Home — Essay Samples — Education — Homeschooling — The Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling: A Comprehensive Analysis
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling: a Comprehensive Analysis
- Categories: Homeschooling
About this sample
Words: 564 |
Published: Feb 12, 2024
Words: 564 | Page: 1 | 3 min read
Cite this Essay
To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:
Let us write you an essay from scratch
- 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
- Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours
Get high-quality help
Prof Ernest (PhD)
Verified writer
- Expert in: Education
+ 120 experts online
By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email
No need to pay just yet!
Related Essays
2 pages / 892 words
2 pages / 932 words
2 pages / 701 words
3 pages / 1464 words
Remember! This is just a sample.
You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.
121 writers online
Still can’t find what you need?
Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled
Related Essays on Homeschooling
Educational choices are among the most significant decisions parents make for their children. One of the debates that has gained prominence in recent years is the choice between homeschooling and traditional public schooling. [...]
Homeschooling and public schooling are two major educational options available to students. Homeschooling refers to the practice of educating children at home, typically by parents or tutors, rather than in a traditional public [...]
Homeschooling has become an increasingly popular alternative to traditional public and private education. With the rise of technology and the ability to access educational resources online, many parents are choosing to educate [...]
Homeschooling, an alternative to traditional classroom education, has gained popularity in recent years. While it offers certain advantages, it is essential to critically examine the potential drawbacks associated with [...]
Homeschooling, also known as home education is the education of children at home or a variety of other places. Home education is usually conducted by a parent or tutor or online teacher. Many families use less formal ways of [...]
There are many advantages to homeschooling children. These benefits include the following:Excellent education. The overriding goal of homeschooling is to educate children. In this, homeschool excels. Because of the many [...]
Related Topics
By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.
Where do you want us to send this sample?
By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.
Be careful. This essay is not unique
This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before
Download this Sample
Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts
Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.
Please check your inbox.
We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!
Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!
We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .
- Instructions Followed To The Letter
- Deadlines Met At Every Stage
- Unique And Plagiarism Free
The Disadvantages Of Homeschooling: 11 Things To Consider
This post may contain affiliate links.
Homeschooling can be a wondrous thing. There is so much flexibility! You can study anything your child is interested in, you’ll create unbreakable family bonds, and allow your kid to uniquely flourish on their own. Now, while there are many advantages like these, the disadvantages of homeschooling may not be so obvious to those who are considering transitioning to this way of life. Plus, here’s a helpful handbook to help you decide between homeschool vs. traditional school
What are the Cons of Homeschooling you may want to Consider
Homeschooling is a method of educating children from the comfort of your own home (or on the road!). It can be done at home by parents or through an organized program funded by your state. Deciding if homeschool is for you can come down to many things. Everything from the type of homeschooling you prefer to do, your actual homeschool daily schedule , and your child’s individual needs.
The Disadvantages Of Homeschooling Your Children
Now, homeschooling is a great alternative for many families, but it isn’t perfect. There are disadvantages to homeschooling that you should consider before making your decision. In this post, we will discuss 11 disadvantages of homeschooling children. We hope that this article will help you make the right decision for your family!
Knowing what may lie ahead will make you that much more prepared.
1. Socialization Difficulties
One of the first disadvantages of homeschooling that comes to mind for most is the difficulty in socializing children. We all know the importance of having our child interact with other children their own age.
As part of their developmental health and ability to form social skills, kids need to learn to form bonds with others.
Of course, they can make friends outside of school, but it will take more effort for both you and your child. You will have to ensure they are a part of group activities and must actively arrange meetings/playdates.
In a traditional school, kids spend hours with each other every day, so these bonds form quickly. It may take a little longer for your child to form bonds when they can’t see them each day of the week!
2. Requires More Organization
You’re wearing two hats when it comes to homeschooling: teacher and parent. Without a homeschool schedule or planning, things can quickly feel out of control, and the stress piles on.
Homeschooling parents need to set aside time to plan lessons, hands-on experiences, and activities for the kids to do. Also, some kids cannot do independent learning, and you may need to be with them every step of the way.
While you’re being an active teacher, you also still need to manage the house, cook meals and have time to do the things you enjoy as a parent yourself.
Between planning and implementing, many underestimate the true time commitment of homeschooling. It is a full-time commitment in order for the child to receive a quality education.
