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A while back, we discussed four reasons why you think you can’t homeschool in this post. Homeschooling is a big life change. It can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know any other homeschooling families. It’s also easy for the doubts to creep in and consume you. What if you can’t do it? What if you can’t teach everything? What if you irreparably mess up your child’s future?
When we’re faced with an unfamiliar situation, it’s easy to let worries, doubts, and misconceptions into our heads. Many parents fall into one of two situations. They either refuse to consider homeschooling because they view it as a less valid option than public or private school, or they want to homeschool, but they have doubts that are getting in their way.
With the Covid-19 pandemic, things have changed, though. More families are interested in homeschooling because of the pandemic. Many don’t feel comfortable sending their children to school, especially if their children are too young to receive the vaccine or have a condition that puts them at a higher risk.
The pandemic hasn’t been easy on anyone, but it’s been especially difficult for parents. Since March 2020, it seems like every decision has been a life-or-death decision, especially when it comes to our kids’ safety and wellbeing. All of these decisions can tax your mental health, and after a while, it’s easy to feel isolated, like no one could understand what you’re going through.
If you’re a parent who’s considering homeschooling, you’re not alone. You have support, and ReDefiners World Languages is here to help. We know that foreign languages can be hard to teach, and the idea of doing so can be daunting. We offer online classes for Kindergarteners through 5th graders in Spanish, English, Arabic, and Mandarin. For more information, check out our website.
When you’re dealing with anxiety, it can be beneficial to talk through your fears and misconceptions. By doing so, you can determine which fears are grounded in truth and which aren’t. Once you know the truth, you can make an informed decision about your children’s education. At the end of the article, you might still decide that homeschooling won’t work for you or your family, and that’s okay. All I ask is that you keep an open mind.
Today, we’re going to talk about four more reasons why people don’t homeschool their children and why they actually can. Many parents think that homeschooling means their kids won’t get into college, their kids will be socially awkward and weird, their kids won’t be prepared for the real world, and they don’t know if they can handle being with their kids all day. With these concerns in mind, let’s discuss them.
1) My kids won’t get into college.
This might have been true when homeschooling was less popular. However, this is no longer the case. Most colleges and universities accept homeschooled students. They go through a similar admissions process as public and private school students. They have to submit a high school transcript, standardized test scores, essays, and letters of recommendation.
Today, most colleges and universities accept homeschooled students, even Ivy-league schools like Harvard and Yale. Just like with any applicant, schools want to make sure that your child has completed a rigorous course of study beforehand, can work well with other students, and withstand the demands of college. As long as you can show these things in your application, your student will likely have no problems getting accepted.
Ideally, you want to do your research when your child is in middle school. Different colleges have different prerequisite requirements, and you want to make sure to plan accordingly. However, your kids can still get into college, even without planning that early.
Over the years, I’ve met many homeschooled students. All of them who wished to go to college got accepted. Some went straight to four-year universities. Others went to community colleges first and went to four-year universities as transfer students. All of them were prepared for college, and many of them got better grades and handled the stress better than the students who had gone to public or private schools.
Because of the flexibility of homeschooling, your child can earn an associate’s degree while they’re in high school by enrolling in a community college. It’s often easier to gain admittance to a community college, especially if you’re a non-traditional student. Once they graduate high school, they can transfer to a four-year university and immediately jump into the higher-level classes. Not only would this save time, but you could potentially save thousands of dollars. You can also be there to help them learn how to navigate college. That way, they can do it on their own once they graduate high school.
If your child wants to go to college, they have options. There are multiple ways for them to go to college. Homeschooling won’t get in the way of that goal. It might even help them to adjust to college.
2) My kids will be socially awkward and weird.
This is one of the unfortunate stereotypes of homeschooled kids. They’re socially awkward and weird, and I don’t want my kids to end up that way.
Well, I hate to inform you, but your child’s education doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be “normal.” You’ll find people everywhere who are weird and socially awkward. For example, I went to public school from Kindergarten through 10th grade. There were a lot of kids who were “loners,” “awkward,” “shy,” or otherwise not “normal.” When I was in high school, there were popular football players and cheerleaders, socially awkward loners, and everyone in between.
Unfortunately, high school is a cutthroat situation. Many times, if you’re not popular, you’re going to struggle to fit in. And those who don’t fit in are often the targets of bullying and harassment, making it even harder for them to be confident and make friends.
If your main reason for avoiding homeschooling is because you don’t want your kids to be weird, I want to encourage you to think over that decision. Your child will develop into their own person, regardless of their educational background. At least with homeschooling, your child can be around people who love them and accept them as they are, instead of people who find weaknesses to exploit for personal gain.
3) My kids won’t be prepared for the real world.
Well, it depends on what you mean by the “real world.” If you view the “real world” as being in public or private school, then they’re not going to be prepared for the real world. However, if you view the “real world” as one where adults hold down a job, pay bills, and are productive members of society, then homeschooling can prepare your kids for the real world.
Because of the flexibility of homeschooling, kids have time to learn life skills and how the world works. Younger kids can learn to do household chores, get along with their friends and siblings, and behave at the store. Older kids and teens can gain work experience through part-time jobs and volunteering. Because of their flexible schedule, they might have an easier time getting scheduled for shifts since they can work during school hours.
For college-bound students, dual credit enrollment at a local community college is also an option. This allows them to practice their study skills while they have help from their parents. By the time they graduate, they’ll know how to handle their workload and stay organized, which increases their chances of success.
Your kids might be missing out on opportunities to be in public or private school classrooms. However, homeschooling provides plenty of opportunities to develop real-world skills. These include being punctual and dependable, working well with others, managing your time, and staying organized. All of these skills will be necessary for college and adulthood.
4) I don’t know if I can handle being with them all day.
Homeschooling is a big change. There’s no doubt about it. As with any big decision, it’s natural to feel nervous and apprehensive and even second guess your decision.
You’ve faced other changes before, though, and you lived to tell the tale. Do you remember what it was like to bring home your first baby from the hospital? For many, adjusting to life with a newborn wasn’t easy. There was a lot to learn and a lot of sleepless nights, worrying, and second-guessing yourself. You might have even doubted your abilities and wondered if you could be a good parent.
Before you knew it, though, you adjusted. You got used to taking care of your baby. You learned what their cries meant, and you discovered what was worth worrying about and what wasn’t. After a while, it was probably hard to remember your life before you had a baby because it became your new normal.
It’s similar to homeschooling. At first, it will probably be an adjustment, especially if you’re used to your kids being gone for most of the day. Everyone will need some time and patience to adjust to the new change. After a while, you and your kids will adapt, and it’ll become your family’s new normal.
Deciding on your child’s education is a big deal. There’s a lot of pressure to make the right decision. As a result, many have considered homeschooling, but because it’s not the “norm,” they often get scared away by the idea. They also think that they can’t homeschool for many reasons: their kids won’t get into college, their kids will be socially awkward and weird, their kids won’t be prepared for the real world, and they don’t know if they can handle being with their kids all day.
However, you don’t need to let these reasons stop you from homeschooling. I know it can be a big, scary change, but there is support out there. There may be a lot of unknowns, but you don’t have to have all of the answers right now. With the right support, you can do anything. All you have to do is ask.
If you need some assistance teaching foreign languages in your homeschool, ReDefiners can help! We offer online classes in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Mandarin for Kindergarten through 5th grade. In all of our courses, your child will learn the language, and they’ll learn skills to build cultural sensitivity and awareness, equipping them to become tomorrow’s global citizens. For more information, please visit our website or email us at info@redefinerswl.org.
