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.