3. No Big Events To Look Forward To
Many of life’s biggest moments happen when you’re in school. Just look at any movie set in high school! They almost always revolve around prom, graduation ceremonies, homecoming, or going to the first big game of the season.
These events are exciting for kids to look forward to at any age. Think of everything from field trips to band camp to sports tournaments.
Similar events can happen for those who are homeschooled, but it certainly takes extra effort from the parents to make it a bang.
4. Homeschooling Materials Can Get Expensive
Cost is one of the many disadvantages of homeschooling that people don’t think about. Public school, of course, is free, with the checkbook having to come out for things, such as sports uniforms or tickets to the school play.
What you don’t think about are all the free materials being provided, from textbooks from the library all the way to computer software you don’t have on the laptop at home.
This can also include additional resources the school provides, such as guidance counselors, support teachers, and even all the extracurriculars. If your child wants to join the track team or learn an instrument, that will come out of pocket rather than the schools.
Since coming up with a curriculum can be so time-consuming for the parent, many parents opt to choose programs that already have it all laid out . And, those sure can get pricey!
Also, due to the time commitment, one partner often forgoes full-time employment in order to educate the kids. Losing an entire income stream is a big sacrifice for many families.
Lastly, when your child is ready to graduate from homeschool and move out into the big world of college, they may have access to fewer scholarships. This can include sports scholarships (as it is harder to be recognized), scholarships from the high school, school district scholarships, etc.
5. Lack Of Facilities
Schools certainly put tax dollars to good use. Many public schools have great facilities that you just can’t replicate at home. This means no gyms, running tracks, band rooms, chemistry labs, theatres, lunch programs, and more.
You can find many of these facilities outside of school, but it doesn’t come without a little effort. It can be difficult to find certain team sports, especially for younger kids.
These facilities for extracurricular activities also expose kids to hobbies they never thought to try before. As a parent, it is up to you to ensure they try as many new experiences as possible…even if you’re not good with the paintbrush yourself!
6. Requires More Discipline
Anyone who has tried to work from home will know that distractions are everywhere. Why wake up early if you don’t have to make it to your first class? Why read a book when the TV is only a few steps away? Work for another ten minutes or have a snack now?
You can never wait for motivation to strike. Unfortunately, that sucker is unreliable. Instead, you have to learn to evoke discipline to get things done even when the desire is simply not there.
At school, you just have to show up. Even those who gaze out the window surely must hear some of the words the teacher says at the front of the room!
Some kids even thrive being around others where the competition helps them excel. But, as a parent, you have to be your kids’ own personal cheerleader and motivate them when they’re down.
7. Fewer Breaks for Parents and Kids, Too!
A moment of realness here… homeschooling likely means you’re going to be with your kid 24/7. It’s one of the disadvantages of homeschooling some parents might not like to admit.
Practically free child care, you will have to pay for a babysitter or arrange for someone to look after the kids. Or, you will have to get a heck of a lot done in the hour they are at Girl Scouts!
There are ups and downs to being with your kids all the time. For many, the bonds of a parent and child who is homeschooled are unbeatable. But, it can also be lonely and isolating for parents, as they no longer have much free time to be with their own friends and support systems.
Online homeschooling support systems can help with this.
The exhaustion factor for not having a break from the kids going to school will also creep up on you. Making food, keeping the house in order, and working for some can get pushed to the wayside. Hobbies and nights out are a whole other concern!
8. Dealing With Criticism
Anything outside of the norm, people will have qualms about. Without a doubt, it is hard to break the mold and do your own thing.
People may not understand your decision to homeschool and understand the benefits it is providing your child. Everyone from trained professionals to other parents may not like to see homeschooling succeed.
Overcoming a stigmatism surrounding homeschool will be something you will have to deal with for years. Be prepared to answer lots of questions and handle criticism.
Your child, too, will experience these questions, though hopefully gentler.
9. It’s Difficult To Keep The House Clean
When you’re in a house all day, you will notice how much more difficult it is to keep it tidy. Every minute it seems as though you wash dishes only to have them magically reappear again.
And the more people around, the messier it’s going to be.
10. Stressful For The Parent
Homeschooling is a lot to take on. Anytime something goes wrong, it’s hard not to take things personally. When a child can’t grasp something, you may be quick to blame yourself.
Or, you have to restrain frustration when they don’t understand something, and you can’t find another way to explain it.
