what do you think about it in general? socialization standpoint, etc?


personally just like anything else i think that some people can go and manipulate their children by homeschooling them (for example if you are a white supremacist and you homeschool obviously you are more likely to use it to instill those values, etc). i think also in general that the vast majority of homsechooled children are very well adapted to college life since they've had to learn on their own, determined the pace at which they set themselves for homework, etc.

ETA: i don't mean homeschooling their children through college i mean how prepped they are

I know alot of people who are homeschooled and it works out fine for them. Just not me. I know that homeschooling is biting off more than I can chew. it's just not for me. My kids and I fight over homework I can imagine what it would be like if I tried it all day. IMO me trying to homeschool my kids would be doing something that's not in the best interest of my kids. As I said I am not the homeschool type at all. I think the parent really has to be involved to really make it work and I do feel that alot of the adults personal beliefs will be passed down in a homeschool setting.

In general it's not for me, but I know kids that are homeschooled that are just as socialized as my kids are. College, I am not sure about, I don't know anyone that homeschools with college aged kids. Now days, I think it's a great option if you can handle it.

In general it's not for me, but I know kids that are homeschooled that are just as socialized as my kids are. College, I am not sure about, I don't know anyone that homeschools with college aged kids. Now days, I think it's a great option if you can handle it.

:yes

I think it is awesome!

We homeschooled DS briefly at the end of kindergarten. It just wasn't the right option for DS. DD is a different story. I think she would thrive!

We have a lot of friends & a cousins who homeschool!

I was homeschooled for some of my HS years, my Mom didnt really have to do much. We had social interaction for the most part. I personally wouldnt attempt it. I think the classroom setting is good for kids to learn how to interact socially.

Plus, my patience is thin sometimes. As the other ladies said, it isnt for me.

i would love to homeschool. it really depends on the district we are in but i won't hesitate to pull my child out of school and homeschool if the situation calls for it

Let me speak from my experience; i was homeschool through 11th grade, and while i wouldn't personally suggest home education through high school, it worked for our family. My parents were very involved in our lives, and we were involved in a homeschooling co-op with about 15 other families. we were very well socially adapted, and we got to really focus on what interested each of us kids.

On the other hand, i agree there are families that do it for the wrong reasons, or cloister their families, and those are the kids that are often pegged as unsocialized weirdos. Most people you know that were homeschooled, you'd never even know if they didn't tell you :)

I also agree, you have to be able and willing to take on that challenge and committment, and it's not always right for every child.

MHO.

I've been homeschooling my young kids for 5 years. They are going into public school this year. It was great when Dad was here, but it's just too much for me to do alone. The more kids you have, the harder it is, and it's like having another full time job that you don't get paid for. Anyhow, I know families that do it and do very weel, but I just can't handle the workload when I'm having to be Mom AND Dad on top of it.

I think that as long as the parents are prepared and dedicated to making their children's education a priority, and they aren't homeschooling for the purpose of brainwashing their children, it can be a great idea. Public schools can be scary in this day and age. Parents have a right to weigh the pros and cons and decide what's best for them.

I think that as long as the parents are prepared and dedicated to making their children's education a priority, and they aren't homeschooling for the purpose of brainwashing their children, it can be a great idea. Public schools can be scary in this day and age. Parents have a right to weigh the pros and cons and decide what's best for them.

exactly.

Home schooling is not for me. I do Waldorf methods in my home but for my patience/sanity I send my oldest to school. He likes going and spending time with the other children in a class setting. I get one on one time with his brother & get to recharge. Being mom, dad, & a student is hard enough I can't be teacher as well.

I think for some families it works very well for others not so much.

My 2 cents:
My oldest is being homeschooled this year.
Our reasons:

1. DS1 asked to be homeschooled.

2. After thinking about it I realized he was bored because he finished PS's Kindergarten requirements about 3.5 mo ahead of the rest of his class and was being held back on learning more (the teacher specifically stated she was unable to teach him more beyond the curriculum the PS set).

