11
May

Home By Choice: 37 Silly and Serious Reasons We Homeschool

When people ask why we homeschool, there are different answers. Some are light-hearted. Some are philosophical. Some are the answers you give when you have time for a nice long discussion.

The answers we give depend on who's asking the question, what the circumstances are when the question is asked, and other factors.
37 reasons we choose to homeschool
So, without knowing all the factors, here are 37 reasons, both silly and serious reasons we choose to homeschool our children:

1. So Mom can sleep in.

2. So Mom can learn all the things she didn't get to learn as a child (Latin, for example).

3. So our children waste less time lining up in hallways.

4. So our children will see us at our best...

5. ...and at our worst. And then they'll hear us apologize for these times.

6. So our children can skip ahead when they understand a concept.

7. So our children can slow down and savor the things they love.

8. So there's always lots of time for reading.

9. So we can maximize every educational opportunity: everything's a field trip depending on your mindset. (Yes, even going to the post office or grocery store.)

10. So we get to choose the when / where / why / and, most importantly, who, of socializing.

11. So we can cuddle up on the couch for reading instead of sitting in desks.

12. So chores can be part of the curriculum: cooking, cleaning, yard work, pet care, baby-sitting...all part of the curriculum around here.

13. So I can kiss the principal whenever I want, and also so we can call parent-teacher conferences as needed throughout the day.

14. So we can travel together.

15. So we can pray out loud and read from the Bible with no negative consequences.

16. So we can visit places in the off season. (Shorter lines at a theme park? Sign me up.)

17. So we can take time off as necessary without penalty. (As long as we "make up" the time elsewhere. Which is never hard to do.)

18. So the children can study art and music without threats of budget cuts.

19. So that staying up to watch the stars or a meteor shower counts as Science.

20. So no one has to sit through an embarrassing Health class: all discussions are with parents who already know and love you.

21. So wearing shoes can be optional.

22. So recess will never be threatened by rules against climbing or dodge ball or running around.

23. So extracurricular activities never interfere with higher family or church priorities. (In other words, we control the schedule, not the other way around.) Our oldest has already had to learn how to let a superior know she can't work on a church night. (In her volunteer position at our local library)

24. So that bullying is dealt with immediately, whether you're the victim or the perpetrator.

25. So "school lunch" isn't a phrase that strikes terror into anyone's heart. (And if you don't like what we're having, you can make your own.)

26. So naptime or quiet time continues as a way of life instead of something that ends after preschool.

27. So we don't have to do fundraising - no candy bars, no magazines, no popcorn. No forms that make adults want to hide when they see your child coming.

28. So that occasionally playing the Wii will count as Phys. Ed.

29. So the parents don't miss anything: cute things they say, funny expressions they make, or that "a-ha!" moment when they figure something out.

30. So there's no homework. In other words, once you get finished with a school day, you do not have to tackle another 3 hours of worksheets, book reports, and projects. When Mom says you're done for the day, you're done!

31. So no one has to ride a bus, except for fun.

32. So mom doesn't spend her life sitting in a carpool lane.

33. So the children have control over when and if they need to go to the bathroom.

34. So they know their own siblings better than 30 or so other children their own age.

35. So they learn to never stop asking questions, and they never have to be afraid of someone mocking them for a "dumb" question.

36. So they have time to learn who they really are.

37. So they grow up knowing that learning is for life, not just something that happens inside a building during specific hours.

Ask me the reasons we homeschool and you'll probably get a different answer depending on the day, my frame of mind, or what I've read on the news about the state of education these days. One thing I do want to stress: we homeschool for positive reasons, because it's best for our family, not because we're fearful or afraid.

Fear or reacting to a negative public school experience may be enough to inspire some people to consider homeschooling, but it's probably not enough to keep you homeschooling.

In order to keep at it, year in and year out, day after day, you need positive reasons and maybe a few silly reasons thrown in there, too.

Why do we homeschool? Because we choose to.

To see how more of my fellow homeschool moms have answered this question visit this link:
WhyWeChose
If you homeschool, what are some of your favorite answers to this question?

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Comments

  1. Love this! I have about another 37 all related to special needs benefits to homeschooling LOL.

    1. Karen says:

      Ooh, that sounds like a good blog post!

    2. Terri says:

      Sometimes just to be a tad snarky I say - We homeschool to save on back to school shopping...

  2. Erin says:

    I love this list.

    1. Karen says:

      Thanks - it was fun to write.

Comments are closed