When people talk about homeschooling their children, they are often met with raised eyebrows and skepticism. Do homeschoolers even study? What is the quality of education? Are the parents equipped to educate their child? Do children end up becoming social outcasts?
Chances are you have been asked all these questions by your friends and relatives every time you expressed your desire to homeschool your child. Yes, there are several misconceptions attached to the concept of homeschooling owing to how non-conventional an option it is compared to the traditional approach to education.
If you wish to homeschool your child, don’t let the people around you cloud your thoughts. Here are the top 5 benefits of homeschooling that can help you take a better decision –
Flexible Education
With homeschooling comes major responsibilities because not only are you doing your regular parental duties, the onus of educating your child also lies on you.
We know children learn better when given personalized attention and that is exactly what homeschooling entails – one-on-one, tailor made education to suit your child’s interests, learning pace and challenges. You don’t have to stick to a syllabus or follow a blanket approach while teaching you child. Homeschooling allows you to touch upon topics that will be of help to them in the real world.
What’s more, in today’s digital age, you have easy access to the best of homeschooling resources. From language learning tools and interactive math programs to speed reading apps and the website where you can get help for writing assistance – there are several educational tools at the tip of your fingertips that can help enhance your child’s learning experience.
Independent Learners
People often assume that homeschooling gives rise to dependent children because they have always been in their comfort zone but that is not true. In fact, homeschooling inculcates independent thinking as homeschoolers learn how to think for themselves without giving in to peer pressure.
However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Being parents, you need to foster independent learning early on by instilling confidence in your child without having to handhold them. Let them make mistakes and learn from them, teach them how to be responsible adults and instill habits that make them more self-sufficient – physically and emotionally.
Inculcate Life Skills
Apart from following an academic curriculum, what’s equally important is focusing on inculcating critical life skills in your children such as communication, financial well-being, interpersonal relationships, day-to-day living and more. After all, these are the skills that come to practical use in the real world.
As you are not bound by a specific curriculum and time while homeschooling, you have the flexibility to help your child develop these important life skills by simple activities like allotting them domestic duties to teach responsibility, teaching them the value of money and teaching them empathy and kindness by engaging in community service activities.
Increased Bonding Time
There is no doubt in the fact that homeschooling brings the family closer. Imagine, you no longer have to plan your vacation basis the school’s schedule or waste time dropping and picking your kids from school.
When you are homeschooling, you get to know your child better and spend more quality time together whether its going for a staycation or indulging in hobbies such as swimming or painting together. The ‘extra’ time you get in hand can be put into good use and thereby give rise to emotionally stable children.
Better Health
Homeschooling also promotes better physical and mental health. Your child has a healthy diet, gets enough sleep to wake up refreshed and stays fit by making physical activities an important part of their schedule.
In addition to better physical health, homeschooling also improves your child’s mental health by combatting stress levels and anxiety that school going children are likely to face, and given their learning conditions, they tend to develop confidence and self-esteem earlier on in their lives.