3. I didn't like the influence his peers were having on him. He finished the year with more than a Kindergarten "diploma"-he got a whole new rude vocabulary and attitude to go with it!

4. DH being military and
(a) he is going to be deployed a LOT over the next year! It seems that all his times he'll be home on Leave are when PS is in session! I don't think it's fair to my kids to miss out on time with Daddy just because they say they have to be in classes!
(b) We don't know where this lifestyle with the military will take us next. Who knows what type of school systems we'll live near!
(c) When DH is away and I am homesick, we can't just up and leave to go visit family in the middle of the "school year" if they are in PS.

5. I was a child who loved school until 4th grade (when a teacher told my mother and I that I was stupid because I didn't understand her. I was in Algebra in 4th grade! I was NOT stupid- she just couldn't teach me in a way I understood), then I was bored in school because it was too easy. My dad said I was very bright, but I need to be challenged! I begged them to take me out of PS, but where we lived they couldn't afford private, there weren't Charter schools and my dad didn't have the time to HS me because he was a single parent of 4 kids (after my mother left). DS1 reminds me a LOT of me and I don't want him falling through the cracks like I did.

6. My kids love to learn and I love teaching them. Yeah, I get frustrated when DS1 doesn't 'get' something after a few gos, but I think this will teach me some more patience.

7. The MOUNDS of homework I saw all the kids come home with last year! There would be no time for playing, sports or family time! This is one thing I value very much for my kids.

So anyways, those are our personal reasons for HSing. Some people may think they are stupid, or impractical, but they make sense for my family and the lifestyle we are living now. Besides, it's ONLY 1st grade and if it doesn't work out I could send him to a charter school and pay the $ for the one I want to send him to.

Oh and also there is a HUGE HS support system out here, so I am not worried about his social skills. :D He's a pretty darn popular and sweet little boy before school, so I don't see an issue. ;)

My Mom homeschooled my little brother and sister from 1st and 3rd grade (respectively) through 12th grade and my older brother and I from 9th and 10th (respectively). My older brother and I were more apart of a independent study program where as my Mom did everything until my younger siblings went to highschool then they did highschool online. Our whole family recieved SO much slack for homeschooling but I think (JMO) my siblings and I were even more prepared for college and life outside of school then most conventionally schooled kids because of our homeschooling experience.

From my personal experience...

I dated a guy who was home schooled all his life. His family wanted to raise a "good Christian family", but at the age of 16, he decided that he didn't believe in God. Then his family treated him like the class reject and taught his younger siblings that if they didn't obey and do what they were told, then they were going to go to hell like their oldest brother. Through him I met a lot of people who were home schooled all of their lives. One common characteristic I found was their attitude that they are better than me and most other people because they were home schooled. For some reason they felt that they were smarter, wiser and just overall better than publicly-schooled children. Most of these people I met in college, and only a few of them finished college. Many of them quit because they couldn't handle the fact that there were things they had to do that they didn't want to. My boyfriend at the time changed his major 6 times in four years and then graduated with a major that he didn't like because it had the fewest requirements. Since then, he hasn't been able to keep a job because he doesn't like being told what to do.

Most of the home schoolers I knew in college also carried some type of discrimination about something. I don't know how many of the guys would constantly say racial and sexist comments and despite offending everyone around them, they didn't feel that they did anything wrong.

I know that I cannot judge the entire home schooled population based on these bad encounters, but because I have had almost no positive experiences with those who are home schooled, it is hard for me to support it. I think it takes extremely dedicated, well-educated, open-minded and very socially aware parents to successfully home school their children. I know that there are many of you out there, but I also know that there are a LOT of bad situations that we just don't see because they are not as public as public school.

IMO you can tailor your child's learning experience to fit their needs and levels of learning. If your child is lagging in math, but excelling in geography than you can adjust their studies so they get the proper instruction on them. Rather than have the child fail a grade because they were good at "subject A" and really doing poorly in "subject B".

