Ever since I moved to Manchester, Connecticut I have been homeschooling the children. My reasons for doing this are not because I don’t believe in the school system here, indeed I believe that some of the teachers, board of trustees and even the new recruits in each of the local schools are absolutely fantastic. The principal reason for me to decide to homeschool the kids was simply because I felt that I was in the best position to offer an education to my kids, about what i think that they should study. If you have been thinking about giving your child their education at home instead of a traditional school, here are some of the things which my good friend and great educational mind Chris Bugbee, told me about what is important to consider, and you should too.
Time
The commitment to homeschool your child is one of time, and you must ensure that between you and your partner, that there is enough time in your lives to do this. I generally follow the hours which the state schools near me employ, in order to give me child that level of normality which the other kids have. With this being said, the time commitments go beyond the hours of teaching, and for you this will mean plenty more hours for planning and marking.
Knowledge
Another key consideration is whether or not you actually have the knowledge to give your child a good education at home. If you think about a traditional school, they have a department for every type of learning, at home however, it will be just you and them. It won’t therefore, come as any news that you must ensure that your knowledge is up to the standard to be able to show your child.
Money
Money is also a very important consideration before you make the decision as to whether or not you will homeschool your child. This is actually what has harassed my partner and I the most during this process, as not only will you not be working, but you will also need to spend money on study materials, which do not come cheap. There is also additional food to consider, more electric and gas usage, plus the fact that any trips which you take will come out of your own pocket.
Helping Your Child
The single most important factor which you must consider before you offer your child any kind of training or education at home, is thinking about how it will effect their life from a social point of view. Having two different educations is not something which can stop two children from becoming friends, but the lack of time together at school is something that your child will miss out on. With this in mind then, it is vital that you take measures to ensure that your child will not become reclusive and instead become very sociable. Think about enrolling them in clubs or after-school events so that their homeschooling doesn’t set them back from socializing.
