Why Homeschooling WorksHow many of us remember our first day of school each year? We spent time carefully choosing the right outfit to wear. We wondered which teacher we would have. Would we get along with our new teacher, or would he or she be too hard or too strict? Would we know anyone in our class, or would we have to meet all new friends?

And then once the school year began, we had to maneuver the social nuances that affected the school day. Would we become the butt of a class joke or face embarrassment in P.E. class? Would we become the object of the class bully’s terror? Would we thrive or sink in the face of the academic and social pressure?

Those were our issues. We lived them and perhaps, barring extreme cases, they made us stronger… or so we thought. But consider: Did any of this add to your education? Did forcing you to endure the taunting of a bully really prepare you for life, and even if you did learn a valuable lesson from it, was it necessary? Did you need that experience to become a productive, intelligent person? Probably not.

Did you need the noise and distractions that came with a class of 20-30 students, all with different interests, opinions, learning styles, communication styles and abilities, to learn? Was that really the best way for you to learn? Not necessarily.

And guess what? Schools are getting harder. More and more children are coming forward to confirm that they are struggling under the pressures of standardized tests, social nuances, peer expectations, and more.

And for the critic who would say that we shouldn’t shelter our children from the “real world,” I say, “Why not?” I can safely say that because at one time, I was one of those critics. No, I didn’t want to throw my children to the lions, but I did want them to learn how to maneuver challenging situations. But then I stopped to really think about how I live today. If I meet someone who doesn’t share my values, do I continue to interact with them? No. Then why should I expect my children to do any different? Are their social experiences any less impacting because they are under the age of 18? Of course not.

Creating a safe, nurturing environment is not the absence of teaching social grace. It is teaching in an atmosphere that encourages reasoning, character building and life skills. It is helping children see, from a young age, what is and is not acceptable. It is helping them know how to handle the unacceptable. Through their parents’ examples, children can learn what is normal. When challenges arise with friends or other encounters (and yes, homeschoolers do and should have many social opportunities), parents can provide the direction needed for their children to comprehend and deal with the situation. This isn’t the absence of education; it is, in fact, the benefit of it.

Our homes have been places of learning for the years leading up to school age. It is only logical that they would continue to be places of learning once formal training begins. It is in that safe and nurturing environment that they have thrived for several years, and it is in that safe and nurturing environment that they can continue to thrive.

Photo: After School Special by iboy_daniel