If you’re still worried that your kids might be missing out by not going to school, here are five more amazing benefits of homeschooling! (Did you miss the first post in this series? Read Five Amazing Benefits of Homeschooling here.)
1. Less Bullying and Peer Pressure
Bullying and peer pressure cannot be avoided entirely. (Unfortunately, it happens in homeschool groups too.) While kids who attend school are immersed in an environment where bullying is a natural consequence and have no way to escape, kids who are homeschooled do not have to endure the bullying if it becomes severe.
When we homeschool, we can address the bullying head-on. If things do not change, we are free to walk away and choose new groups and activities. Also, kids who homeschool don’t necessarily spend as many hours of the day with peers as those who attend public school. This means that even if they experience peer pressure, it is likely on a smaller scale than those who attend public school.
2. More Field Trips and After School Activities
Field trips and after school activities are things that kids tend to think they are missing out on the most. However, school field trips often require kids to complete worksheets that tell them where to go and what to do, leaving no room for independent exploration of things that might really matter to the students. Similarly, after school activities are largely driven by teacher requirements for the clubs based on an arbitrary set of standards.
As homeschoolers, we have the freedom to take field trips and learn for the sake of learning itself. When we visit historical sites, we don’t have to scramble around quickly from exhibit to exhibit searching for vocabulary words; we can meander and spend as much time as we want at the exhibits that interest us without the pressure of filling out a worksheet correctly. If we do choose to use worksheets or write reports, we can tailor them to our interests and passions. There are also a plethora of after school activities available to homeschooled students. Many are student-led and parent-supervised, so it is a win-win for all involved.
3. Customized Learning Goals
Most of us had very little (if any) say in what we would learn when we attended school. We had the illusion of choice at times, but we were steered in whatever direction the teacher intended, or were given the choice of either band or choir in order to fulfill the middle-school music requirements. In addition, we had no say in when we would learn specific subjects or how much homework we would complete for each class.
While many who homeschool do have to cover specific subjects and meet certain requirements, there is more flexibility when it comes to how we cover the subjects. We can incorporate a variety of reading, writing, and movies to help cement important concepts. We are seeing the learning happen before our very eyes; sometimes, an in-depth discussion will more than suffice. Also, we can be very creative when it comes to topics that fall outside of state requirements, creating courses that are as unique as our kids!
4. Healthy Eating Habits
A lot of us had to get on the bus at dark o’clock, and falling asleep by eight or nine on a school night was difficult. I often slept in until the last possible minute and scarfed down my breakfast as quickly as I could so that I could catch the bus in time. This always left me feeling anxious and ill. As a result, my healthy eating habits declined considerably from the time I entered school through adulthood.
School didn’t give us enough time to finish our lunches either, and they weren’t very healthy or nutritious. Lunch would either be way too early in the day, or so late in the day that I felt sick by the time I was able to sit down and eat. As I got older, I relied on more and more packaged foods throughout the day due to a lack of time, a bad habit that I continued through college and into adulthood.
When you choose to homeschool, you are in charge of the food that is purchased and prepared. Busy seasons in life aside, you don’t have to rely on packaged foods to get through the day. Healthy options, such as fruits and vegetables, are available to your children. An added bonus is that your kids can eat when they are actually hungry, and they don’t have to rush. This makes a tremendous difference in the health of your family!
5. Family Bonding Time
It’s not uncommon between school, work, and activities that families are only eating dinner together a few times a week, if at all. When homeschooling, you naturally have more time to spend together. Perhaps your spouse doesn’t work a traditional schedule and gets Wednesdays off during the week; you can plan your school days around that and take Wednesdays off to spend time with them.
The freedom and flexibility that homeschooling provides also allows you to spend more time with grandparents and other extended family members when you might not otherwise be able to do so. This has been a blessing to us for many years, as we were able to spend much more time with family members than we ever could have if we were tied to a traditional school schedule.
There are far more benefits to homeschooling than those that have been mentioned. As you can see, homeschooling provides many opportunities that kids in public school might otherwise miss out on, so don’t panic – you can do this!
Are you still struggling when it comes to homeschooling? If so, what is your biggest worry? Let me know in the comments – I’d love to hear from you!
As a reminder, all of the above-referenced information is generic in nature and does not cover the full scope of the laws regarding homeschooling in the United States. It is for educational purposes only and it is NOT intended as legal advice. If you have questions regarding the homeschool laws in your state and/or need advice specific to your situation, please consult an attorney familiar with the homeschool laws in your state.
© This Cozy Homeschool, LLC™ – 2022 to 2023 – All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Written by: Nikki Endicott.