Educating Your Children at Home

Home education or homeschooling is an option few parents consider or know much about. However, the option of educating your child at home is one worth considering especially if your child is having difficultly at school for whatever reason.

My perspective on this issue is from years of being home schooled myself. I hated school, I enjoyed socializing don't get me wrong but I simply couldn't keep up in lessons. When I was seven years old my mum offered me the choice to leave school, so I did! My mum, a single parent with no teaching qualification whatsoever, taught me at home right through compulsory education. I still have problems with basic English and Maths but I am now at college and am doing fine.

Homeschooling is Not for Everyone

Many children thrive at School and there is nothing wrong with that. Not every child and not every parent is suited to home education. Home schooling is simply something to consider alongside other educational options, it's not a one size fits all by any means.

The Law on Homeschooling

The law will vary depending on where you live and you may need to provide evidence of the work your children are producing but this does not mean it necessarily needs to be a carbon copy of a traditional school based education. Learn what your rights are in the jurisdiction in which you live and stand up for them if necessary.

For more on the law in the USA see The Home School Legal Defence Association's website

For more on the law in the UK see Education Otherwise's website

Untraditional Education

Many parents may imagine homeschooling as a child sitting at a desk following a structured timetables. While this maybe the reality for some home educated children many have diverse and very untraditional forms of education. The child can be free to follow there interests without the constraints of the restrictive school curriculum. Home educated children might write in there blog for English or add up at the supermarket for Maths. Children are able to have a truly personalized education.

Parents and children are put in the driving seat and they can work together on what the child finds fun with the parent learning alongside the child. Children need not even feel like they are being schooled, they can simply do what they enjoy with the parent ensuring they are learning along the way.

The 'S' word: Socializing

Every parent that decides to allow there child to leave school will face one primary question, “How does your child get to socialize with other children?”. The question will be delivered in a concerned and often judgemental tone and one wonders if any answer would be good enough to satisfy some of the questioners. However the question itself is a very valid one and one that any parent planning to educate their child at home must address.

There are networks of children that are schooled at home and you should find out about the ones in your area. Children can meet up regularly to do activities together and in many cases they will mix with a wider range of ages than they would at school. It will take a bit of effort on your part but there is no reason your child should miss out.

Exams

It is up to you to ensure your child participates in the relevant exams when they are ready to do so. You may be able to send your child to a school to do the actual exam or pay to have the exam sat at home. This is something you will need to work out with your child when the time comes based on your resources and how your child feels about the different options open to them.

Whatever you decide is right for your child I hope you enjoyed this guide. Please share your views and questions with me in the comment section below.