From my personal experience...

I dated a guy who was home schooled all his life. His family wanted to raise a "good Christian family", but at the age of 16, he decided that he didn't believe in God. Then his family treated him like the class reject and taught his younger siblings that if they didn't obey and do what they were told, then they were going to go to hell like their oldest brother. Through him I met a lot of people who were home schooled all of their lives. One common characteristic I found was their attitude that they are better than me and most other people because they were home schooled. For some reason they felt that they were smarter, wiser and just overall better than publicly-schooled children. Most of these people I met in college, and only a few of them finished college. Many of them quit because they couldn't handle the fact that there were things they had to do that they didn't want to. My boyfriend at the time changed his major 6 times in four years and then graduated with a major that he didn't like because it had the fewest requirements. Since then, he hasn't been able to keep a job because he doesn't like being told what to do.

Most of the home schoolers I knew in college also carried some type of discrimination about something. I don't know how many of the guys would constantly say racial and sexist comments and despite offending everyone around them, they didn't feel that they did anything wrong.

I know that I cannot judge the entire home schooled population based on these bad encounters, but because I have had almost no positive experiences with those who are home schooled, it is hard for me to support it. I think it takes extremely dedicated, well-educated, open-minded and very socially aware parents to successfully home school their children. I know that there are many of you out there, but I also know that there are a LOT of bad situations that we just don't see because they are not as public as public school.

My husband and 3 of the six kids in his family were homeschooled (almost entirely, my dh did a few yrs of public school here and there) and they are by far the sweetest, most giving and loving people you could ever meet. I'm sorry you had a bad experience with HS'd peers.

IMO you can tailor your child's learning experience to fit their needs and levels of learning. If your child is lagging in math, but excelling in geography than you can adjust their studies so they get the proper instruction on them. Rather than have the child fail a grade because they were good at "subject A" and really doing poorly in "subject B".

that's why i was HS 3rd and 4th grade year because i was so far ahead in certain subjects and a bit behind in others.

From my personal experience...

I dated a guy who was home schooled all his life. His family wanted to raise a "good Christian family", but at the age of 16, he decided that he didn't believe in God. Then his family treated him like the class reject and taught his younger siblings that if they didn't obey and do what they were told, then they were going to go to hell like their oldest brother. Through him I met a lot of people who were home schooled all of their lives. One common characteristic I found was their attitude that they are better than me and most other people because they were home schooled. For some reason they felt that they were smarter, wiser and just overall better than publicly-schooled children. Most of these people I met in college, and only a few of them finished college. Many of them quit because they couldn't handle the fact that there were things they had to do that they didn't want to. My boyfriend at the time changed his major 6 times in four years and then graduated with a major that he didn't like because it had the fewest requirements. Since then, he hasn't been able to keep a job because he doesn't like being told what to do.

Most of the home schoolers I knew in college also carried some type of discrimination about something. I don't know how many of the guys would constantly say racial and sexist comments and despite offending everyone around them, they didn't feel that they did anything wrong.

I know that I cannot judge the entire home schooled population based on these bad encounters, but because I have had almost no positive experiences with those who are home schooled, it is hard for me to support it. I think it takes extremely dedicated, well-educated, open-minded and very socially aware parents to successfully home school their children. I know that there are many of you out there, but I also know that there are a LOT of bad situations that we just don't see because they are not as public as public school.


I'm sorry that the only expierence you've had with homeschooling kids has been negative because there ARE families out there that act like that and I think it's unfortuante because it gives homeschooling a bad name.