A child’s education is a big responsibility, and all of it gets loaded on the parent when homeschooling. There will be times when you lose patience, have a lack of motivation, and moments where you might even want to cry in the pantry.
The lack of support from the community (AKA criticism mentioned above) can also be a heavy burden to carry. Stress is a matter of fact, but how you manage it will be key.
11. Record Keeping
This one tends to slip by for most. Schools take care of all the record keeping for you, providing everything your child needs upon graduation, so you don’t have to think twice about it.
Since transcripts are required for college, you should know what you will be responsible for keeping a record of all grades, even from elementary.
We use this particular homeschool planner and have really liked it!
The Takeaway
Even though homeschool disadvantages exist, parents should consider these disadvantages against what is best for their child before making the decision about whether or not they want to home-educate them.
Homeschooling can provide more one-on-one attention from educators than traditional schooling does, which many kids need as opposed to large classrooms. It is important that parents educate themselves fully about all advantages and disadvantages when deciding if this type of education will work best for their family’s needs.
After reading this list of disadvantages of homeschooling, you’re probably feeling a little dismayed. Now, make sure to go read some of the advantages ! While it may not be suited for everyone, some homeschooling parents wouldn’t change a thing about their decision!
No matter what you decide, always have your kids’ best interests at heart.
More Homeschool Inspiration
- What’s the Difference Between Remote Learning & Homeschool?
- 15 Inspiring Homeschool Room Ideas for Small Spaces
- Pros and Cons of Homeschool & How Do You Homeschool?
- How To Identify Your Children’s Reading Levels + Which Books to Read
- The Best Reading Books For Kids Of All Ages
- 11 Helpful Charts for Kids: Chores, Reward & Daily Routines to Help Kids Thrive
- Create a Routine: 6 Sample Toddler Schedules from Real Moms
Want even more?
Shop All Parenting Resources
Shop all of our parenting resources from self-regulation tools and managing big emotions to building self esteem and confidence. There are resources for all seasons of life!
Related Articles
Guide Your Kids to Choose the Right Friends & Be a Good Friend
Tips to Help You Flush Potty Talk & Bad Words Down the Drain
How to Best Support a Child Who is Shy
Nurturing Children: 11 Tools to Help Your Child be Successful
How to Help Your Kids Develop an Attitude of Gratitude
Back to School: 1 Month of School Lunch Ideas Kids Will Actually Eat
Stay in the loop.
Grab your FREE copy of 8 Not-So-Great Parenting Habits To Break Today (& Simple Fixes to Big Changes) when you join over 75,000+ other parents and readers who receive the weekly newsletter.
WE NEVER SPAM OR DISTRIBUTE YOUR EMAIL. ALL INFORMATION IS KEPT CONFIDENTIAL.
- Emotions Activities
- Gift Guides
- Positive parenting
- Mom Life Sleep + Routines
- Child Safety
- Healthy Kids
- Privacy Policy & Disclosure
Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages Essay
Nowadays, education is extremely important because it provides the representatives of the general public to receive the knowledge needed to live an independent life to the fullest. At school, children have an opportunity to learn how to communicate with different people, obtain basic skills and knowledge required for further education or work, and become real members of their communities. However, more and more parents today focus on the benefits of homeschooling.
They believe that such an approach provides their children with the possibility to learn better and base their decision on pedagogical and/or family-related reasons (Guterman & Neuman, 2017). However, even though homeschooling provides freedom, flexibility, and control over the activities aligned with the learning process, it prevents a child from socialization, requires many resources, and excessively increases togetherness.
Homeschooling is rather advantageous because it provides the representatives of the general public with an opportunity to experience freedom. This point includes both the freedom to decide what to do and when and the freedom from adverse situations. For instance, parents have the possibility to change the planned organization of lessons if they are under the pressure of particular circumstances or believe that a child needs to focus on something more.
In addition to that, receiving education at home, children have the possibility to avoid bullies and problems with peers, which influence their mental state negatively. It is also possible to consider religious freedom. In this way, parents are free to decide whether religion should be included in the curriculum or not.
A flexible schedule and an opportunity to change the pace of learning is another advantage of homeschooling. Parents can decide what information to discuss and how to do it. In this way, they can provide their children with “wonderful educational experiences” and ensure “a very stimulating learning environment” (Fedele, 2010, para. 62). Thus, kids are likely to have positive views on education.
