Homeschooling: How easy is it?

Homeschooling is something that I believe is a good option and I have tried to show that the stereo types surrounding it are not all true.  But exactly how hard is it to home school your children?  Does it make it easier that there are so many resources out there for homeschoolers now?  It has been my experience that homeschooling is one of the most difficult and time consuming things I have ever done.  I think it is especially difficult at the kindergarten level because it is hard to go from mommy to teacher and your child may not be able to pay attention very well. So what do other homeschoolers think about this?

I interviewed a woman named Jenny who home schools her children.  She told me that kindergarten was the hardest age because they do not understand the importance of school.  They are easily distracted and the transition from mommy to teacher is very difficult for the children to grasp.  She enrolled her children in school at this age.  She is homeschooling this year again and she says that it is so much easier.  Her children understand what school is all about and they know how to read and write which makes it easier also (Gardner, 2010).

There are a lot of resources out there for parents.  Some that are free and some that are expensive.  One option is to enroll in a program where an accredited school is overseeing your child’s progress.  This is especially helpful for high school students because it gives them the transcripts they need for college (Joyce).

Some other options are programs like Hooked on Phonics, which provides parents with a curriculum for elementary school and even middle school.  There are many books that are affordable and can be easily obtained from a local bookstore. Books that contain worksheets and lesson plans.  Also, you can get a lot of information and books from the library that would be helpful to homeschooling. 

As a homeschooler you have the chance to go outside of the home and expose your children to the places in your own city.  We are lucky that Fredericksburg is so rich in history and a lot of the historic places are free or inexpensive to go to.

Even with all the resources available homeschooling is a difficult thing to accomplish.  I have learned that not all children may be suited for homeschooling.  I started off this year with a good attitude and I was motivated to home school my son but I quickly that it was not going to be easy and a few months later we enrolled him in public school. It was a very difficult decision for me but I had to do what was best for him.  He was easily distracted at home and that was frustrating for me and him.  He is doing well in public school and I hope to eventually return to home schooling in the future. 

For anyone who decides to home school they should be aware of the amount of time and patience it takes.  Some children may do better in the school setting and we all have to do what is best for our children.

Gardner, A. (2010).Interview with homeschoolers.

Joyce, M. Some homeschooling options. Retrieved on December 3, 2010 from http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Joyce  .

Picture retrieved from http://www.momepisodes.com/ .