Before making the decision to homeschool their children, parents should carefully research the benefits and disadvantages of such an arrangement. While over two million children are successfully homeschooled each year, there are significant drawbacks to the situation that must be researched and compensated for.
Inhibition of Social Skills
One of the biggest criticisms of homeschooling is that children do not have adequate opportunities to engage socially with their peers. This problem is compounded when homeschooled children are denied access to sports activities, bands, dances and other traditional schooling opportunities.
Resistance From Children
Effective homeschooling can be very difficult when children prefer to be in traditional classrooms with their peers. Building support and enthusiasm in children for the homeschooling process is critical.
Inadequate Instruction
It is difficult for most homeschooling parents to function as experts in every subject area. If the parent does not have the appropriate background knowledge for content areas, or is unversed in basic pedagogy and instructional methods, the quality of the child's education may suffer.
Cost of Supplies
The cost of curricular packages can range from $400 to $1,000 per year. The parent must also absorb the cost of basic supplies that are typically provided by school systems, such as a computer, internet access, printer, ink, photocopier, paper, writing utensils, dry erase boards, markers and more.
Investment of Time
Homeschooling parents must invest a great deal of personal time in order to plan, prepare, implement and assess quality lessons for their children. This process typically requires homeschooling parents to sacrifice their own careers and limit work outside the home.
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