Homeschooling - the darker side

It's not all hunky-dory and smooth sailing on the homeschooling
front. Like all things in life, there is a downside that has to be 
seriously considered when you explore the homeschooling option. 
Though one man's bane may be another man's boon, there are certain 
common reasons for concern.

The responsibility of teaching your child rests solely on you. You 
cannot blame anyone else if your child is seen wanting in the 
skills that his peers excel in. If your child cannot do the things 
that are expected from other children of his age group, it 
reflects badly on you as an educator as well as a parent.

A critical part of homeschooling is the time that you have to 
spend with your children. You may have to give up your friends, 
shopping and other entertainment and dedicate all these to your 
child. This can become frustrating at times. You have to learn to 
take the aggravation with equanimity and wait for the rewards with 
patience and enthusiasm. 

A parent who is dedicated to tutor his or her child single 
handedly does not realistically have much time left over for a 
career. This means that the family is robbed of an additional 
source of income. In turn, this may lead to stress over finances. 
You will have to train yourself to live on a strictly controlled 
budget. While this is a matter of habit, it does need some getting 
used to. 

You cannot take a break when you feel like it. Feelings of guilt 
will assail you if you neglect studies just because you are 
feeling blue. You also fear that the child will take advantage of 
the situation. Even when you have given homework, you have to be 
around to give a helping hand. This means that anytime your child 
is around you, you are on duty! For some, this may mean working 
every waking hour. The child studying at home also needs to get 
out more. This comes from staying at home all the time. 
Interaction with adults and other children needs to be given 
special attention.

Children tutored at home cannot develop in the various directions 
that are open to children attending public schools. To achieve 
that kind of exposure, you either have to be a super-parent 
skilled in everything, or enroll your child to various activities. 
This may not only prove too costly, but also be 
counter-productive.

It is sometimes observed that homeschooled children do not do as 
well in SAT tests as their school-going counterparts. Without a 
diploma or a GED, some students find it difficult to get into the 
military. 

Lastly, if you envision enrolling your child to a public school, 
there may be a certain period of emotional as well as social 
adjustment. A child who is used to being at home for the whole day 
and enjoying so much of uncontained freedom may have to undergo 
some distressing emotional upheavals before he or she gets used to 
the rigors of a regular school life. 

(word count 501)

PPPPP
