"Homeschooling is not new, but it is rising in appeal and popularity in America. According to the National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI), roughly 2.5 million children were homeschooled in 2019, and 3.1 million in the 2021-2022 school year, roughly 6% of school-age children. Homeschool is parent-led education at home or in a variety of other places besides a traditional classroom.
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Of course, many parents didn’t have a choice in homeschooling when schools were closed during the pandemic. Stephanie, who currently homeschools her three children shared, “Like many families, we were kinda ‘forced’ into homeschooling during Covid. But at the end of the year, our kids asked to continue homeschooling. Having most of the afternoon for free play and spending time outside on our 1.8 acres when everything was in lockdown gave them a sense of freedom to explore, build, and experiment.”
This past school year was the first year of my own family’s homeschool journey. Our daughters are preschool-aged. So we began homeschooling by joining a preschool cooperative, or co-op, that I co-taught bi-weekly with another mom. At their age, we emphasize free play, reading, and time outdoors. I am taking it one year at a time. And so far I feel very confident with our decision.
I was also a public education teacher for seven years and believe there are many immeasurable benefits to public education. So my decision to homeschool my own children is not because of the flaws in public education, but because of the opportunities I see in home education.
19 Reasons to Homeschool
This article is not to convince you to homeschool; if you need convincing then homeschooling probably isn’t right for your family. And it certainly isn’t for everyone. I work from home with flexible hours, which provides me with time to dedicate to my daughter’s education (parents with typical 9-to-5 office jobs interested in homeschooling shouldn’t count themselves out—there are creative ways to still make homeschooling a possibility!) This information is for parents who already have an interest in homeschooling and want to hear from someone already doing it (despite the fact that I see so much good in public education).
While these are reasons you might choose to homeschool your children, many of these ideas can be applied to your child’s education whether you choose to homeschool or not.
1. Time Together
In my opinion, more time together is the main benefit of homeschooling. Everything else is a bonus. When someone asks me why I am homeschooling my kids, I tell them because we want more time together: time to play outside, eat breakfast together without watching the clock, read books, travel, have picnics and learn together at a speed that works for everyone.
2. Flexibility in Our Days
As a homeschooling parent, I have the ability to create our schedule each day based on what works best for our family. If one of my children isn’t feeling well, we can lay low and take it easy. Or, if we have the urge to visit the library to learn about the owls nesting in our backyard, we have the flexibility to do so. We can take nature walks with friends, cook nutritional meals at home, spend more time with family members, and pursue individual passions. Homeschool gives us the freedom to design our days away from alarm clocks, bells, and packed schedules.
When we aren’t so rushed to get from point A to point B, joyful learning can happen more naturally. For example, while gardening with my girls, we talk about the flowers and insects that we see. No flashcards, no tests, just digging in the dirt while learning a practical skill.
To experience moments like these, I make it a point to not pack our calendar full of appointments, play dates, lessons, or other obligations. My rule is one scheduled activity or outing a day, and the rest is left open for naps, bike rides, reading, and spontaneous little adventures. Less coming and going, less “We’ve got to be there in 10 minutes! Get your shoes on and let’s go!” When we take out the hurry from life that’s bound to someone else’s schedule, there is more time for us to reflect, find creativity in boredom, appreciate the little things, pursue our passions, and learn together.
3. Individualized Learning
My oldest daughter is fascinated with the moon and stars. So lately we have been having “planet parties”. We sit outside, (with snacks, of course) and we watch the moon rise and look for constellations in the sky. We also checked out several books from the library about the night sky. And made connections between information from the books and what we see at our “planet parties”. Homeschooling gives us the time to pursue her interests and learn at her own pace.
The ability for us to work at our own pace also means that we can cover more ground more quickly. I used to teach 25-30 students at a time. And all at different learning levels needing a variety of accommodations, resources, and assistance. The NHERI reports that on average homeschool students score higher on the ACT and SAT than what is required by colleges and between 15-25 percentile points above their public-education peers on standardized tests. This makes sense to me because of the one-on-one attention of parents or co-op teachers and the freedom to work as slowly or quickly as students want.
