The Many Benefits of Homeschooling Your Children

Published:
May 10, 2022

Sarah Shelton

Contributor:
Sarah Shelton

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Are you considering homeschooling your children? Homeschooling has garnered a lot of attention over the past couple of years. There are so many benefits of homeschooling that are much different than traditional schooling. If you are wondering what the benefits of homeschooling your children are – read on!

The Many Benefits of Homeschooling Your Kids text with image of mom and daughter schooling at a table.

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Benefits of Homeschooling

Homeschooling used to be something that only weird, unsocialized conservative families did. The idea of homeschooling was frowned upon and questioned. Today, it has gained in popularity as an alternative to traditional brick and mortar public schools and even private school.

Families are finally starting to realize the unique benefits that a homeschool environment can bring to their lives. There are also so many benefits for the children and the parents.

You can learn how to homeschool your kids, but first let’s talk about the benefits of homeschooling. 

Benefits of Homeschooling for Kids

Flexibility Academically

It doesn’t matter where your children are at, if they are at grade level, below grade level, special needs or gifted. Homeschooling offers so much flexibility when it comes to academic learning. 

Do you have a child that struggles with math, but excels at reading and writing? They may be reading at an 8th grade reading level in the 3rd grade, but are stuck at 2nd grade in math. That is okay. That is the best benefit of homeschooling, there is not a one size fits all, cookie-cutter approach.

You can academically tailor your child’s education to their level. If they are excelling in one subject, perhaps you can take a short break from that subject to focus a different subject that needs the most attention.

Schedule Around What Works for Your Family

One favorite thing about homeschooling is that it gives you a flexible schedule for your own unique family situation. Some families do school for 4 days a week and take 1 day off for homeschool field trips, grocery shopping, errands or doctors appointments. 

You can travel and school year round, or do sabbath schooling and take a week off every 6 weeks. If you work during the day you can homeschool at night. The possibilities are endless when you are able to make your very own homeschool schedule. 

Self-Paced Approach to Learning

When you homeschool, you have the ability to work at your own pace. High school students especially love being able to create their own schedule. If they are struggling with a concept they can sit and spend more time on it until they better understand it. 

They can look ahead at their work and social schedules and work ahead or “double up” so that they can have some extra free time. When teens are able to homeschool at their own pace, older students are less stressed and happier.

Homeschool mom and son reading aloud together

Family-Centered Environment

When you are at home, the family is really the center of your homeschool. You don’t need to rush out the door early, so you can sit and eat breakfast together. Many families choose to have family worship or Bible time together in the morning, use a morning basket, or spend time reading aloud together at the table or at bedtime. 

So much family time happens everyday, that you would not normally get if everyone was out of the house for 8-10 hours a day. There are more opportunities for deep conversations and discussion, family movie nights, binge watching television shows and quality time.

Cater to Learning Styles

There are many different approaches to learning in a homeschool setting. This works great for children that have different learning styles such as:

  • Visual learners
  • Auditory learners
  • Children with Dyslexia or Dyscalculia
  • Those with sensory needs
  • Children that need more one on one time
  • Learning through play and hands-on activities

Time for Extra Curricular Activities

Since your kids are not gone all day there is a lot of time for extra curricular activities. You can take weekly or monthly homeschool field trips, and spend time serving at your church or in your community.

There is extra time for music or dance lessons, homeschool PE or sports. You can raise chicks, learn about farming, start gardens and experience things you wouldn’t normally have time to do.

Happy homeschool boy with protractor ruler

Teach to Student’s Interest

You can create your own lesson plans and unit studies to encourage your children to learn what interests them. Do you have a child that is obsessed with dinosaurs, horses or even LEGOs? 

Get kids excited about learning by catering to what they love. A reluctant child may not want to read a school book, but they may devour books on subjects or themes that interest them. 

Do your children learn better with hands-on activities? You can school with LEGOs, and give them sensory bins, and fun science experiments that will delight them.

Homeschooling for Special Needs

A lot of families choose to homeschool because their child has special needs and they see that their needs aren’t being met at school. Their children may be bullied and unable to get all of the resources that they need. 

When you homeschool a student with special needs you can cater their education to fit them exactly where they are at. There are more opportunities for sensory play and quiet time. The schedule has some more freedom to go to physical or occupational therapy, or get specialized tutoring.

You can focus on addressing feeling and emotions and teaching students according to their abilities. 

Customize Curriculum Choices

You do not have to stick to one set curriculum. Many families that have been homeschooling for a long time are very eclectic. They don’t stick to one particular homeschool method. They like to piece together different math, language arts, history and science curricula from a variety of places.

Some moms even write their own curriculum for their children. The sky is the limit to what and how you teach your children!

Homeschooling a preschool girl and using an alphabet worksheet

Focus on Teaching Life Skills

Since there is less time spent on busy work and homework, there is more free time to focus on practical skills your children will need. When you are home with your children all day there are so many amazing opportunities to teach them life skills. 

You can work on baking, cooking, teaching them how to garden, clean properly, make grocery and shopping lists, and meal plans. You can learn how to build things and repair things around the house, how to do basic car repairs and maintenance and so on.

