There are many myths about what homeschooling is and what it looks like day-to-day. Often, these myths cause fear and uncertainty, preventing families from homeschooling. If I’m being honest, I had many misconceptions about homeschooling before we started. Many of us didn’t grow up knowing many homeschooled families. I believed that homeschoolers were weird and unsocialized. I loved many aspects of school that I feared my kids would miss out on. Boy, was I wrong! Homeschooling has been an incredible gift for our family and I know it can be for yours too.
So it’s time to bust some myths! Maybe you’re grappling with some of these if you’re on the fence about homeschooling.
Homeschooling Myth #1: “Homeschool Kids Lack Socialization”
We are sure this myth is no surprise! And when you decide to homeschool, you can expect this will be the question you receive the most.
“How will they socialize?”
This is our favorite myth to debunk. Homeschooled children have a wide variety of people they get to socialize with on a regular basis, of all ages and backgrounds. They are not confined to socializing with children of their own age every day. Homeschooled children are able to be out in social situations regularly, whether it’s at the grocery store, a friend’s house, a homeschool co-op, church, or at an extracurricular activity. (Want to learn more about co-ops? Read 7 Strong Reasons to Join a Co-Op!)
So much of this socialization stems from the parents’ social calendar and ability to interact with others. There are “socially awkward” and/or shy kids in traditional schools. There are extroverts and there are introverts. And these children can be found in schools and also in homeschools.
Parents model relationship building and social skills for children. Socialization has more to do with the family environment and influence and less on where the child receives their education. Our children are extremely friendly and social and they’ve only been homeschooled. They are extremely confident and we believe that comes from developing these social skills in a safe environment surrounded by family and not taught how to behave from peers.
Homeschooling Myth #2: “You’re Not Educated or Smart Enough to Teach Your Children”
Some people believe parents should have a Teaching Degree to educate their own children. This couldn’t be farther from the truth!We’ve heard many Educators say that they felt their teaching background actually made it harder to transition into home education because they were wired for a different philosophy of learning.
Parents have been teaching their children since the beginning of time. We teach our children to walk, to talk, manners, ABCs and 123s. We often don’t give ourselves enough credit for the lessons we teach our children on a daily basis. There is an abundance of resources out there for parents today, such as books, podcasts, YouTube channels, blogs, and social media. There has never been a better time to homeschool and there is so much support out there.
Much like education in general, you don’t need to know everything. You just need to know where to find information. You’ve got this!!
Homeschooling Myth #3: “Homeschool Kids Can’t Get Into College”
Again, FALSE! Homeschooled children typically outperform their peers educated in a traditional setting on standardized tests. Colleges and universities have admitted that they actively seek out homeschooled children due to their self-motivations, diverse backgrounds, and unique experiences. Homeschooled children have a different way of learning and thinking and colleges value that.
The quality of your child’s education is based on your dedication and your vision for them. Some homeschooled families have a strong academic focus and some lean towards “unschooling” and child-led learning. Whether a child is home educated or traditionally educated, there are going to be gaps in their education. This is why it’s so important to teach your child how to find and use the correct resources when they don’t have an answer or want to learn something new.
Fortunately, with the increase in popularity of homeschooling, these myths are slowly debunking themselves. Years back, you may not have known one single homeschooling family, but now I think it’s safe to say that we all know at least one family that homeschools! We are pioneers and helping to pave the way for homeschoolers to come. We are tearing down stigmas and assumptions on a regular basis.
I hope this encourages you to keep researching homeschooling and to give it a try!
For more homeschooling tips, download our free guide, “The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling!”
Happy homeschooling!
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