4. More Time Outside
We are happiest when we are outside. And a motto we like is that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. It is so good for our physical and mental health to be outdoors often, breathing in fresh air and connecting with nature. We can have story time outside, learn about the animals and plants that we see. And bring any lesson or activity to our backyard or a park nearby. When my children look back on their childhood, I want them to remember running barefoot through our yard, digging for worms, catching fireflies, building tree forts, picking raspberries, and cooking meals on a campfire.
“In my opinion, I have observed that fresh air, sunshine, learning responsibilities like caring for our animals, using their imaginations, and having the freedom to pursue their individual interest are all facets of a well-rounded, healthy childhood,” said Stephanie.
5. Practical Application
Learning happens everywhere, all day long, 24 hours a day. The perception that learning should be measured and take place during a certain time frame within the four walls of a classroom can stifle the joy of learning. What if learning was approached differently? Not something forced or mandated. But through meaningful conversations, hands-on learning, and by following those beautiful sparks of interest that fill us with purpose.
Frequent real-world application is another perk of homeschooling. We can learn and apply skills that our children will use for the rest of their life: gardening, cooking, critical thinking, problem-solving, completing chores, budgeting, and regulating emotions are just a few that we are currently emphasizing.
6. Field Trip Opportunities
Field trips are often highlights of the school year for kids. But what if kids could take field trips like this all the time? With the open schedule of homeschooling, the possibilities for field trips are endless.
We recently took our daughters to a beautiful botanical garden; we took a short hike, identified different trees and plants, observed wildlife, and explored an old train car. Field trips also don’t have to cost money. You can make any outing a field trip if you focus on learning and making memories.
7. Learning Alongside My Children
I loved being an English teacher. And while I wouldn’t trade one day with my daughters, I really miss it. Now I can combine my two passions, teaching and motherhood. I’m also not intimidated by subjects that I’m not an expert in because there are unlimited resources out there to help me. I also want to inspire my daughters to be lifelong learners. And watching me learn new information right alongside them will set a positive example. It’s never too late to learn something new.
8. Abundant Resources
There has never been a better time to be a homeschooling parent. Some parents may hesitate to homeschool their children because they don’t feel qualified. However, there are endless curriculum options, great educational apps, and tools to help you and your child learn together. Research also shows that income and the level of parents’ education are not related to the academic success of their homeschooled children. So, you do not have to be a certified teacher to be qualified to teach your children. You just need to have the desire and a library card.
9. Supportive Community
I’ve noticed a similar characteristic with the other moms I’ve met through homeschooling: a sense of presence, a life is short mentality that is reflected in the way they treat their children. For example, when we play outside, the moms aren’t in a panic about their kids getting dirty. In fact, they encourage them to run barefoot and squelch their toes in the mud. It’s a privilege to spend time with moms who want to soak up every minute they have with their children. The co-op community has also been so helpful in sharing teaching tips and other homeschool resources.
10. Mental Health Benefits
Statistically, homeschooled students perform significantly better than students in traditional schools in areas of social, emotional, and psychological development. According to the NHERI, these research measures include “peer interaction, self-concept, leadership skills, family cohesion, participation in community service, and self-esteem.” Similarly, research shows that adults who were homeschooled as children have a higher success rate in college, are more likely to be involved in the community, and have higher voter turnout. This not only shows that homeschooling can have a positive impact on mental health, but it also debunks the myth that homeschooling does not prepare children for “the real world.”
11. Family Travel Flexibility
I have big travel plans for our future. I want to take our daughters to see as many new sights as we can, not just on summer vacation or weeks when everyone in the country is on a school break. The flexibility of homeschooling means we can take our education on the road with us and incorporate learning about our destination, its history, and a ton of life skills along the way.
