Schooling The Stereotype: Why Homeschooling Isn’t Just For Crazies

4. Disability

Kids with all kinds of disabilities, at all kinds of different levels, do well in a mainstream schooling environment, but that doesn’t mean all kids well. Whether they’re dealing with dyslexia, an autism spectrum disorder, or one of a million other possibilities, life can be tough. Not all schools can offer the one-on-one attention that a student like that requires, and even when they can, many parents feel that these classroom assistants don’t know their children like they do. In a homeschooling environment, they can be there for their child, and provide a stress-free learning space.

5. Lifestyle

Travel is a wonderful thing, and exposing your children to new people, cultures and languages is something that’s very important for parents. Unfortunately, when kids are enrolled in mainstream schooling there aren’t many opportunities for extended travel, and parents generally have to travel inside of holiday periods when it’s not only busier but also more expensive. Parents who have dedicated themselves, and their families, to a life of travel often choose to homeschool as it offers the most flexibility and freedom for their lifestyle, something that mainstream schooling simply cannot do.

6. Location

Sometimes, all that homeschooling comes down to is location. When families are located in rural and remote areas, schools can be few and far between, or they can struggle with quality issues, a revolving door of teachers are more. Other times, parents are choosing to live overseas (as it was in my case) and it’s simply not financially viable to send their children to costly international schools. In this case, homeschooling becomes a clear choice, and programs like School of the Air, that provide a learning platform for parents to build on, along with distance teachers, offer a nice middle ground in the homeschooling battle.

These are just a few of the most common reasons that parents choose to homeschool. There are lots more, and being crazy is not one of them!