Homeschooling provides a lot of control to parents. They are able to make decisions regarding children’s curriculum, diet, and extra-curriculum activities. As a result, parents can devote more hours to studying and ensure that their children eat healthy food (Guterman & Neuman, 2017, p. 303). Thus, homeschooling is the best option for children who have some health issues.
Nevertheless, it is more difficult for those who receive education at home to enter society. Socialization is critical for the future because people need to constantly interact with one another. The school allows children to learn coping mechanisms and understand how to approach various people.
Being educated by parents only, children fail to learn all the information they can receive at school. As a rule, people are good at a limited number of subjects, which means that parents tend to lack knowledge in various spheres. As one of the individuals who practiced homeschooling said, “I’m English, their dad is political science. There are some things we don’t know” (Martin, 2013, para. 24). Still, the situation can be improved if to involve the community but not only parents (Martin, 2013). In this way, practices similar to those maintained at school will be held.
Moreover, family relations can be worsened by excessive togetherness. Spending almost all the time with one another, parents and children may become tired and unwilling to communicate. Conflicts may occur without any significant reasons. This rationale may be appropriate only if a child is “not socially and emotionally ready for school” (Fedele, 2010, para. 7).
Thus, homeschooling is a great option to receive an education without attending school, but it is not its substitute. It seems to be better for children to follow the way of the majority to be aligned with them in the future. Parents are not able to teach everything, they need some time for themselves, and children should be socialized. Homeschooling is the best option if a family faces issues, but it is not the best for a general situation.
Guterman, O., & Neuman, A. (2017). Different reasons for one significant choice: Factors influencing homeschooling choice in Israel. International Review of Education, 63 (3), 303-318.
Fedele, R. (2010). When it comes to schooling, there’s no place like home . Web.
Martin, M. (2013). Parents on the pros and cons of homeschooling . Web.
- Educational Policy, Its Strengths and Weaknesses
- Education System Issues in "It's Not About You" by David Brooks
- Homeschooling Factors in America
- Church's Role in Encouraging Homeschool Education
- After-School Program and Homeschooling: Comparison
- English vs. Russian Education Throughout History
- Bureaucracy and Accountability in Higher Education
- Finland's and South Korea's Education Systems
- Common Core State Standards Initiative: Pros and Cons
- Romanian Education Strategies and Management
- Chicago (A-D)
- Chicago (N-B)
IvyPanda. (2020, August 31). Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages. https://ivypanda.com/essays/homeschooling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/
"Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." IvyPanda , 31 Aug. 2020, ivypanda.com/essays/homeschooling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.
IvyPanda . (2020) 'Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages'. 31 August.
IvyPanda . 2020. "Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." August 31, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/homeschooling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.
1. IvyPanda . "Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." August 31, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/homeschooling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.
Bibliography
IvyPanda . "Homeschooling, Its Advantages and Disadvantages." August 31, 2020. https://ivypanda.com/essays/homeschooling-its-advantages-and-disadvantages/.
- To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
- As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
- As a template for you assignment
IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:
- Basic site functions
- Ensuring secure, safe transactions
- Secure account login
- Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
- Remembering privacy and security settings
- Analyzing site traffic and usage
- Personalized search, content, and recommendations
- Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda
Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.
Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.
Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:
- Remembering general and regional preferences
- Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers
Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .
To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.
Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .
- Argumentation For and Against Homeschooling: Essay Example Words: 778
- Homeschooling: Argumentation For and Against Words: 1595
- Child Adoption, Its Pros and Cons Words: 2595
- Homeschooling Disadvantages for Students and Parents Words: 1104
- Children’s Education and Role of Parents Words: 642
Homeschooling: Pros and Cons
Introduction, cons of homeschooling, pros of homeschooling, works cited.
The popularity of homeschooling seems on the increase, although some people are convinced that homeschoolers are not going to amount to anything valuable in the long run. In this speech, I am going to outline the strong points and drawbacks of homeschooling. It is believed that homeschooled children lack social skills, and their parents bear huge expenses and have no time for themselves; on the other hand, homeschooling perfectly fits the child’s needs, is valued no less than public schooling, and creates closer family bonds; additionally, in contrast to public schools, homeschooling de-stresses children rather than distresses them.
As their strongest argument, skeptics generally maintain that homeschooled children do not receive the social interaction they need. At earlier stages of development, it is critical for children to socialize and advance their communication skills. Children studying at home do not get this opportunity and are likely to have problems socializing and making friends later in life. An unsociable child is also prone to have troubles with peer acceptance – not least because homeschooling is still regarded as an oddity and deviation.
