When Homeschooling Is A Selfish Decision
By cluelle
@cluelle (132)
Canada
December 5, 2012 6:54am CST
I'm going insane looking for some way out, some scholarship or fund or contest to help me out here (and I'm still looking inbetween writing this). Here's why parents should still have a license to teach if they want their kids to be educated outside of the system:
Parent does not value volunteering, nor believes that schools will care if it's on your record.
Parent uses homeschooling as an excuse not to spend money on extracurricular sports or activities outside of an "acceptable" budget of thirty or forty dollars; to allow themselves to be reclusive from the outside world.
Again, does not believe these activities will be useful in future when their child is desperately trying to apply to colleges, and is being told he or she is "not trying hard enough".
Does not believe an academic record is necessary to a student who's strengths can only be proven by testing and participation. (If you won't take your child's actual abilities into account, how can we they learn properly? No matter how many times they've communicated difficulties to you...)
Based on the parent's overblown belief in their child's abilities (excuse not to hire tutors or travel outside your comfort zone), when the child fails to find work or school options based on absolutely no experience or proving opportunities, it is always their fault for not applying themselves. (I may be repeating myself)
Parent never took time to teach their knowledge due to natural impatience/inability to teach or adapt to the student. (Seriously, he's a native foreign language speaker. I can barely speak this mother tongue. He has never made it a part of our lives).
If this is you, please save your child from becoming a desperate 20-something homebody. Especially when you have had a million chances to make it right.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@christylynn41 (200)
• United States
5 Dec 12
well I made the decision to homeschool my 5 children after giving public schools 6 years a chance and it did nothing but hurt them it put them way behind academically and lowered their self esteem because of all the bullying issues and teachers not doing their job of taking care of the issue. My kids are now at grade or above. My son who was labeled to have a learning disbaility just because he needs a little extra time is now doing 7th grade work and he's in the 6th grade. As far extracurricular activities my kids are involved in our youth group at church which is always doing something and busy. I have a couple of my kids that do go for speech therapy once a week. I am a licensed teacher I think if someone is going to home school there child they do to have at least graduated high school and yes there does need to be some extra activities for the kids.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
5 Dec 12
Here in the States, it seems anyone can homeschool. I don't believe there are any special credentials in being able to but the parent does have to document lessons etc. I had a friend who "home schooled" her daughter and it was just ridiculous. She basically made up the learning plan and curriculum. What really happened was my friend would go to work each day and her daughter would hang out doing nothing all day. At age 16, she officially dropped out of school. Now she is a single parent with a 7th grade education. She's 25. I know some parents are very dedicated and do a wonderful job homeschooling but I agree, it should more monitored.
@cluelle (132)
• Canada
5 Dec 12
That is a sad story. I'm not that badly off, but it's largely the accident of living with a well educated parent who has simply never prioritized properly... or allowed for the priorities of others, and despite his complaints has benefited from the system the system he despises.
I feel like there is pressure to tout the successes of homeschooling very loudly, and drown out the future generation of discontented and cheated students. This is such a new form of education, relatively, that people are still playing PC games with it, trying not to prejudice against it by saying bad things.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
5 Dec 12
While I've seen for myself some successful homeschool stories, I have to think that there are also many such as yours. It takes much dedication and time and I think a lot of parents may get into it with the best of intent but maybe just don't have what it takes. Here in the States homeschooled kids are able to participate in sports and other extra programs in the public school.
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
5 Dec 12
I think most people will agree with you because most people don't agree with Home Schooling...
I am going to disagree with you here. Not ALL parents that Home School do things the way your parents have done. I Home School and it is the BEST choice I have made for my children. My daughter does most of her schooling online. She also does workbooks and such for handwriting. My daughter will be joining Gymnastics soon so she can also have the social aspect of things. I have a TON of patience with her and her school work. She loves her school at home!
Everyone does things differently... Not all Home School is bad.
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
5 Dec 12
Oh and the record keeping is SO easy! I have a book full and a computer full of things my daughter has already done. What's so hard about that? It has to be laziness, its got to be! Plus the program that we use also has records of my daughters work. The state you were living in never checked the records? Here they do, they make sure the work is being done...
@cluelle (132)
• Canada
5 Dec 12
I actually love success stories, and more power to you for letting your kids develop outside the home. My bone to pick is most definitely with my family's "method", and anyone else who abuses the opportunities homeschooling provides. People who do it right are doing awesome by me (I'm just insanely jealous.)
@beenice2 (2967)
• Sackville, New Brunswick
5 Dec 12
What about when the " Parents" had tried their best to get out of poverty and has no help but God. I think there is a lot of truth in what you are saying if parents become selfish along the way it will harm the kids. But listen well you have to give some credit to parents that will never give up on their own offspring like myself I'm sorry that you are going through a hard time, but as it is you chances are still good enough to accomplish something good in your lifetime. The responsibility and last decision taking is on the Dad usually and the " dad" is not perfect but it doesn't give you the right to bring them down because you thing that they wronged you. As it is we are parents that homeschool for at least 15 years now and we never kept them in "Jail" as for saying I feel sad that you think that homeschooling is soooo bad, did you ever try it to have that kind of weird opinion, read about the positive side of it on line about other homeschooled kids that really turned out "Allright" instead of viewing it as a woe for everybody on earth,hopefully you point of view changes through the years to come, because there are at over at 100,000 kids that are homeschool in general, please be nice.
@cluelle (132)
• Canada
5 Dec 12
I'm pretty sure you've misunderstood what I am saying. My criticism comes from experiencing the negative side of homeschooling; the choices made by capable, intelligent parents who allow their personal prejudices or lack of interest to cripple their children socially and academically.
The title is "When" homeschooling becomes selfish; not "All" homeschooling is selfish.
This is exactly what I mean when I say that homeschooling is such a hot button issue that the dissatisfied are not comfortable discussing it. Everyone is ready to take a criticism of one aspect very personally, but that's not the intention.
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
5 Dec 12
As far as I know home school depends on a the situation of the child and discipline of both parents and child. If the child has no special problems or disabilities. it is not advisable for child to take home school program for this child will miss the opportunity to learn socialization. The child needs to run in open space so he would have idea of how big is big and how small is small. Someday, this child may become an engineer in the future. The child needs to stumble and hurt his knees to feel the pain. Someday he might become a doctor or nurse so he knows how painful it is. The child needs to know how to run and test his strength. Someday he might become the President of the nation. Yes, child needs to know other children so that he will learn how to be with people. definitely no HOMESCHOOLING if not necessary.
On the other hand if the child needs special attention for special cases, HOME SCHOOL is the best for him. If the child has a threat to hurt other child because of his condition or his mobility is inadequate, then home school will guarantee his learning
there are lots of advantages and disadvantages of Home School. But I still believe in actual experience outside the homes, unless otherwise there is really a need for a child to be home schooled and the parents have disciplined to really look into the child's learning on hand.
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/20