These are important life skills that aren’t normally taught in school anymore. There is usually not much time in the day, or money in the budget for supplies and tools.

Encourage Independent Learning

Homeschooled kids are great independent learners. Many of them are able to create and keep their own schedule and teach themselves. Homeschoolers are often self-taught learners, exploring what interest them the most.

Most homeschool curriculum is written directly to the student which helps encourage independent learning. Some are also research based, which helps students to seek out the answers on their own.

Benefits of Homeschooling for Parents

Learn Alongside Your Kids

A benefit that many people may not think of is that when you are teaching your children, you are learning right alongside them. There are some amazing testimonials of parents who didn’t do well in math in school. They are now learning Algebra and even Calculus as they are sitting next to their teens working through the problems with them.

History is another subject that was once dreaded in school. It can now come alive and be exciting with hands-on activities and living book.

Teaching your children, can even ignite a desire to learn more. Some parents even start taking some online college classes, or finish what they never finished when they started a family.

Freedom from a Strict Schedule

Do you have a family of night owls or growing teenagers that need their sleep? You do not have to get up at 6am to get ready for school. You do not have to adhere to a strict schedule or a traditional classroom setting.

Some kids learn better doing school in the middle of the afternoon or at night instead of the morning. When you homeschool you can choose when and how often you school.

Do you want to take breaks throughout the day to run errands, do chores or spend time in the kitchen or on hobbies? With a flexible schedule you are able to do that. 

Explore Hobbies

Since the time you are spending doing school is literally cut in half from traditional school, you will find the freedom to do more. Not only can your children explore their hobbies, homeschooling parents have the time in their day to explore hobbies alongside their children.

Many moms realize that they love gardening, studying nature, baking, learning about herbs, or painting, sewing or crafting. This can easily be incorporated into your homeschool days.

Close Relationships with Your Kids

Homeschooling allows you to spend so much extra time with your children. This is a wonderful way to develop a close relationship with your kids. You are around each other ALOT. This means you are able to work through tough situations together, and work together as a team when things get tough,

There are some amazing conversations and everyday life experiences that you will be able to share with your children. This can really draw you closer together.

Control Over What Your Child is Learning

When your child is being taught by someone else through out the school year you have zero control over what they are being exposed to. There are so many agendas and political leanings that you may not want your children to be subject to.

At home, you can teach them what you want them to learn, and avoid teaching them things you don’t want them to learn. You can immerse them in good things, you can focus on nature and God’s creation and teach them biblical truths.

Benefits of Homeschooling FAQ

What are the advantages of homeschooling?

  • You are creating a safe environment to teach your children in, where you can customize their learning.
  • There is more freedom to travel, go on field trips and explore hobbies.
  • Additional benefits are that homeschooled children are bright, social, happy and emotionally mature.
  • There is no homework to tackle at the end of a long day.
  • Siblings have close relationships with one another and children can be closer to their parents.
  • There is less negative peer pressure and better mental health and clarity with homeschool children.

What are the negatives of homeschooling?

  • Kids may be lonely. There are plenty of social interactions available, but you do have to work hard to find friends sometimes.
  • Many extra curricular activities are not free. Some have to seek out extra activities that are normally offered as electives at a local school such as; sports, music, art, theater, etc…
  • Money can be tight. A lot of homeschool families are one-income families, so there isn’t a lot of extra money at the end of each month. 
  • You are with your kids 24-7. This is an honest truth, and one reason that some parents say they could never homeschool!

Why do colleges want homeschoolers?

Colleges choose homeschoolers because they know that they are able to take personal responsibility for their learning and education. Homeschoolers can be more focused and self-motivated. They usually have more volunteer hours and life experiences that colleges like to see on applications and transcripts.

They are also known to score higher on standardized tests and college placement tests than non-homeschoolers.

Are homeschooled students more successful?

Homeschool students usually score better on tests, especially those that were homeschooled all the way through high school. They can take responsibility for their work and are usually good with staying organized and are self motivated. Colleges like to see that they are strong learners and don’t need their hands held.

Contrary to popular belief, homeschoolers are not shy and unsocial. One of the main benefits of homeschooling is that it produces strong, and well-rounded young adults. They can communicate very well with all ages and demographics and can hold conversations with adults. They usually do great in interviews and landing and maintaining employment.

How much does homeschooling cost?

The cost of homeschooling can vary greatly. Some homeschoolers are very frugal and choose to use free curriculum and create their own unit studies and lesson plans.

Other families prefer to buy large box sets of curriculum where everything is always planned out. These sets can average $500-1000 per child. Some families prefer piecemealing curriculum together and getting nice expensive sets of curriculum from used curriculum sales or other homeschool families.

There are also homeschool coops. Some of the college preparatory style coops have paid teachers and can cost $1,000-2,000 dollars a year. Others can be run by homeschool parents and may cost $100-200 a year for dues and fees.

In Conclusion:

Homeschooling may not be the right choice for every family, but it can be for many families. No matter what you choose, the homeschooling journey comes with many benefits and special memories for your entire family.

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