Homeschooling - the darker side

It's not all hunky-dory and smooth sailing on the homeschooling

front. Like all things in life, there is a downside that has to be

seriously considered when you explore the homeschooling option.

Though one man's bane may be another man's boon, there are certain

common reasons for concern.

The responsibility of teaching your child rests solely on you. You

cannot blame anyone else if your child is seen wanting in the

skills that his peers excel in. If your child cannot do the things

that are expected from other children of his age group, it

reflects badly on you as an educator as well as a parent.

A critical part of homeschooling is the time that you have to

spend with your children. You may have to give up your friends,

shopping and other entertainment and dedicate all these to your

child. This can become frustrating at times. You have to learn to

take the aggravation with equanimity and wait for the rewards with

patience and enthusiasm.

A parent who is dedicated to tutor his or her child single

handedly does not realistically have much time left over for a

career. This means that the family is robbed of an additional

source of income. In turn, this may lead to stress over finances.

You will have to train yourself to live on a strictly controlled

budget. While this is a matter of habit, it does need some getting

used to.

You cannot take a break when you feel like it. Feelings of guilt

will assail you if you neglect studies just because you are

feeling blue. You also fear that the child will take advantage of

the situation. Even when you have given homework, you have to be

around to give a helping hand. This means that anytime your child

is around you, you are on duty! For some, this may mean working

every waking hour. The child studying at home also needs to get

out more. This comes from staying at home all the time.

Interaction with adults and other children needs to be given

special attention.

Children tutored at home cannot develop in the various directions

that are open to children attending public schools. To achieve

that kind of exposure, you either have to be a super-parent

skilled in everything, or enroll your child to various activities.

This may not only prove too costly, but also be

counter-productive.

It is sometimes observed that homeschooled children do not do as

well in SAT tests as their school-going counterparts. Without a

diploma or a GED, some students find it difficult to get into the

military.

Lastly, if you envision enrolling your child to a public school,

there may be a certain period of emotional as well as social

adjustment. A child who is used to being at home for the whole day

and enjoying so much of uncontained freedom may have to undergo

some distressing emotional upheavals before he or she gets used to

the rigors of a regular school life.