Common Fears Of Homeschooling
“Why and I fearful of homeschooling?” That is a big question that I hear from a lot of parents who are entertaining the idea of homeschooling their children. I talk to many people who have a desire to educate their children at home but are hesitant about pulling the trigger on it. Why is that? It is necessary to ask that question. Let us pull apart this question and figure out what some of the common fears are that motivate the hesitation.
The first fear that I hear a lot is, “How am I going to school my kids for seven hours a day?” This is a very common question I hear a lot. As you learn about the homeschool lifestyle, you will quickly realize that you do not need to school your kids for the same length as institutional schools do. Depending on the age of your children, you will be able to get their schooling done anywhere between 1-2 ½ hours for elementary-aged kids, and 2-4 hours for middle to high school-aged kids. You have to keep in mind that a lot of the time used in institutional schools is used for breaks, lunch, recess, and crowd control. This is not the same for homeschool. Your child is also having one-on-one teaching time. The quality of instruction that they are receiving from you is much more personal and valuable to them, therefore, takes less time to teach. Homeschool is not an all-day ordeal.
Secondly, many parents feel like they are not capable of teaching their children. My response to that is, there is no one better capable of teaching their children than the parents! There is no one that knows your children better than you, so who better to teach your children than you?
That concern is then followed with, “Well, I was never a good student in school so I will not be smart enough to teach my kids.” I used to have this fear and I am so glad that I did not listen to it. I went to public school when I was young, and C and D grades were my specialty. Fast forward to the present day, I homeschool my kids, and they are learning beyond their “grade level”. We need to keep in mind that many of us did not “do well” in school because institutional schools only teach according to the rote learning style. If we learned in a way that we responded to better, our school experience would have been much different. When you choose to homeschool, take the time to figure out your child’s learning style and choose a curriculum that facilitates that style. When you do this, your children will thrive.
The third fear is the fear of negative backlash from others who disapprove of homeschooling. I will not sugarcoat this. You will receive pushback and comments for choosing this form of education for your children. What is crucial to keep in mind is, none of these people are responsible for raising your children. None of these people have any say in the decisions you make for your kids and family. If God is leading you to homeschool your children, then homeschool your children. Who are we to argue with Him?
Regardless of what your fears are, you have to get outside of your head. Anything new and unfamiliar is going to be a little nerve-wrecking. It is normal! If you truly feel God leading you to school your kids at home, then do it! God will lead and direct you. Take it one day at a time and one step at a time. You will be successful!