the ideal set up for busy moms and dads since the education can be completed at the comforts of their own home. As such, you no longer need to worry about driving to your kid’s school for a weekday. All you have to do is to train him to get ready for school at your own house. Moreover, in transitioning from school-to-home set-up, Stephanie Lee, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, says, “It’s absolutely okay to have less stringent demands during that period of time for your child if they need a break. That said, it’s important for them to understand that the rules of the household still need to be followed.”

It Allows More Family Time

“Children and adolescents are faced with not only the incredible pressure at school, but now have activities planned everyday, leaving them no time for play, relaxation and family time,” says Amanda Hills, LCSW, who specializes in children and adolescents. “Children learn about the world through play, and without this balance, they will demonstrate higher levels of stress and anxiety.” Another great advantage of homeschooling is that you can get to spend more quality time with your child. Since he will be taking the classes at home, there is a better chance that you can share meals with him or talk to him about his day. However, learn to respect your child’s time for homeschooling. Never interrupt his classes or lectures at home to ensure that he can learn something from the session.

It Can Be Less Expensive

One of the most common misconceptions about homeschooling is that many people think that it is too expensive. If you only think of the tuition fees, then you are wrong about it. Keep in mind that you must also take into consideration the other factors. For example, think about the amount of money that you can save from your transportation fare or gas allowance. Since you no longer need to drive for your kid’s educational institution, you will be able to save more.

Conclusion

Take note that the choice of homeschooling depends on your personal tastes and preferences. Make sure that no one will compel you to do it. Once you decide to go for homeschooling, there is no turning back. Hence, you must think twice before going for it.  

It is no secret that psychologists have seen a rise in the number of children who deal with mental health issues. In our neighborhood, for instance, there’s a 10-year-old girl who has been caught by her parents’ self-harming. Then, my son’s classmate in fourth grade is talking about dying early because he feels insignificant.

What’s scarier than such situations, however, is when a depressed or anxious kid gets bullied at school as well. Some of their older schoolmates may poke fun at their glasses or clothes almost every day, for example. Others may pull their hair or, worse, hit them when the teachers are not around. Going through similar incidents repeatedly is usually enough for some children to assume that death is the answer to their problems.

Whenever stories about bullying come to light, some parents think that the solution is to either have the bullies expelled or transfer their kids to another school. The former option can be a long process, especially if their families decide to bring the case to court. The latter is more of a quick fix, but it’s still no guarantee that the history won’t repeat itself.

For such reasons, some institutions talk about the possibility of homeschooling children. Granted, it is not the most conventional education system. You may not know a lot of moms and dads who homeschool their kids as well. However, it comes with a few mental health benefits that regular schools may not be able to provide to anyone.

1. The Children Can Always Be Around Their Loved Ones

Assuming bullies have already victimized your kid, know that they need your support now more than ever. It is not the right time to say, “You’re strong, my dear. You can stand up for yourself.” Perhaps they may be able to do that in the future, but they are still at a vulnerable phase. If you keep on making them go to the same school where the bullying has taken place, the emotional wounds may not heal well. Thus, it may be best for them to be around their loved ones for as long as possible.

According to Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D., “excessive peer orientation undermines the natural authority of parents and thus impedes the natural course of the child’s psychological development. By contrast, not having excessive peer orientation to contend with, homeschooling parents retain the ability to guide their children gradually to a connected type of independence by way of the natural dependency of childhood, which is what children are developmentally supposed to have in relation to their parents, in whose care Nature/God has placed them.”

 

2. They Can Study Without Extreme Pressure

In reality, bullies are not the only causes of mental health problems among kids. Some of them can get very competitive at school, to the point that they take it personally if a classmate gets better grades than them. The emotionally weak ones, on the other hand, tend to feel so sad and mad at themselves when they cannot keep up with the rest of the class. Jessica Levetan, PsyD, says “Pressure can make kids feel unable to live up to expectations.”

What’s great about homeschooling is that it eliminates such pressure. For one, your kid does not have classmates to compete with. If they do not understand a lesson, they can ask the tutor without the fear of the others think that they’re dumb. Furthermore, the grading system does not have to be too strict. It is even possible to focus on one or two subjects at a time so that they don’t have to study everything every day. Homeschooled kids can only have all these perks and more.

3. There Is No Risk Of Running Across Bullies

Of course, since most of the lessons take place in the comforts of your own house, the children do not have to worry about getting bullied. As mentioned above, there is no way to guarantee that enrolling them in different schools can save them from mean people. It may not sound nice, but some kids can indeed be toxic to others.

4. They Gain More Freedom To Be Who They Are

When you homeschool your children, you give them the freedom to hone their intelligence in various aspects of life. After all, you can schedule their lessons for several hours anytime during the day. It then allows them to try new sports and other hobbies, and this is something that may be difficult for them to do if they go to a regular school. Child psychologist Seto Mulyadi, Psi, M.Psi, states “Moreover, homeschooling doesn’t force children to study. They study because they are motivated to do so, not because they have to, and it leads to them being a more creative individual in the future.”

Final Thoughts

Homeschooling is an education system that has been created for children who can excel more when the student-to-teach ratio is merely 1:1. It is also popular among parents who want to shield their kids from terrible situations, such as being made fun of or getting bullied at school. After all, some folks believe that dealing with similar hardships can tough up their children, but many others are starting to see how unnecessary that is. Kids are innately smart — you can brace them for the future even without putting them in an environment where they may get hurt.

Try to consider homeschooling your kids when you notice that the regular education system is not beneficial for them.

If, however, your child experiences difficulties concerning his homeschooling program, or if you have trouble providing him with guidance, do not anticipate to reach out to BetterHelp. It is an online app that is dedicated to making you and your child’s life easier by providing you with healthy strategies on how to manage pressure, stress, and anxiety, among others. If you want to learn more about it, you may watch these videos about client success stories.