Why Do You Home School?

"Why do you home school?"

Whether you are considering educating your children at home, or already do so, this question may be one of the most important ones you’ll have to answer. As a parent/teacher, you don’t necessarily have to know how to explain intransitive verbs, causes of the Revolutionary War, rational and irrational numbers or the Periodic Table of the Elements, as long as you know how to guide your children to find the answers for themselves. But the question of why you choose to home school should be planted clearly and firmly in your mind. You will have many “opportunities” to explain your reasons to family, friends, neighbors, and even intrusive, opinionated strangers! Knowing your educational philosophy will help you hold your ground when confronted about your decision. And confronted you will be.

Even if you are home schooling because of a negative school experience, you should take some time to build your educational philosophy around the positives of home education. Never try to build up your position by tearing down the position of someone else. Public or private education may not work for you and your children, but it is not your place to convince others that they’ve made the wrong choice. Instead, if you decide to answer the question, be positive and friendly but firm, and explain clearly why home schooling is the correct choice for YOUR family. You are under no obligation to explain yourself to anyone, especially if they seem confrontational. But if the person seems curious or shy about asking, it could be that they’re interested in the idea of home school and are looking for some useful information. In that case you could add something interesting or exciting, and be sure to ask some questions of your own!