12. More Hands-On Parental Guidance
For the most part, I had a great public school experience, but the pressure to fit in and be accepted by my peers was very real. And school wasn’t always about learning, time with friends, or fun, sometimes it was more about stress, surviving a certain class period, and avoiding a bully.
I want my children to learn independence and how to handle themselves in certain situations, such as the challenges of being around someone they don’t get along with, dealing with bullies, or handling peer pressure. As my girls get older I won’t always be there to witness every struggle or peer pressure situation, but I’ll be more confident they have the tools they need to handle conflict because of the extra guidance I can provide now.
13. Socialization
There is a common misconception that homeschooled kids aren’t well-socialized. From what I’ve seen, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. With the rising popularity of homeschooling, there are so many co-ops to meet with, share resources with, and share teaching responsibilities. The co-op that we met with this school year had four different groups: a preschool group, an elementary group, a middle school group, and a high school group. Moms took turns teaching and organizing activities for each group; some of the moms are also former teachers, and all have different areas of expertise and knowledge to share with the students.
Someone also asked me if I’m worried that my kids will be “different” if I homeschool them, but isn’t that the point? I want my children to be uniquely themselves, and not to worry about what other people think. I want my children to learn that earlier than I did by creating a solid foundation for future relationships.
14. Sibling Relationships
Speaking of important relationships, I am very excited that my daughters will be classmates and can learn from one another. My younger daughter sings her ABC’s with her big sister, brushes her teeth just like she does, and wants to ride a big bike too, while my oldest learns responsibility and leadership skills. As we embark on more academics, my hope is learning together will strengthen their lifelong bond.
15. Learning From Older and Younger Kids
Another aspect of homeschooling that I see as a great benefit is the socialization of younger and older kids. I recently taught a writing and reading course to a group of homeschool students ranging in age from 9-18. These students were polite, conversational, and an absolute pleasure to teach. At first, I was concerned about the range in their ages, but soon realized that this was an asset. The older students could help the younger students while setting a positive example, and the younger students inspired a sillier, more outspoken side to their older peers.
16. Time With Extended Family
We’re lucky to have plenty of extended family nearby and nurturing those relationships is very important to me. Because of our flexible schedule, we can spend a weekday morning with grandparents like taking care of Yaya’s chickens, fishing with Papa, and visiting the Farmers Market with Gammy. Each of our close family members has different interests and expertise, and part of the joy of homeschooling is watching our daughters learn from the people who love them most.
17. Choice in Who Kids Interact With Day-to-Day
I know I can’t keep my kids in a bubble and protect them from everything, but it gives me some peace of mind if I supervise more of their activities and build relationships with the adults and other children we spend time with while homeschooling. The heartbreaking reality is that not everyone is a safe adult to be around children. Whether homeschooled or not, it is so important for all parents to teach their kids about body safety, boundaries, and trusted adults.
18. Safety
All parents constantly worry about their children’s safety. And research from the NHERI shows that protecting children from violence, abuse, or racism are common reasons parents choose to homeschool their children. As a former teacher, I also know how much teachers worry about their students’ safety, with gun violence being a significant cause of this worry. Just a few years ago I was practicing intruder drills with my students and reviewing fight or flight strategies in case of an active shooter. The fact that gun violence in any way plays a part in our decision to homeschool is a tragedy. However, gun violence is a problem everywhere, not just in schools. Changes in gun control and mental health care are needed to keep our kids safe inside and outside of school.
19. Freedom to Change Our Mind
If, at any time, we think that homeschooling isn’t the right fit for one or both of our daughters, we can change our plans. We can either pivot our approach to homeschooling or we can enroll our children in public school. Nothing is set in stone and we will continue to take this one step at a time. As first-time homeschool parents, we still have a lot to learn about what will work best for us.
Emily C. Shepard, Contributing Writer
Emily is a mom, writer, and teacher. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two young daughters, and dogs. As a bookworm, enthusiastic researcher, and lifelong learner, Emily can’t wait to share her insight on motherhood and healthy living with readers. You can find Emily outside, growing alongside her children and wild flowers.