Is Homeschool Better than Regular School?

Is homeschool better than regular school? The hard truth.

When I am choosing what to write for this blog, I check various resources to find out what questions people want answers to. It turns out, the question, “Is homeschool better than regular school?” is something that the internet wants to know. Since this is such an opinion based question, there’s really no definitive answer. If you’ve visited this blog before, or met me on social, you know that I’ve been homeschooling my five kids for about 15 years. So you probably think you can guess where I stand on the answer to this question.

But my answer might surprise you.

I am a homeschooling advocate. I believe that a lot more parents could homeschool if they felt empowered and equipped to do so. However, I also believe that not everyone should homeschool. Keep reading for more.

Is homeschool better than regular school?

I suspect that some of those internet searches for answers to this question were done by kids. Perhaps kids are trying to decide if they would like to advocate for being homeschooled. So let’s look at this question from the perspective of both parents and kids.

Is homeschool better than regular school for kids?

For kids, there are definitely pros and cons of homeschooling.

Here are some pros:

School in your pajamas
Flexible wake up times
More free time for sports and hobbies
Less bullying and peer pressure
More flexibility in curriculum choices

And here are some cons for kids:

Lack of social events
Less time away from parents
More responsibility for learning independently
Potentially less help on homework
Missing classic school experiences like prom, football games, etc.

However, with this list being made, that certainly doesn’t mean that all homeschooled students would have this same situation. Since we go to a hybrid homeschool, we do have lots of social events and help with homework. But each family’s situation is different.

Is homeschool better than regular school for parents?

For parents, choosing to homeschool definitely means more work. Even if your children have tutors, go to a hybrid school, or are incredibly independent learners, you are taking on more responsibility for your children’s education. This is obviously a huge responsibility, and one that not everyone is prepared to take on. So what are the pros and cons for parents?

Pros for parents who are homeschooling:

More time with your kids
Increased flexibility for travel
More control and supervision over curriculum
Less drops offs and pick ups
More help at home when kids are older

Cons for homeschool parents:

Responsibility for educational outcomes
Less time to yourself
A messier, busier home
More difficulty working outside of the home
Increased time in curriculum planning

Homeschooling Moms take on a huge responsibility for their children’s education. In addition to regular Mom duties like parenting, managing sibling relationships, sports drops off and pickups, birthday party planning, and all of the other things, homeschooling Moms choose to take on a whole other role. For this reason, homeschooling may not be better for parents.

So is homeschooling better for everyone?

There are some homeschooling authors and advocates that would say, “YES!” However, I have personally witnessed too many parents who shirk their responsibility to educate their children to be able to say a resounding yes for everyone. Since this is such a huge task, busy parents who both work outside of the home may not have the time or energy to supervise their children’s education. That doesn’t mean that no parents who both work outside of the home can make it work. But it does mean that schedules and priorities need to be seriously evaluated in order to make an informed decision.

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If potential homeschooling Moms or Dads cannot take on the responsibility of educating their children, they shouldn’t homeschool. Homeschooling shouldn’t be chosen just because a child is having a difficult time at school. That can be a great starting reason to homeschool but shouldn’t be the only reason. Homeschooling shouldn’t be done out of fear of what’s outside the home. It should be done because parents are passionate about educating their children and having more time with them.

When Things Don’t Work Out

I’ve seen parents say they were homeschooling but then really not follow through with making sure their children are properly educated. This is certainly the exception to the rule. But just like with anything else, parents get lazy sometimes. Again, I certainly believe that anyone who truly wants to homeschool can, with the right support and resources. But it’s just not for everyone.

It can take bravery to make a change and do something that’s not the norm. Homeschooling is much more widely accepted than it used to be, but it’s still rare. But the flip side is also true. If you begin homeschooling and then find it’s not for you, it takes courage to admit that, and make a change. Doing what’s best for your family is what’s most important.

If you want to homeschool, you CAN. It is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It has led to deeper relationships with my children, deeper sibling relationship for them, and more flexibility for our family. With my first soon to be graduate having been accepted to every college he’s heard from so far, and being offered many scholarships, I am proof that it works, and can work well! The great experiment in our family has been a success!