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Homeschooling - the
darker side
It's not all hunky-dory and smooth sailing on the homeschooling
front. Like all things in life, there is a downside that has to be
seriously considered when you explore the homeschooling option.
Though one man's bane may be another man's boon, there are certain
common reasons for concern.
The responsibility of teaching your child rests solely on you. You
cannot blame anyone else if your child is seen wanting in the skills
that his peers excel in. If your child cannot do the things that are
expected from other children of his age group, it reflects badly on
you as an educator as well as a parent.
A critical part of homeschooling is the time that you have to spend
with your children. You may have to give up your friends, shopping
and other entertainment and dedicate all these to your child. This
can become frustrating at times. You have to learn to take the
aggravation with equanimity and wait for the rewards with patience
and enthusiasm.
A parent who is dedicated to tutor his or her child single handedly
does not realistically have much time left over for a career. This
means that the family is robbed of an additional source of income.
In turn, this may lead to stress over finances. You will have to
train yourself to live on a strictly controlled budget. While this
is a matter of habit, it does need some getting used to.
You cannot take a break when you feel like it. Feelings of guilt
will assail you if you neglect studies just because you are feeling
blue. You also fear that the child will take advantage of the
situation. Even when you have given homework, you have to be around
to give a helping hand. This means that anytime your child is around
you, you are on duty! For some, this may mean working every waking
hour. The child studying at home also needs to get out more. This
comes from staying at home all the time. Interaction with adults and
other children needs to be given
special attention.
Children tutored at home cannot develop in the various directions
that are open to children attending public schools. To achieve that
kind of exposure, you either have to be a super-parent skilled in
everything, or enroll your child to various activities. This may not
only prove too costly, but also be counter-productive.
It is sometimes observed that homeschooled children do not do as
well in SAT tests as their school-going counterparts. Without a
diploma or a GED, some students find it difficult to get into the
military.
Lastly, if you envision enrolling your child to a public school,
there may be a certain period of emotional as well as social
adjustment. A child who is used to being at home for the whole day
and enjoying so much of uncontained freedom may have to undergo some
distressing emotional upheavals before he or she gets used to the
rigors of a regular school life.
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