Homeschooling vs. Public Schools

I Home School my children. All of the rumors you have heard about it-throw them out of the window! YES your children can be social without being in school. In school they only get lunch time and gym class to socialize anyway which is not a lot of time at all now a days. Most of the day they are in a classroom, sitting at a desk being told to BE SILENT and do their work--how is that being "social again"?? There are also Co-op groups where Home Schooled children all get together and play. =) Its great! Plus Home Schooled kids are allowed to do sports & such at the local schools if they want to. My children are in a church where they have TONS of activities for 60 other children around my kids ages which is awesome. =) Plus if you have money for sports & such they will have friends there as well. Next rumor-you should be certified as a teacher to teach your kids. Who taught your kids how to get dressed? Tie their shoes? Use the potty? ABC's & 123's? Was that a "teacher" or you? If you can teach them these life skills you can teach them their education as well. There are so many options as far as curriculum-free as well as ones you have to pay for. I just use materials from all different free websites and shop at thrift stores & Dollar Tree for their books. =) If you have any questions or I didn't cover something let me know.

There are a lot of things to consider and not just your religious and/or cultural situation. First, do you LIKE your kids? Because you will spend more time with them. I could never understand parents who can't wait until school starts up again in the fall so they can be rid of the kids. Secondly, are you creative enough to keep the kids interested in things they may not care for, but need to learn to pass tests? And are you relaxed enough to allow them to learn more about things they are interested in and to let them go from there? I homeschooled my last two and I wish that I had done my first, but it was almost unheard of at that time. All my kids have done well and I am proud of them all. Socializing is not a problem. Not only did they socialize with kids their own age (friends in the neighborhood, church, study groups, etc), they learned to socialize with adults as well as younger children. When a child can sit and hold her own in conversation with an adult, that's a good thing. It takes work and commitment, but if you taught your kids to eat with a fork and to put their shoes oh the right feet, you can continue teaching them whatever they need to know.

I'm a late comer, but I was home schooled. It can be a great way to get an education if supplemented with lots of activities outside and after school things with other kids.

There are several people on here who home-school. Hopefully they will contribute to this discussion. I think it depends on a lot of things but you've probably already worked that out. :)

It depends on your social, religious and political ideology and how you feel the quality of your local school system is.

In my opinion, it is better to have your children school in a public school because it will let them grow by themselves. They can also build self-confidence and they can gain more friends :)