Any time I mention that I would like to home school, I hear the socialization argument.  Every.  Single.  Time.  I’m not exactly sure where this stems from, but most people reference the odd child that they knew growing up who was homeschooled.  I always wonder about the other odd children that they knew.  What about the odd child who wasn’t homeschooled, what’s the reason that child turned out “odd”?  Would the homeschooled child have been odd regardless of the method of education?

I respect a parents choice to place their child in public school.  I’m not here to bash anyone for doing so.  It is what they feel is best for their child and family.  What I believe would be best for my child is homeschooling.  There are many reasons why I would like to home school my child.  However, I don’t feel like I should have to defend this choice every time it’s mentioned.

That said, I will list a few of my reasonings here for those who truly wonder why one would want to home school or for those considering it…

Why I’m pro homeschooling:

• The following quote from Smartereachday.com sums it up nicely:

“You give me eight precious more hours in the day to know them, to tell them “good job, Buddy,” to stand next to them while they do it again, to scratch their little backs while we read.”

• One on one teaching

I think it needs to be stated here that I do NOT believe there is anything lacking on the teacher’s side of things.  However, I believe that teacher’s hands are often tied due to political factors, financial limitations, large class sizes, etc.

• Homeschooling allows kids to be somewhat sheltered from some unfortunate realities such as bullying, violence, drugs, sex and troubled kids.

I realize that my child will be exposed to these things at some point.  However, I prefer not to place him in the scenario at five/six years old.  I prefer to shelter him until he is at an age where he can better understand and deal with the situation.

• The average home school 8th grade student performs four grade levels above the national average (Rudner study).

• No morning pressure/rush

If we decide to start our day an hour late, we can!  We can plan our schedule around our life and what works for us.  If my husband want’s to take our son hunting in the morning, he can.  That brings me to the next point…

• Freedom to spend more time with dad

My husband works a lot of hours.  So, when he does get the day off or is home early from work, we’ll be able to spend the time together as a family (without pulling him out of class).  Also, homeschooling allows for more schedule freedom overall.  Traveling during the school year often means fewer crowds and lower prices!

• Learning about everyday life/running a household

We can show our child on what it takes to keep a household running smoothly, how to pay bills, meal planning, laundry, and so much more.  He’ll see this on a daily basis, not just evenings/weekends.

• Use methods that work for our child

If something isn’t working, we can change it and try another method.  We can work with what best works for him.

• No homework

There are many other reasons why I’d like to home school, but these are a few of the ones that I could easily write about.

Now, to answer the socialization question…

Please take five minutes and view this video…

For those of you wondering…Matthew 5:22:

“But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”