I'm sorry that the only expierence you've had with homeschooling kids has been negative because there ARE families out there that act like that and I think it's unfortuante because it gives homeschooling a bad name.

agree. alot of parents homeschool because of shitty districts, their child's education level, etc etc not because they want to impose some belief system on their kids though a big movement in homeschool is the Christian groups who use homeschooling groups and organizations to promote an ideal in their children...not bad in theory but it has a tendency to go down a slippery slope

agree. alot of parents homeschool because of shitty districts, their child's education level, etc etc not because they want to impose some belief system on their kids though a big movement in homeschool is the Christian groups who use homeschooling groups and organizations to promote an ideal in their children...not bad in theory but it has a tendency to go down a slippery slope

I completely understand this. I feel that one great benefit to going through public or even private schools is the opportunity to learn from many different people and learning how to view the world from many different perspectives, regardless of what we choose to believe or how we learn. I also think its sad to see kids that have not had the chance to learn how to cope with adversity as the real world presents it to you.

It's just such a fine line for me and there is no one that can say or prove that one way is the best way. All I know is that for me, being in public school was the best thing that could have happened to me. Although I love my parents dearly, they were very neglectful. By going to public school and interacting with many different kinds of people, I was able to find good examples of how to be a good citizen and how to rise out of hard situations instead of ending up on the street.

I guess it just really depends on the needs of the child. :thinking

agree. alot of parents homeschool because of shitty districts, their child's education level, etc etc not because they want to impose some belief system on their kids though a big movement in homeschool is the Christian groups who use homeschooling groups and organizations to promote an ideal in their children...not bad in theory but it has a tendency to go down a slippery slope

My gut reaction to homeschooling is bad because of the people who do use homeschooling as a way to essentially brainwash their kids. Here in America it is mostly Christian, but I have a problem with anyone who takes such an extremist view of their beliefs that they would rather shelter their kids from the real world in an effort to instill certain beliefs in them rather than let their kids experience life for themselves and make their own decisions. That seems very extreme to me, and seeing how that way of parenting has turned the middle east into a breeding ground of terrorism it scares me!

On a logical level I know what a great tool it can be for teaching though. Kids can get personalized attention and learn at the rate that is most comfortable to them with focus on mastering skills instead of just memorizing for tests.

It depends SO much on the parents.

My gut reaction to homeschooling is bad because of the people who do use homeschooling as a way to essentially brainwash their kids. Here in America it is mostly Christian, but I have a problem with anyone who takes such an extremist view of their beliefs that they would rather shelter their kids from the real world in an effort to instill certain beliefs in them rather than let their kids experience life for themselves and make their own decisions. That seems very extreme to me, and seeing how that way of parenting has turned the middle east into a breeding ground of terrorism it scares me!

On a logical level I know what a great tool it can be for teaching though. Kids can get personalized attention and learn at the rate that is most comfortable to them with focus on mastering skills instead of just memorizing for tests.

It depends SO much on the parents.

:yes I completely and totally 100% agree with this statement.

I can only speak for myself and our family. We've homeschooled the kids on and off since they were in K and 1st grade. They are both at the highschool level now. They've always been in the ABeka program. Either I would homeschool them or they'd go to a private school that used the program. When they were in 5th and 7th grade we chose to homeschool them and not try to put them in a private school anymore. Like the other ladies stated, it is for some and not for others. The reasons for us choosing to homeschool have changed over the years. Since we moved around about every 3 to 4 yrs, we thought it was best for the kids not to have to worry about changing schools and such. Also we wanted our children to have a solid education with Christian values. They haven't had any problems socially. Both have activities they are involved in. Each of them have friends, some are homeschooled and some go to public school. DD just took the entrance exam for a local college. She passed with flying colors. She will take some college classes while still in HS through the Running Start Program. There are some great homeschool families out there and there are also some who give it a bad name. On the flip side, in public school there are some great parents out there that help and guide their children and some that don't. I think that it is important to be involved in your child's education whether they are homeschooled or in public school.