Another argument is concerned with the cost of home education. At that, it does not matter if the parents choose to educate the child themselves or hire a tutor –in both instances, their budget is likely to be shattered. A serious point to consider is that on average, a tutor’s services will cost $30-40 per hour (“The Tutor Guide” par. 1). A parent tutor will probably have to quit their job to get all the time they need. One way or the other, homeschooling is a costly affair.
Apart from the money it takes to homeschool children, parents are likely to devote most of their time to it. Eventually, they might find themselves spending 24 hours a day with their children with not a moment of solitude and privacy left. Although such parental participation does not seem alarming short-term, it can be stressful in the long run – which is the reason some parents find they are not quite ready to homeschool.
These arguments are logical and true-to-life – but let us look on the brighter side.
Those who stand for homeschooling insist that it provides tailor-fit education. The child has a chance to learn at their own pace, which can be slower or faster than that of public school students’. It is true that every child is special and every child’s needs matter. Still, in cases when children cannot cope with public school environment, homeschooling can be the only way out (Kirk et al. 2). The parents (or tutor) can fit the education process to their child’s needs – presumably, for the children’s own good.
To counter the parental stress argument, it does not take much logical reasoning to admit homeschoolers are likely to have better relationships with their families. Provided that the parents are not overly authoritative when it comes to educational activities, familial bonds are formed and preserved lifelong. Educating their children and tracking their progress, parents have a chance to know their children better, which is the cornerstone of good parenting. Additionally, parental involvement can prevent aggressive and destructive behaviors in teens and pre-teens, which is another solid point to consider.
Speaking about aggression, one cannot deny that bullying issues are pressing as ever. Despite public schools’ best efforts, peer pressure is persistent. Homeschoolers, in their turn, are free from the agony and negativity bullying brings. Consider a harassed school student trying to concentrate – and failing at that. Now consider education in a comfortable homely atmosphere where a child feels loved and valued. In this respect, a homeschooler not only has a chance to focus but also develops an emotionally stable personality.
Finally – and this is good news – there is an extensive list of colleges that accept homeschoolers (Bunday n.pag.). Each year homeschooled students are admitted to study in selected colleges and universities across the U.S. Such institutions as Harvard College, Yale University, University of Chicago, Trinity University, and many others are known to have admitted homeschooled students – that is, without high school diplomas. Many institutions believe homeschoolers are more fit for the scholarly atmosphere. Based on some general tests, portfolios, and application essays, homeschoolers have equal admission chances.
To conclude, it would be wrong to say homeschooling does not have its weak points. Still, the strong points can seem more relevant for some, and eventually determine their choice of educating children. Whether you think that the strengths of homeschooling outweigh the weaknesses or not, you have to admit the practice is viable and is quite likely to bring positive results.
Bunday, Karl M. “ Colleges That Admit Homeschoolers .” Learn in Freedom. Learn in Freedom, 2013.
Kirk, Samuel, James J. Gallagher, Mary Ruth Coleman, and Nicholas J. Anastasiow. Educating Exceptional Children. 13th ed. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
“ The Tutor Guide: Tutoring Fees .” Care.com . Care.com, 2016.
Cite this paper
- Chicago (N-B)
- Chicago (A-D)
StudyCorgi. (2020, November 5). Homeschooling: Pros and Cons. https://studycorgi.com/homeschooling-pros-and-cons/
"Homeschooling: Pros and Cons." StudyCorgi , 5 Nov. 2020, studycorgi.com/homeschooling-pros-and-cons/.
StudyCorgi . (2020) 'Homeschooling: Pros and Cons'. 5 November.
1. StudyCorgi . "Homeschooling: Pros and Cons." November 5, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/homeschooling-pros-and-cons/.
Bibliography
StudyCorgi . "Homeschooling: Pros and Cons." November 5, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/homeschooling-pros-and-cons/.
StudyCorgi . 2020. "Homeschooling: Pros and Cons." November 5, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/homeschooling-pros-and-cons/.
This paper, “Homeschooling: Pros and Cons”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.
Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: January 24, 2024 .
If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.
- Search Please fill out this field.
