How Does Homeschooling Affect a Child? The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Homeschooling can have many benefits in the context of child development. The same model can also have several drawbacks for a child.

The schooling model has some benefits and some negatives depending on a number of factors and how it is approached.

This post looks at the ways in which homeschooling affects a child.

The post will also explore the benefits and the downsides of home schooling. The idea is to empower parents to consider the pros and cons, weight options and make the right decision for their child and their circumstances.

Tailor-made, Individualised Learning

One major positive impact of hoemschooling to a child is effective learning. Home schooling affords the parents the benefits of effective and individualised learning for their children. In a home school, the child can be learn at their pace.

The child will also benefit from an individualised learning model. One major disadvantage of the standard school is that it tends to be a one cap size fits all. This  happens to the detriment of children that have diverse needs and learning styles.

When education is personalised, children are more engaged. It also allows them to discover their aptitudes and develop as people.

Nelson, 2013

Stress Free Learning Model

Without the anxiety and burnout that comes with the typical test-oriented schooling system, home schooled children fair better mentally and academically.

The success that children who are homeschooled seem to achieve may be due to a lack of stress. Few UK-based research on EHE have been conducted, but those that have found that home-educated children perform better than other children on average (e.g. Rothermel, 2002; Hopwood et al., 2007).

This is consistent with US-based studies demonstrating that homeschooled kids achieve academically above grade level and are more likely to finish university (e.g. Cogan, 2009).

Social Development

If you home-school, your children have the potential to socially develop in a new way. For instance, you might have strong shared beliefs with your family and tight ties with them. They won’t be as reliant on their friends and will be exposed to drugs, alcohol, sexual activity, and bullying less frequently as children.

They can be who they are, however that may appear, without feeling pressure to change in order to fit in. As a result, studies show that homeschooled kids are happier and have higher levels of self-esteem (Hopwood et al., 2007).

Benefits Of Homeschooling For Children

Aside from academic gains, homeschooling allows parents to focus more on their children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. Parents can emphasize therapy and other forms of coping skills, as well as medical care.

Homeschooling also allows parents to make time for family vacations. This provides an environment where children can bond with both parents and siblings.

Flexible Curriculum

Another benefit of homeschooling is flexibility in curriculum. Homeschooling allows parents to tailor the curriculum to the child’s particular learning style. They can also adjust the curriculum to address learning challenges and other issues.

Furthermore, children can learn in a fun and safe environment. Disruptive classroom environments affect learning and can cause children to lose interest. Also, a homeschooled child is less likely to get bored or discouraged, two major factors that can negatively affect a child’s education in public schools.

Home Schooling and Spiritual Development

Homeschooling also provides opportunities for spiritual development and personal care. Children can receive Christ-centered curriculum and receive more personalized attention from parents.

Homeschooling is also a great option for Christian families looking to foster strong family bonds. Almost two million US children are homeschooled, and the numbers are increasing.

The flexibility and control of curriculum offered by homeschooling is invaluable for raising children who have good moral character.

A majority of homeschooling parents report that they are happy with the education their children receive. As a result, ninety percent of parents who homeschool their children are glad they chose this alternative.

Why Do Parents Choose to Homeschool their Chidlren?

Parents’ reasons for homeschooling may vary. Many have health and safety concerns, while some homeschool for religious or educational reasons. Many parents are unsure of the financial costs of homeschooling. Many want to know more about the financial impact of homeschooling before making the final decision.

Some educators worry about the agenda of conservative religious leaders and parents. They assume that these parents want to raise hypercompetitive, intolerant children with religious superiority. These fears are unfounded.

Research from the U.S. Department of Education demonstrates that homeschooling is equally effective for children of all races and economic backgrounds.

Major Commitment

Homeschooling is an enormous responsibility. Many parents experience burnout, lack of motivation and lose their support system. It is essential to manage this stress and maintain a positive outlook.

Most parents tend to overlook the implications of home schooling in terms commitment. Home schooling is a major commitment in terms time required, resources that go into homeschoooling. One of the parents may have to quit their job so at attend to the demands of the home school.

What comes with the commitment in terms of time and resources is the necessity of continuous education. Parents need to keep abreast with the curriculum so that they are competent to guide the child through the subject matter of different subjects.

Cost

Homeschooling can be an expensive endeavour. For the child to have a meaningful and effective learning experience, parents must invest in all the learning materials and ensure that the child does not miss out on what other kids in the mainstream school have access to.

Loss of Experiences

In the homeschooling model parents must be intentional abut how they will foster a holistic development of their child. In the absence of their peers and all the benefits of belonging to a class of peers, parents will have to battle with the challenge of lost life experiences that come as a benefits of attending a mainstream school.

One of the best ways of dealing with this is ensuring the child has other extra curricula activities where they can participate with other kids.

