During the pandemic, from insurance to entertainment, the entire world was forced to move online. Almost every aspect of life was transferred to the web, thanks to technology— including education. As of now, there are an estimated 3.721 million school-age (K-12) homeschooled students in the United States and these numbers are projected to rise in 2022.

Have you been curious about homeschooling?

Is it the best option for your family?

Let’s break it down by pros and cons.

The Cons:

Homeschooling, like all of life, isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There are some drawbacks to keep in mind when you’re beginning your learning home journey. And that should be your first clue!

• The House- With all the projects and experiments your kids have; things are going to get messy! Not to mention books, school supplies, learning games and toys, art supplies, and more. When beginning your homeschooling journey, do your best to designate a specific area in the house for all your supplies, and try implementing clean-up time after school to combat the mess. 

• The Exhaustion- Being a mom is a 24/7 job— 365 days a year with no vacation time. Being a mom and a teacher is no joke. Sometimes relationship lines between you and your kids can get blurred too. When school is in session, remember you’re not just mom anymore, you’re their teacher now. Likewise, you’ve got to do your best to be “mom” again once the “bell rings.” 

• Time-Consuming- Even though there is much flexibility within homeschooling, and an entire homeschool-school day can be as little as two to three hours long the rest of the time you’re still managing other things that life throws at you. So you’re probably wondering what do you with all that “other” time. That’s for another post!

But it’s not all doom and gloom! There are some great benefits to homeschooling

The Pros:

• Equity- In traditional schooling, kids are often held back entire grade levels if they are unable to perform up to the schools’ standards. Whereas, the best part of homeschooling, in my opinion, is that it’s extremely flexible. If one of your kids excels in something but is slower than another, they can learn at their own pace. I’ve found with

• Community- Although there are a lot of people who state that homeschooled children lack socialization, it’s just not true! There are so many online communities of families who are also going through the exact same journey as you are. 

• Programs- One of the top questions I hear when it comes to making the transition into homeschooling, is “…where do I even begin?” The good news is that there are so many amazing programs out there you can depend on to give you step-by-step` lesson plans. My children use a faith-based program that allows students to learn the essential curriculum all students need, without neglecting their faith. 

Using a program that offers a structured lesson plan can assist you and your children in their online education journey. A good program can give you direction in more ways than one: knowing what your kids are meant to be learning and identifying their educational strengths and weaknesses, too. Programs such as Seton Home Study School or Mother of Divine Grace can also take some of the weight of being “teacher” off your shoulders by sharing the responsibility to educate. 

At the end of the day, homeschooling isn’t just about the education for your kids, it’s also about you as a parent. While yes, homeschooling has been successful for me and my children, I ultimately suggest that when considering it, you pray about it and choose what works best for you and your family.