My gut reaction to homeschooling is bad because of the people who do use homeschooling as a way to essentially brainwash their kids. Here in America it is mostly Christian, but I have a problem with anyone who takes such an extremist view of their beliefs that they would rather shelter their kids from the real world in an effort to instill certain beliefs in them rather than let their kids experience life for themselves and make their own decisions. That seems very extreme to me, and seeing how that way of parenting has turned the middle east into a breeding ground of terrorism it scares me!

On a logical level I know what a great tool it can be for teaching though. Kids can get personalized attention and learn at the rate that is most comfortable to them with focus on mastering skills instead of just memorizing for tests.

It depends SO much on the parents.

i agree with you. it's a fine line between teaching them certain things they can't get in a public school or any other school (i.e. religion) around you. i know many wonderful people who were homeschooled without a hidden agenda kwim?

I can only speak for myself and our family. We've homeschooled the kids on and off since they were in K and 1st grade. They are both at the highschool level now. They've always been in the ABeka program. Either I would homeschool them or they'd go to a private school that used the program. When they were in 5th and 7th grade we chose to homeschool them and not try to put them in a private school anymore. Like the other ladies stated, it is for some and not for others. The reasons for us choosing to homeschool have changed over the years. Since we moved around about every 3 to 4 yrs, we thought it was best for the kids not to have to worry about changing schools and such. Also we wanted our children to have a solid education with Christian values. They haven't had any problems socially. Both have activities they are involved in. Each of them have friends, some are homeschooled and some go to public school. DD just took the entrance exam for a local college. She passed with flying colors. She will take some college classes while still in HS through the Running Start Program. There are some great homeschool families out there and there are also some who give it a bad name. On the flip side, in public school there are some great parents out there that help and guide their children and some that don't. I think that it is important to be involved in your child's education whether they are homeschooled or in public school.

My one BIL did this his senior year of HS at a local Community College.

I completely understand this. I feel that one great benefit to going through public or even private schools is the opportunity to learn from many different people and learning how to view the world from many different perspectives, regardless of what we choose to believe or how we learn. I also think its sad to see kids that have not had the chance to learn how to cope with adversity as the real world presents it to you.

See I feel the opposite because by being homeschooled I met and was friends with kids of all different races and religions. I was able to do so much more "life enhancing" things while other kids were sitting in a classroom. BUT I agree with everyone that it all depends on the parents and their level of commitment :yes

She will take some college classes while still in HS through the Running Start Program.

:yes I was able to start my language courses in college for a certificate my Junior Year.

I was homeschooled from Jan of my 7th grade year due to being bullied by other students. It was a good thing for me because my mom required me to vollenteer at the SPCA for socilization and to work at a horse farm for PE. I also played vollyball, basketball, and soccer to keep up my socialization skills.

I think that it is good for some students and not for others. I personally was not in an emotional place that it would have been good for me to remain in school, for others homeschooling tends to icolate them

From what I have seen, the ppl that isolate their kids that way, don't join support groups and such. I homeschooled for a few years, and I joined one. They had over 20 field trips planned for each month, so there were more socialization opportunities for my kids than they had in public school. Not to mention, you kids learn better once you find the methods that work best for them. My oldest learns best by seeing and touching, they rarely do that in school, they want you to write and draw. So for him, I was able to patch major holes left by the public school system. Now, he's a self starter, he does his work on his pace and is still able to absorb more.

I have seen the horrible side of homeschooling, and I feel sorry for those kids. And those few ruin things for everyone. The majority of homeschooled families are just not like that...they are totally normal or advanced.

i'm not going to go as far as to say they're not socialized or anything like that (although a few that i know are heathens), but i think they're missing out on some of the important social aspects of an actual school setting (does that make sense? i know what i'm trying to say, but i don't know if it's coming out right lol). i know there are ways for them to get involved with sports and social activites, but to me, it's not the same as them being in a classroom interacting with their peers on a daily basis.

i think there are some kids that don't do well in a "regular" school setting and for them homeschool works out much better for them.

*I* personally wouldn't do it, but i'm not going to force my opinions on someone and tell them they should send their kids to school or anything.

