How to decide if home schooling is right for your child

The decision to remove a child from public school and place them in home school takes some thought and planning.

Photo Credit: bonnie jacobs
By Emma Salkill

Public schools have much to offer a child but so do home schools. Some children love public school and that’s where there friends are. Other students never quite fit in and school becomes a traumatic daily hurdle. This is only one reason you might want to consider home school for your child. If the child stays upset because of being teased or because of bullying he might fare better at home school. For a child to learn everything he can he must feel somewhat comfortable at school. If his mind is always occupied by how he’ll get past the other children’s comments and to his next class it’s often not on the matter at hand. Children being tormented at school is one of the main reasons parents take children from public to home school.

A specific handicap is another reason why many parents home school. It’s often easier to accommodate a child in a wheelchair or a child with a mental or emotional handicap at home. Often the child feels more comfortable and it can be easier on the parent as well. On the other hand a child with a fantastic I.Q. can find public school classes extremely boring and non-challenging. At home parents can hire a tutor or use the library and internet to give the child the proper education.

If your child has health problems taking him to home school might provide some relief. If the child catches the illnesses of others easily then staying at home rather than being exposed to millions of germs might improve his health. Or if the child needs many medications, health check-ups or a special diet home school can be of some help.

The great thing about home school is you set the hours yourself. Sure, there are a required amount of daily hours set forth by the state but you can choose whether they attend first thing in the morning or mid-afternoon. Another benefit of home school is the fact that lost days can be made up over the weekend. In public school too many missed days can mean failing that grade but at home school lost hours and even days can be accounted for during weekend schooling. Parents’ schedules, which may conflict with the school’s schedule, is a popular reason for children being home schooled.

The curriculum is another adjustable point to home schooling. Again, the state sets down mandatory classes but the parent and children choose the optional classes. So if you want to teach your family’s chosen religion in school it’s perfectly acceptable. And if you want the religious theme to carry through for all the classes that’s perfectly fine as well.

Frequent moving can cause real problems at public school but is much less of a problem if you’re home schooling. A computer with internet service is one of the main things you’ll need for home schooling so if you’ve got that, a few books, some pencils and paper you’ve got school.

Before beginning home school be sure and understand your state’s requirements for classes and hours. Standard California Achievement Tests are required for every child that attends – public or otherwise.