Why Do So Many Parents Choose Homeschooling?

Every child learns in their unique way. Homeschooling affords parents and their children the opportunity to explore their strengths and weaknesses outside of a conventional classroom setting. In the United States, more parents than ever before are choosing this method of educating their children. Over the past ten years, the number of homeschooled children has doubled.

But why? What has driven up the homeschooling enrollment figures in recent years? As it turns out, there is not just one specified reason for this, but many.

Each parent’s motivations for homeschooling their children may differ from the next parent’s, but these are the five reasons that have driven most homeschooling parents to take this approach to education.

Reason #1: To Remove Their Child from a Troublesome School Environment

No matter the age of their children, most parents worry about school being the safest place for their kids. With children separated from their parents for eight or more hours per day, it can be difficult or even impossible to monitor what’s going on in the classroom and hallways. This has quickly become the primary reason for most homeschooling parents to take this route with their children.

Bullying is a real concern for many parents. It often goes unreported by school administrators. Even when reported, many schools don’t handle bullying issues with the tact and action required to make the school safe for all students. When parents are dissatisfied with their child’s school’s methodology of dealing with bullies, they might consider homeschooling. After all, bullying can drive down a child’s self-esteem, their grades, and their overall mental well-being.

Bullied children often excel in homeschooling curriculums because they are no longer hounded by fear of bullies. This allows them to focus on learning the material and succeeding academically.

Reason #2: To Provide a Higher Standard of Education

Many parents feel that modern American schools are not adequately teaching their children what they need to succeed beyond the classroom. Concerns over Common Core curriculum, disinterested educators, low school budgets that diminish the classroom experience, and other issues can push parents toward making the decision to homeschool.

They have a very valid worry that their child is not being given the resources to succeed in college or out in the workforce, especially where public schools are concerned. Private schools, while generally providing a higher quality of education than many public schools in America, are expensive and out of reach for many families. Homeschooling gives parents the confidence that their children are learning what’s important, without the concerns related to an over-burdened public education system.

If you are skeptical of this, consider this fact: Students who are homeschooled often fare better on standardized tests than their publicly-educated peers.

Reason #3: To Support a Child with Learning Disabilities

Children with learning disabilities often struggle inside of a traditional classroom setting. This is often because the setting itself is not catered to educating children with their needs. These kids aren’t unreachable but are often treated in such a way that it hinders their self-esteem and academic performance. Crowded classrooms make it difficult for even the most competent teachers to give these students the one-on-one attention that they may need. The limited resources that public educators are forced to deal with can also provide a hindrance to the student’s academic success. If there is no funding or personnel to help these students to achieve their potential, students with learning disabilities can fall drastically behind their peers.

Homeschooling gives parents the option to cater their child’s education to their specific needs. This approach offers better retention of learned materials and helps children to score more highly on standardized and college entrance exams. The individualized approach to their schooling helps to bolster success and boost a child’s self-esteem where the public school system often fails.

Reason #4:  To Accommodate Children Who Move or Travel Often

Military families might move from place to place very frequently, as may families with parents who have to move often for their non-military careers. While moving might be necessary and unavoidable, it does mean that a child could fail to receive the same standard of education as their peers in their new location. To avoid this inconsistency and ensure that their children receive quality education regardless of where they live, many parents are choosing to homeschool.

Student athletes and students who participate in certain academics may be required to travel often for their extracurricular activities. In these scenarios, homeschooling can keep them on pace with their peers, even when they don’t have the time to sit inside of a standard classroom environment. Traveling is a big part of many families’ lives, but a child’s academic success shouldn’t suffer for it. For this reason, homeschooling is a viable alternative to traditional education for these students.

Reason #5: To Help Students with Busy Schedules

Students who participate in many activities, students who work, and students who help in the care of family members often struggle in the classroom. This isn’t through any fault of their own, but rather due to the unique circumstances that they’ve found themselves in.

Other facets of life can’t be ignored, but education still remains as one of the most important obligations for children. Homeschooling curriculum helps these students with a lot on their plate to succeed where they might otherwise struggle, while allowing them to tend to other matters in their lives.

There are Many Reasons to Choose Homeschooling

There are many reasons to homeschool your children, aside from those listed above. Whatever your motivations are, understand that you are not alone. In addition to these five reasons, you might be able to think of a dozen more convincing reasons to consider homeschooling for your children.