The Top 10 Reasons We Homeschool

  
"Why Do You Homeschool?"

I can't tell you how many times I've been asked this question.

And I can't tell you how many different ways I've answered it.


I guess my answer has to do with...what are the really asking?

Are they asking, "Why are you keeping your kids at home, depriving them of socialization?"

Are they asking, "Why don't you send your kids to public school?  It's what you're supposed to do."

Are they asking, "Why Would You Make Such a Crazy Choice?"  -or-

Are they asking, "Why should I consider homeschooling?"

This evening, I was asked "the question" by someone who is part of a local PTA.

She said they are trying to understand why people are taking their kids out of public schools to homeschool them.


I knew that this woman was sending her two children to public school this fall.  And the other kids who were at our church event attend the same school.

So, while answering her question, I decided to base my answer on the positive reasons why we homeschool, rather than the negative reasons for not sending them to public school.  I don't vary my answers because I'm trying to shmooze people.  I'm just trying to meet them where they are.

The reasons that we choose to homeschool are so many, one reason doesn't cover it all.

When she asked what our main reason for homeschooling was, I shared our #1 reason.


1.  CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW

Our number one reason for homeschooling our kids is that we (my husband and I) want to be the primary influences in our children's lives.  We are Christians and we want our kids to understand the Biblical worldview, especially in the subject of science.  The Bible has long been thrown out of public schools as an authority in learning.  We want to restore that for our children.  Because we believe the Bible is true.  Because we believe that God is real, and we want him to be real to our children, too.  We believe this is the right choice for our family.


Other reasons we homeschool:

2. COMMON CORE

Another reason we homeschool is that we want to stay as far away from Common Core as possible. 

Check out this video of Dr. Duke Pesta concerning the use of Common Core curriculum in the schools.  More than math is "fuzzy" when it comes to Common Core.

Have you heard of the National Sexuality Standards that is part of Common Core?


Why were Bill and Melinda Gates given the right to decide what our children should be taught?  Because they bailed out all the schools with their great wealth.  In return, our nation's schools promised to adopt their socialist curriculum without even seeing it.  It's really scary.

After I heard Dr. Duke Pesta speak at the Great Midwest Homeschool Convention, I was physically ill.  I could not believe that this horrible piece of wool was being silently pulled over the eyes of the American people.  Do you know what Common Core is all about?

One word:  proletariot.

OK - so you now know why I have a dim view of Common Core.

4.  TIME

It takes way less time, especially in the early grades.  No waiting in lines, no sitting in desks, no waiting for others to finish before they can move on.  More time to play, create, imagine and explore.  To be a kid!  We currently spend an hour or less with kindergarten basics, and an hour and some change with our third grader.

5.  JOY

It allows our children to pursue their interests and discover the joy of learning! 
It enables our children to be original, inventive thinkers.
No pressure from tests or quizzes, either.
We know what they know because we're with them every step of the way.


6.  CUSTOMIZED

We can tailor the way we teach our children to their individual learning styles.  

7.  INVESTMENT IN FAMILY

It provides plenty of "family time."  I think our children get along well because they are not constantly divided into age groups.  They learn how to get along with children of all ages and adults.  We believe it is important to spend time investing in, caring for, and loving on our children while they are young.  These years fly by so quickly!  Also important to us is the establishment of parents as prominent authority figures, and trustworthy confidantes.


8.  LIFE SKILLS

It provides "real learning" opportunities - making a grocery list, budgeting, counting money and receiving change - a trip to the grocery store can be a lesson in life skills.  Learning how to wash the laundry and dishes cannot be underrated - there are some people who arrive at college or their first apartment with no clue how to cook, clean, or take care of their own domestic needs.

9.  WHOLE LEARNING 

If our daughter wants to read a whole book, we read a whole book.  We don't chop it up into reader's digest segments.  I always wondered what happened in the rest of the stories we read in our elementary school truncated story books.

Also, if one of our kids wants to learn about vacuums, we can spend the whole morning reading books or watching videos about vacuums.  Why and how they work, and how they can create their own (as you see we did here).  No need to switch to the next subject.  We can do that tomorrow.

10.  FREEDOM 

Homeschooling means freedom.  Freedom to not follow national standards, freedom to do things together as a family, to spend as little or much time learning whatever subject we choose.  Freedom to get out of the house and go on field trips.  Learn in different environments - and have fun!

 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free, and we do not want to let ourselves become slaves to fear or socialism.

So there you go.  The Top 10 Reasons We Homeschool!