Inhibited Socialisation

Another danger of homeschooling is that it inhibits socialization. Children who are homeschooled are not exposed to a variety of perspectives, ideas, and cultures. These students may not be able to interact with people of different cultures or backgrounds, which can negatively affect their future.

While 50 states have laws protecting children, they do not govern homeschooling. For example, there are no mandated reporters for homeschooled children.

This makes it much more difficult to spot abuse in homeschooled children. Furthermore, there is no way for parents to be screened for criminal records. Thus, homeschooling is not the ideal environment for children.

Isolation

Another danger is that homeschooled children are more isolated and socially isolated. They experience school withdrawal and loneliness more than normal. They may also lose motivation to learn at home and become depressed. Both parents and children may also experience exhaustion. While homeschooling may result in well-rounded individuals, the environment is not ideal for all children.

Dangers Of Homeschooling For Children: The Echo Chamber Problem

One major challenge of homeschooling is the problem of raising your child in an ideological echo chamber. This has an adverse impact on the socialisation of the child.

The impact of homeschooling on a child’s socialization is often underestimated. Although homeschooling students can still get adequate socialization in school, they may struggle socially if they lack the exposure to peer pressure and other children.

A child’s socialization is the process of learning social norms and skills. In homeschooling, it’s critical for children to build social fluency to negotiate situations and build relationships with others.

And this better learnt in an environment that fosters interfacing with peers of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

In this way, they’ll have better emotional health and psychological outcomes. However, homeschoolers need to do more than just learn to get along with others.

 Homeschooling also reduces the amount of bullying and other problems that can affect socialization.

Homeschooling carries the risk of echo-chambers, ideological environments where children are incubated with harmful beliefs.

For example, homeschooled student Derek Black, who was steeped in racist ideology, created a website for kids promoting white supremacy.

Homeschooling Is Hardly Regulated

Because homeschooling is unregulated, children are more susceptible to these ideologies. Another danger is that children are not socialized with a variety of different people.

Other challenges to home schooling involve, school-Home imbalance, further education difficulties, stretched capacity of local authorities in quality assuring the output of homeschooling.

Impact Of Homeschooling On Public Education

A recent survey by the U.S. Department of Education indicates that most homeschoolers are white and from rural areas. In addition, the families are more likely to be lower-income and have two parents.

Furthermore, their children tend to score higher on standardized tests than those in public schools. In fact, about half of homeschooled students graduate from college.

Many parents choose homeschooling for a variety of reasons, including religious and moral instruction. Nearly one-third of homeschooling families do so to help their children with special needs or mental-health issues.

Nearly three-quarters of homeschoolers cite dissatisfaction with the academic instruction their children receive in public schools. In addition, many parents cite safety and bullying issues as contributing factors.

Homeschooling is on the rise, with nearly four million kids in grades K-12 in the U.S. in 2020-2021. This figure represents 6% to 7% of all school-age children. In spring 2019, that number was around 2.5 million.

In the previous school year, about 4% of school-age children were homeschooled. The growth rate has been increasing each year, and this number may reach as much as nine percent by 2021.

Recent studies have shown that children who are homeschooled score highly on standardized tests. In one study, a nationally representative sample of homeschooled children took three widely-known tests. The results were striking. In general, homeschooled children scored in the seventy to eighty-th percentile.

Home School is Ideal for Reinforcing Certain Values

Homeschooling also allows for a more customized learning experience. For instance, many homeschoolers may incorporate religion.

These children often have deeper relationships with other children and have higher levels of optimism and contentment. Homeschoolers are more likely to be involved in community activities, as well as participate in extracurricular activities.

Despite the widespread acceptance of homeschooling, critics of the practice call for more regulation to protect homeschoolers. However, it is worth noting that the United States has the least restrictive regulatory framework when it comes to homeschooling, as compared to Japan, Germany, and Sweden.

Although homeschooling may not continue to grow indefinitely, it will always be a popular option for families unable to find comfortable places in public schools.

Furthermore, it can also serve as a channel for parents who want to pursue individualised and specialised learning model for their chidlren.

Final Thoughts

For one, it can strengthen the familial bond and give the child the kind of attention they need. This kind of attention can help them develop positive social skills. Furthermore, it shields them from negative peer influences.

Is Home Schooling Good For Your Child?

Homeschooling is an ideal option for children who struggle in school or feel underchallenged. Homeschooling will also benefit children whose temperaments or interests don’t develop as well in traditional schools. Parents need to consider many factors before making the decision to homeschool.

For kids that need a sense of competition to excel and remain motivated parents may find ways to keep their children motivated and focused.  

The time commitment required to homeschool a child will increase. Many parents will choose to homeschool their children as it allows them to spend more time with their kids than they would in a traditional school. However, many parents can secure time to themselves.

That said, approached appropriately and planned thoughtfully, homeschooling can affect your child in many positive ways.