Every few years parents become anxious to perk up the education of their children. And there are many ways parents go about it. Some choose to enroll their child in a top of the line private school. Others sign up their kids for local student tutoring. However, the most ambitious parents make the leap into homeschooling.

But it can be daunting to go all-in with homeschooling without knowing the pros and cons. So if you’re one of those parents looking to do homeschooling, here are the 8 pros and cons of homeschooling that you need to know!

The Pros of Homeschooling

1. Loose Schedules

Many parents and students enjoy the luxury of having loose schedules. Parents no longer have to work their lives around school hours. Some parents even plan off-season vacations and field trips with their extra time. Students don’t have to wake up extremely early and stay up late to finish homework. Just imagine that. Having 1-2 extra hours for you and your kids to sleep, so everyone wakes up glowing and happy!

2. Emotional Stability

Unlike most kids in public schools, homeschoolers get a great foundation for emotional stability. Homeschoolers rarely have to deal with bullying by other kids. Parents monitor their kids to prevent things like bullying and peer pressure. Homeschoolers get the pro of never really experiencing harassment. Additionally, parents can guide kids closely to prevent self-esteem issues. All these pros give homeschoolers the benefit of being very emotionally stable.

3. Closer Family Ties

One of the biggest pros of homeschooling that the majority, if not all, homeschool parents advocate is closer family ties. Parents get joy from spending much more quality time with their kids. Every day of homeschooling is a day that families grow a stronger bond. Kids grow fond of their siblings. And most of the time families are spending great quality time together.

4. Educational Freedom

Parents love homeschooling for one of the most important pros of all, educational freedom. Parents teach their kids with unique methods tailored to their child. After all, no one knows your child better than you! Students enjoy the creativity and fun parents add to their learning. And most importantly, parents enjoy instilling religious values in their children’s curriculum.

The Cons of Homeschooling

1. Time Consuming

Parents and kids struggle with one of the most prevalent cons of homeschooling, time consumption. Homeschool parents struggle to manage their time effectively. There are many tasks that homeschool parents juggle every day. Some tasks include planning lesson plans, guiding kids through schoolwork, and tackling housework. Additionally, homeschool kids and teens struggle with time management. They struggle to manage schoolwork, downtime, and social activities.

2. Financial Constraints

One of the hardest transitions first-time homeschool parents face is financial constraints. Most families sacrifice the career and worklife of one parent to manage homeschooling their children. Therefore, homeschool families are usually single income which leaves them with a tight budget. Parents have to do school supplies shopping on a budget, usually resorting to buying used, cheap or free, siblings sharing materials, and borrowing from other homeschool families.

3. Limited Extracurricular Activities

Another major point in the pros and cons of homeschooling is the limited extracurricular activities. Parents truly struggle to find homeschool art curriculums for their children that are effective and affordable. Additionally, parents find there is a lack of sports and activities for their children to join in the community. Many parents find it helpful to find online resources like Sparketh, to accommodate kids with a passion for creativity.

4. Criticism From Others

The least discussed but very blatant con of the 8 pros and cons of homeschooling is criticism from others. Parents fight against growing controversy and negativity to families that homeschool. People criticize parents for living outside the norm. They insist homeschool parents aren’t qualified teachers. Additionally, some homeschoolers deal with hassling from friends for being an outlier.

Overall, there are pros and cons to any educational decision we make for kids and teens. Homeschooling is no different, and will always be a gamble. Use these 8 Pros and Cons of homeschooling as your inside scoop to the amazing journey ahead. Nonetheless, most parents agree, that as hard as it is, homeschooling is one of the best decisions they’ve ever made!