I believed certain myths before I decided to homeschool.
I didn't begin homeschooling my boys until they were in 10th and 6th grades. Prior to that time, they attended a Christian school where I also worked for the majority of their school years. Our school also hosted a homeschool umbrella. My opinion was, for the most part, that it was fine but that it was an artificial environment. After all, what about socialization? How would your kids ever learn to stay on a schedule? I was also concerned that parents would attempt it who were not "qualified" and their kids would suffer the consequences. I was the first one in the room to state emphatically, "I could never homeschool my kids!".
Myth #1: Socialization - I'm preaching to the choir, I know. Talk about an artificial environment! Look at the public school system - where and when else in life are you going to segregated kids by age and, on top of it, expect them to get along? I would say most parents, Christian or non-Christian, somewhat screen their kids' friends and say "Yay" or "Nay" to social interaction accordingly. Parents who send their kids to school give up control of that choice between 8am and 3pm. And don't think Christian schools are that much different these days! It's exactly why we took my oldest son out when we did.
Myth #2: Your kids won't know how to stay on a schedule - Think back to when you were a teenager. How easy was it to wake up for school? You did it anyway, right? How easy was it to wake up for a day at Six Flags or the beach? How easy was it to wake up for the first day on a new job? We do what we like to do easily and we force ourselves to do the things we need to do. If anything, homeschooled kids have a greater respect for all things - even schedules! My oldest is practically nocturnal. When he went to college and said he had an 8am class I figured he'd drop it after the first day. But he did what he had to do (made his mommy proud) and does a fine job of sticking to a schedule!
Myth #3: Parents aren't "qualified" to teach their children at home - Translated, this means, "Parents haven't been properly indoctrinated themselves, so how can we expect them to properly indoctrinate their kids?", or another translation, "The school system only gets $ when the student's fanny is in a chair". We know our strengths and weaknesses. For instance, I use a tutor for writing. I find the curriculum to be so excellent, in most cases, that I learn (or re-learn) right along with my son!
Myth #4: I could never homeschool my kids - At least not until your desire to get your kids out of one setting and into another becomes greater than your fear! Some parents make a move from public school to Christian or private school. I'm telling you, folks, this may be the proverbial frying pan to fire progression. Anyway, I had no such alternative. They had attended Christian school from preschool. I attribute my change of heart solely to God, because it was as if a switch had been flipped. That's not to say that every day was bliss. My youngest challenges my every single day. Some days we just "get through it". Thankfully, there are enough "great" and "good" days to offset those days.
What are some other myths out there about homeschooling? I chose these because they were my own prior to my decision to homeschool.
I didn't begin homeschooling my boys until they were in 10th and 6th grades. Prior to that time, they attended a Christian school where I also worked for the majority of their school years. Our school also hosted a homeschool umbrella. My opinion was, for the most part, that it was fine but that it was an artificial environment. After all, what about socialization? How would your kids ever learn to stay on a schedule? I was also concerned that parents would attempt it who were not "qualified" and their kids would suffer the consequences. I was the first one in the room to state emphatically, "I could never homeschool my kids!".
Myth #1: Socialization - I'm preaching to the choir, I know. Talk about an artificial environment! Look at the public school system - where and when else in life are you going to segregated kids by age and, on top of it, expect them to get along? I would say most parents, Christian or non-Christian, somewhat screen their kids' friends and say "Yay" or "Nay" to social interaction accordingly. Parents who send their kids to school give up control of that choice between 8am and 3pm. And don't think Christian schools are that much different these days! It's exactly why we took my oldest son out when we did.
Myth #2: Your kids won't know how to stay on a schedule - Think back to when you were a teenager. How easy was it to wake up for school? You did it anyway, right? How easy was it to wake up for a day at Six Flags or the beach? How easy was it to wake up for the first day on a new job? We do what we like to do easily and we force ourselves to do the things we need to do. If anything, homeschooled kids have a greater respect for all things - even schedules! My oldest is practically nocturnal. When he went to college and said he had an 8am class I figured he'd drop it after the first day. But he did what he had to do (made his mommy proud) and does a fine job of sticking to a schedule!
Myth #3: Parents aren't "qualified" to teach their children at home - Translated, this means, "Parents haven't been properly indoctrinated themselves, so how can we expect them to properly indoctrinate their kids?", or another translation, "The school system only gets $ when the student's fanny is in a chair". We know our strengths and weaknesses. For instance, I use a tutor for writing. I find the curriculum to be so excellent, in most cases, that I learn (or re-learn) right along with my son!
Myth #4: I could never homeschool my kids - At least not until your desire to get your kids out of one setting and into another becomes greater than your fear! Some parents make a move from public school to Christian or private school. I'm telling you, folks, this may be the proverbial frying pan to fire progression. Anyway, I had no such alternative. They had attended Christian school from preschool. I attribute my change of heart solely to God, because it was as if a switch had been flipped. That's not to say that every day was bliss. My youngest challenges my every single day. Some days we just "get through it". Thankfully, there are enough "great" and "good" days to offset those days.
What are some other myths out there about homeschooling? I chose these because they were my own prior to my decision to homeschool.