- Newsletters
- Sweepstakes
- Raising Kids
All the Pros and Cons to Consider Before Homeschooling Your Kids
Going from traditional schooling to homeschooling is a big step. Weigh the pros and cons of homeschooling before making the decision.
Pros of Homeschooling
- Cons of Homeschooling
Choosing to homeschool your kids is not a new concept, but no matter the era or time period, parents have considered homeschooling their children rather than enrolling them in the traditional school system . And right in now, homeschooling is a growing trend: National Center for Education Statistics reports that between 1999 and 2012, the number of homeschooled kids doubled.
There is a wide range of reasons why a family might consider homeschooling in this modern era. Knowing the pros and cons of homeschooling will help you decide what is best for your kids and for the family as a whole. Plus you might also need to know how much homeschooling costs and if you're interested in joining a homeschooling co-op .
We’ve rounded up a list of common advantages and pitfalls you may encounter—with input from real-world homeschooling parents. As you weigh your decision, give some thought to how each of these might impact your own circumstance and trust that whatever decision you make will be the right one for your family.
Fabio Principe / iStock / Getty Images Plus
Whether you call it self-determination, freedom, or control, one clear advantage of homeschooling is the ability to make your own choices. As a homeschooler, you’ll be able to freely travel or move, include religious teaching in day-to-day learning, and not worry about social pressures or bullying your child may encounter at school.
Plus, in home-based education, all subjects are fair game, from sailing to sewing to science. Practical skills, volunteering , artistic pursuits, and traditional trades can all fall under the broad umbrella of homeschooling. According to some homeschoolers, teachable moments are always happening and learning isn't limited to school hours.
Flexibility
Who doesn’t like to set their own schedule? By educating at home, you determine the structure of your day. If your child struggles to wake up by 7 a.m., for example, you can start school later. And, since homeschool timing is fluid, you can go ahead and make your child's dentist appointment on a Tuesday at noon. There are many different homeschool schedules to try out.
Individualized education
Every child is different. Unfortunately, in the larger group setting of regular school, teachers can’t always tailor lessons to your child’s unique needs. At home, on the other hand, you can meet your child right where they are, customizing lessons to their particular interests.
Does your younger child need a little extra help with math ? Take an extra 15 minutes to help them understand fractions. Is your older kid into outer space? Start an astronomy unit!
Homeschooling also lets you vary your approach from child to child if you have more than one—in terms of learning styles and grade levels. Plus, you get to celebrate any success or achievement together in real time.
Strong relationships
The more time you spend with your kids, the more opportunities arise for bonding. If you’ve always wished for more hours in the day as a family, perhaps homeschooling is the boon you’ve been craving.
Positive experiences like fun field trips , a-ha moments in learning, and “recess” at the park can all build closer parent-child and sibling-to-sibling relationships.
In some cases, homeschooling’s flexible schedule can even allow for more time with both parents—if work schedules usually limit time together on weekends or holidays.
Avoid school stress
For some kids, the anxiety from stepping into the school doors lasts long past the first few days of school. Having a nervous stomach or a few tears is normal when a new school year begins, but when it doesn't go away, you may be dealing with school anxiety.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2% to 5% of school-age children are impacted with school anxiety. For some kids, this may be part of separation anxiety or general anxiety, but for others, it's a symptom of bullying or learning difficulties.
If school stress and anxiety is debilitating and persistent, homeschooling may be an answer. Many parents who homeschool report that one of their primary reasons for choosing this route is because it also limits their exposure to violence, drugs, and alcohol.
Cons of Homeschooling
In addition to the domestic responsibilities of your role as a parent, you’re now a teacher, tutor, curriculum researcher, and principal.
It’s quite possibly the biggest reason of all not to homeschool: Teaching your kids at home is simply a lot of work, on top of all the other errands and chores that parents are usually saddled with.
Creating, teaching, and grading a day’s or week’s worth of learning on multiple subjects takes serious time and effort. (However, many prepared curriculum packages do exist.) Plus, as delightful as it can be to tailor education to each child’s learning style, this can add to your workload, too.
And if you have younger children at home who aren’t school age, you may also struggle to keep them occupied while you sit down to teach older kids.
Less time for yourself
Not surprisingly, the workload of homeschooling—and kids home all day—is likely to leave you with less time for yourself. Some homeschooling parents say they don’t have time to shower, let alone exercise or take care of their own needs .
For parents who are used to a quiet, kid-free environment during the day, this aspect of homeschooling can be a major adjustment.