My one BIL did this his senior year of HS at a local Community College.

our public HS offered college classes. i took Univ. of CT chemistry my junior year of HS and physics my senior year. i didn't do so hot in the physics because it was taught using calculus which i hadn't taken and had no interest in taking, but i got 2 semesters worth of credits that counted as a science and a quantative for the year of chemistry.

Let me speak from my experience; i was homeschool through 11th grade, and while i wouldn't personally suggest home education through high school, it worked for our family. My parents were very involved in our lives, and we were involved in a homeschooling co-op with about 15 other families. we were very well socially adapted, and we got to really focus on what interested each of us kids.

On the other hand, i agree there are families that do it for the wrong reasons, or cloister their families, and those are the kids that are often pegged as unsocialized weirdos. Most people you know that were homeschooled, you'd never even know if they didn't tell you :)

I also agree, you have to be able and willing to take on that challenge and committment, and it's not always right for every child.

MHO.

Agree 100%. I went to a private school through 5th grade, tried public school for a semester of 6th and my mom decided it wasn't meeting my educational needs so she pulled me out and started homeschooling me. I was homeschooled until the 2nd semester of my 10th grade year. We had moved and were in another school district so I returned to public school. I had to take placement/standardized tests upon returning and I was above average in every subject. As far as quality of education- I think you can't go wrong home schooling, but of course there are people who do it for the "wrong" reasons like Soldier's Diva mentioned. The kids who get pegged the unsocialized weridos give the million other "normal" homeschooled kids a negative reputation.

If done right I think homeschooling is wonderful. My neighbor home schools her three girls and they are learning Latin. They're very smart and motivated to learn, it's amazing. All the girls are very polite and are very active with activities in church, Girl Scouts, etc.

But I had some cousins who were home schooled and they are pretty socially awkward. Some of that is probably their mom's fault anyhow.

I've thought about it some but I just don't know if I could do it. Madison loves to go to school and she doesn't work well for me when I try to teach her things. At school though she will write her name, do her letters, etc. Maybe when my kids were older I will look into it.

It really does depend on the child though. I excelled in public schools, did great in colllege, etc. I've just loved learning and have been motivated my whole life. I also loved being surrounded by friends and being involved in activities. My sister failed in public schools but did well being home schooled. She never was involved in activities and had trouble making friends in school too.

My df was homeschooled for junior high and most of high school. Academically, it really did not work for him, mostly because his mom did not put in the effort needed. He ended up working more then he was doing school work.

But he was very involved with other home school kids. He played football and basketball in an all homeschooled league. Had home school dances, much like homecoming and prom. Went on road trips with homeschool groups. To this day hangs out with many of them.

I think the idea of homeschooling is great... for some people.

I personally could not do it

I used to be against it. But now I think it is great. Of course, it isn't for everyone. But what is? I have seriously thought about homeschooling Breanna. The only reason I don't is I'm afraid I'll mess up. I think homescooling has come a long way with a bunch of activities homeschooled kids can do together like field trips. One of my best friends was homeschooled, along with her 6 other siblings, for 16 years. She grew up in Alaska and only went into town 1-2 times a month so I joke with her about being sheltered. However, that girl is one of the smartest people I know. She is in colloge in Gainesville now and has almost a perfect GPA.

I think that the idea of homeschooling is great. It is good to know that there are parents out there willing to spend that amount of time with their children. Too many parents can't even bother to show up to Parent Teacher meetings for public schools.

I was homeschooled. I think it's all in how you do it. If you socialize your children and keep them at a pace (or just give them lots of vacation time) so that they're not, say, 13 and finishing college, it's perfectly reasonable. I don't think it's made me socially awkward at all.

College, I definitely have an easier time adjusting than some to the independent study.

Socially - I always lose at elementary school game like touch the nose (nose goes??) but I can pretty much handle that small sacrifice. :rolleyes