Online Homeschooling

Archive for March, 2010

For most families, homeschooling takes some getting used to.

Even if the decision to homeschool was not forced on you because of special circumstances such as having a special needs child, even if you thought it through and made an educated decision to homeschool, the transition is still not going to be 100% smooth.

While many kids who start homeschooling are relieved to put the traditional school’s intense social pressures behind them, others actually miss the social interaction. It takes time, and careful planning of plenty of social activities with other homeschooling families, to make them see that their social life isn’t over now that they are being homeschooled. If anything, their social life becomes more rich and focused because it’s more selective. They are not forced into the daily company of peers with whom they have very little in common. Instead, they spend quality time with like-minded people who share their interests.

Immersive education programs such as WiloStar3D are helpful in this respect because they enable kids to collaborate with other homeschoolers and to communicate with them as part of their learning, which makes the homeschooling experience a lot more social and the exact opposite of “lonely” or “isolated.”

For the homeschooling parent, there’s often the issue of finding time for herself and for her grownup interests. I’ve heard countless parents say that they would love to homeschool, but they can’t imagine being home with the kids every day for years. Some parents view the public school system as a way to make sure they get some “me” time, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, I believe that you CAN carve out “me” time while homeschooling.

In fact, if the choice is between working full time outside of the home while sending your kids to school, or staying home and homeschooling, your life will become much less stressful if you decide to homeschool. The mad morning rush will be over, and the need to nag your child to keep up with the rigid curriculum will be over too. The typical day for a homeschooling parent is far more relaxed than the typical day for a parent who works outside of the home, and you can get lots of “me” time while the kids are busy doing their work. Even at a young age, they will be doing a lot of the work independently, giving you time for yourself.

Homeschooling takes adjusting, but most families who opt for it never look back.

Photo by whgrad

When trying to decide if homeschooling is a viable choice for you financially, the first question you need to ask yourself is, “can we get by on just one salary?” While it is perfectly possible to work at home part time while homeschooling your child, one of you will likely have to give up full time work outside of the home.

Homeschooling often means cutting back financially, but for most families, this is well worth it. The very fact that one of you (usually the mom) doesn’t have the expenses of professional attire, commute and daycare, will save you a lot of money. Other “sacrifices” may not be sacrifices at all: going back to a simpler lifestyle, cooking at home, having family dinners together and focusing on spending time together and on strengthening your family relationships are all very good things indeed regardless of whether you homeschool or not.

Before you commit to a homeschooling program or purchase a homeschooling curriculum, it’s important to make sure that the learning style of that program fits your individual child. It makes no sense to invest in a program that you would have to abandon just a few months later and start looking for a different one, essentially doubling your costs.

So, if your child loves technology and video games and is highly intelligent, creative and inquisitive, a 3D homeschool such as WiloStar3D would be a great option for them. A “mainstream” homeschool curriculum that resembles traditional education would likely be a poor fit for such a child.

Before deciding on a homeschooling program, make sure it is an accredited homeschool – even if it costs more, the accreditation is well worth it. It’s also important to talk with the school about their refund policy prior to making the first payment and to see if they offer a sibling discount, or a discount for prepaying the entire annual tuition.

Can you be a work at home parent and homeschool, or is homeschooling reserved for stay at home parents?

The economic turbulence of the past couple of years means that for many families, relying on a single income is not an option. It’s not just that one income doesn’t cover the average family’s expenses – it’s also that relying on one income is very risky! If the breadwinner loses their job, the family could quickly become destitute.

Traditionally, homeschooling moms were always good at saving, conserving, reusing, and being as frugal as possible. These days, more and more of them are looking for ways to contribute to the family’s income without giving up homeschooling. Can it be done?

We believe it can. Of course, the older your child is, the easier it would be for you to get work done while they are studying, simply because older kids are much more independent than younger kids. In addition, pre teens and teens don’t have the same emotional needs as young kids – for young children, having you sit with them and pay attention to them is crucial – they need you!

However, even with young children, you can organize your day in a way that makes it possible to homeschool and get some work done. Make yourself available for those tasks that require your undivided attention, and use the time when your child does independent work to finish your own tasks.

Our last piece of advice for combining working with homeschooling: relax your standards when it comes to how your house looks. Just like any working mom, the worst thing you can do is to try and be a “supermom” who works, raises her kids and keeps a spotless home. The pressure and stress are simply not worth it, so get your priorities straight and realize that teaching your kids and contributing to the family’s income are far more important than keeping a spotless home!

Photo by Dane Khy