Inability to work
All the work of homeschooling is guaranteed to take up hours of your day. Therefore, as a homeschooling parent, you may not be able to work outside the home, or you may have to cut your hours significantly. For some households, this may be a financial deal-breaker .
Too much togetherness
While many families find that homeschooling boosts good vibes between siblings and parents, there is such a thing as too much togetherness.
You may find that spending all day, every day, with your kiddos (and they with each other) leads to feelings of frustration or confinement. You may also go through an adjustment period as your kids learn how to view (and respect) you as their teacher.
It’s important to work in breaks, both for yourself and your kids. Or, depending on the resources in your area, you might try a homeschooling co-op or enrichment program one day a week to provide your kids socialization with others outside the family.
Missing out on certain opportunities
Despite the enormous flexibility of homeschooling, in some ways, it can limit opportunities for your child. For high schoolers , for example, a homeschool curriculum may not be able to provide the same variety of electives as a large public school. (After all, most of us don’t have a metal shop in the backyard.)
If your child wants to pursue subjects you can’t easily teach at home, you’ll have to be diligent about seeking alternatives and potentially signing up for extra curricular activities outside, like dance classes or sports teams, as your child's interests grows or they decide they want to socialize with a wider range of their peers.
The same holds for social opportunities. As a homeschooler, it’s up to you to provide social interaction your child won’t get from school dances, assemblies, and everyday classroom partner work.
Facing judgments and biases
Let's be honest: Homeschooling doesn’t necessarily have a reputation for being cool and modern. Unfortunately, plenty of biases and stereotypes exist around homeschooling and the folks who choose it.
You may need to develop a thick skin toward other people’s judgments of your decision to educate at home.
Consider Your Options
When more and more parents are exploring the wide world of homeschooling, it’s wise to look at the many advantages and disadvantages of this type of education.
Do some soul searching and have a serious discussion with your partner about whether this could be the right choice for your child's and family's needs. And don’t forget to find out how your kids feel about the subject! With everyone’s thoughts and feelings on the table, you can determine if homeschooling is best for you and your family.
Digest of Education Statistics 2017: 53rd Edition. US Department of Education. 2019.
Homeschooling and Educational Freedom: Why School Choice Is Good for Homeschoolers . Cato Institute. 2019.
School Refusal . Anxiety & Depression Association of America . 2019.
Research Facts on Homeschooling . National Home Education Research Institute. 2024.
Related Articles
Environment
The research on homeschooling, the academic, social, and long-term outcomes for children in home schools..
Posted September 1, 2021 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch
About 4 to 5 million children in the United States (or approximately 8 to 9% of school-age children) were homeschooled in March 2021. This statistic increased dramatically during the pandemic: Only 2.5 million (or 3 to 4% of school-age children) were homeschooled in spring 2019.
The most common reason cited for homeschooling (before the pandemic) was concern about the local school environment, including safety and negative peer pressure . Many parents also choose to homeschool due to dissatisfaction with the educational quality of local schools, or for religious reasons.
However, many parents and caregivers considering homeschooling may be especially concerned about how homeschooling might impact their child’s academic progress and social development. Does the research find any differences between children who were homeschooled versus children in conventional school?
Academic Performance
Homeschooled students tend to score higher on tests of academic skills when compared to children in public schools across most studies. However, it is difficult to draw any conclusions from these studies since most do not control for important family demographic factors and compare self-selected homeschooling families’ test scores (from tests proctored by parents) to national averages. Interestingly, children in a “structured” homeschool program — that is, a homeschool program with organized lesson plans — tend to score higher on academic tests than children from conventional schools, while children in “unstructured” homeschool environments without organized lesson plans tend to score lower than children in conventional schools.
Social Skills
The findings on social skills seem to be more mixed. Some studies have found no difference in social skills between children in homeschool environments versus conventional schools, some studies have found that homeschooled children score higher on measures of social ability, and some have found that homeschooled children score lower on overall social skills. Not surprisingly, homeschooled students who have had more opportunities for peer interactions tend to show improved social skills.
Long-Term Success
Most studies find that homeschooled children tend to have higher college GPAs than children from conventional schools. In addition, most studies have found no difference between homeschooled and conventional students in college graduation rates. However, most homeschooled students do not attend competitive four-year colleges and one study found that homeschooled students may have lower math GPAs in college than children from conventional schools. Children who are homeschooled may also be more likely to work in a lower-paying job.
Limitations of this Research
It is important to note that this research is difficult to interpret because families that choose to homeschool are different from families who do not in many other ways — for example, they may have parents with higher income or educational levels — and these factors likely contribute to the results as well. For instance, we cannot conclude that homeschooling will improve your child’s test scores since homeschooled children may have more educated mothers and it may be the mother’s educational level that drives the higher test scores, not homeschooling itself.
Almasoud, S., & Fowler, S. R. (2016). The difference in the academic achievements of homeschooled and non-homeschooled students. Home School Researcher, 32(1), 1-4.
Cogan, M. F. (2010). Exploring academic outcomes of homeschooled students. Journal of College Admission, 208, 18-25.
Coleman, R. E. (2014). The homeschool math gap: The data. Coalition for Responsible Home Education.
Drenovsky, C. K., & Cohen, I. (2012). The impact of homeschooling on the adjustment of college students. International Social Science Review, 87(1/2), 19-34.
Kunzman, R., & Gaither, M. (2020). Homeschooling: An updated comprehensive survey of the research. Other Education, 9(1), 253-336.
Martin-Chang, S., Gould, O. N., & Meuse, R. E. (2011). The impact of schooling on academic achievement: Evidence from homeschooled and traditionally schooled students. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science/Revue Canadienne Des Sciences du Comportement, 43(3), 195.
McKinley, M. J., Asaro, J. N., Bergin, J., D'Auria, N., & Gagnon, K. E. (2007). Social Skills and Satisfaction with Social Relationships in Home-Schooled, Private-Schooled, and Public-Schooled Children. Online Submission, 17(3), 1-6.
Medlin, R. G. (2006). Homeschooled Children's Social Skills. Online Submission, 17(1), 1-8.
Montes, G. (2006). Do Parental Reasons to Homeschool Vary by Grade? Evidence from the National Household Education Survey, 2001. Online Submission, 16(4), 11-17.
Montes, G. (2015). The social and emotional health of homeschooled students in the United States: A population-based comparison with publicly schooled students based on the national survey of children’s health, 2007. Home School Researcher, 31(1), 1-9.
Pearlman-Avnion, S., & Grayevsky, M. (2019). Homeschooling, civics, and socialization: The case of Israel. Education and Urban Society, 51(7), 970-988.
Ray, B. D. (2017). A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice. Journal of School Choice, 11(4), 604-621.
Redford, J., Battle, D., & Bielick, S. (2017, April). Homeschooling in the United States: 2012. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education. Retrieved August 1, 2017, from. (NCES 2016-096.REV) https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2016096rev
Sikkink, D., & Skiles, S. (2015). Homeschooling and young adult outcomes: Evidence from the 2011 and 2014 Cardus Education Survey. The Cardus Religious Schools Initiative.
Cara Goodwin, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in translating scientific research into information that is useful, accurate, and relevant for parents.
- Find a Therapist
- Find a Treatment Center
- Find a Psychiatrist
- Find a Support Group
- Find Online Therapy
- United States
- Brooklyn, NY
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- New York, NY
- Portland, OR
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Washington, DC
- Asperger's
- Bipolar Disorder
- Chronic Pain
- Eating Disorders
- Passive Aggression
- Personality
- Goal Setting
- Positive Psychology
- Stopping Smoking
- Low Sexual Desire
- Relationships
- Child Development
- Self Tests NEW
- Therapy Center
- Diagnosis Dictionary
- Types of Therapy
It’s increasingly common for someone to be diagnosed with a condition such as ADHD or autism as an adult. A diagnosis often brings relief, but it can also come with as many questions as answers.
- Emotional Intelligence
- Gaslighting
- Affective Forecasting
- Neuroscience
Home / Essay Samples / Education / Homeschooling / The Disadvantages of Homeschooling: Exploring the Downside
The Disadvantages of Homeschooling: Exploring the Downside
- Category: Education
- Topic: Homeschooling
Pages: 1 (432 words)
- Downloads: -->
Introduction
Role of qualified educators.
--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.
Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?
are ready to help you with your essay
You won’t be charged yet!
Middle School Essays
Elementary School Essays
Cheating Essays
Service Learning Essays
High School Essays
Related Essays
We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.
By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.
Your essay sample has been sent.
In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.
samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->