Even before I got married, I dreamed of being a mother, but I didn't think much about what my future child's education would look like. After my husband and I had our first child, it was time to decide what type of school would be best for her — and there were so many fears and questions in my mind about where she would be safest. Then, my husband and I started teaching, and it made perfect sense that she would enroll at the school we taught at together.
Little did I know, being a teacher would completely change my mind about her education and lead me to homeschool our kids in the future. I always said I would never be a homeschooling mom, but like many aspects of parenting, the unexpected twists and turns in life led me down a much different path than I imagined.
Like They Always Say, Never Say Never
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It's difficult for me to pinpoint exactly why I said I would never homeschool my kids, but at the time, I strongly believed it wasn't for me. Some of it was insecurity, and some of it was a lack of knowledge about what homeschooling looks like for most families. But even when I was uncertain about the education decisions we would make for our future children I felt certain homeschooling wasn't for me.
I won't pretend that my mind was changed overnight or that it was an easy decision to make. However, when I went from teaching in a school that I planned on staying at for years to leaving that same school and pulling my child from it, it's not surprising that my perspective on education changed in numerous ways.
“I'll never homeschool my kids” turned into me being unable to fathom any other option. I don't think homeschooling is right for every family, but after I left my teaching job, I knew it was right for us.
Seeing The Classroom From a Different Perspective
I've always had great respect for teachers. Some of the most influential people in my life have been the teachers I had throughout school, from elementary school to college. Still, it's difficult to understand the magnitude of the role until you're in it.
During my time as a middle school teacher, I loved my students immensely and was extremely passionate about my job. Despite my desire to help, the structure of the school made it difficult to truly help students in the way that I wanted to.
Many of my classes had over 25 students, and most of the students were at completely different reading levels. Often, I had students who read at a 10th-grade reading level in the same class as students who read at a 4th-grade reading level. As an English teacher, it was difficult to help my students improve their reading and writing skills when their individual needs were so vastly different, even within one class period. No matter how badly I wanted to help each student thrive, it simply wasn't possible with the little time and resources I had.
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Will My Child Fall Through the Cracks?
My own experience as a teacher showed me that even with the most passionate and well-meaning teachers, there are going to be students who fall through the cracks. Some will get left behind because they're struggling and don't have the right support. Others will be ahead of the class and lose interest in the work everyone else is doing. Even the most experienced teachers can't give every single student the attention they need.
My oldest child was still in preschool when I left my teaching job, so I didn't know exactly what her needs would be in the future. But I frequently asked myself, “Will she get the support she needs in a traditional classroom?”
Some parents choose not to homeschool their kids because it's not the right fit, while others would like to but don't have the ability due to their situation. Once I realized homeschooling my daughter was the right fit for my family, I knew I had to make it work.
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Why Families Choose to Homeschool
If you're currently homeschooling your kids or are thinking about it, you're in good company. According to a report from Bright Heart Education, the United States has the largest number of homeschooled students in the world. In our country alone, there are about 4.3 million homeschooled students, which is significantly higher than in Canada, with only 100,000 homeschooled students.
Dr. Ryan Stevenson, the co-founder and director at Bright Heart Education, stated, “There's a big split in why families homeschool. Some choose it because they believe in it; they want a certain educational philosophy or lifestyle for their kids. But a lot of parents, especially in the UK, end up homeschooling because they have no other choice. Their child has special needs that the school can't handle, or they're dealing with bullying that never gets fixed, or the school just isn't safe anymore. These parents never planned to homeschool. They got pushed into it when staying in the regular system became impossible for their child.”
Several years into our homeschool journey, this quote rings true for us in many ways. There are many reasons why I initially started homeschooling, but my personal philosophy about education and the level of support our children need were some of the main drivers behind our decision. As Dr. Stevenson said, we never planned to homeschool — but after witnessing many of the challenges students and teachers face, staying in the regular school system became impossible.
The Most Common Reasons for Homeschooling
According to the National Center for Education Statisitcs, 3.4% of all students in the United States were homeschooled for the 2022-2023 school year. Out of the many reasons parents chose to homeschool their kids, the number one reason given was concern about the school environment.
Some of the other common responses from parents included:
- Prefer to provide moral instruction
- Desire to emphasize family life together
- Dissatisfied with the academic instruction at other schools
- Prefer to provide religious instruction
- Interest in a non-traditional approach
- Child has other special needs
- Child has a physical or mental health problem
About 25% of parents cited concern about the school environment as their most important reason for homeschooling, according to the most recent data. As a current homeschool mom who used to teach in a public school, it's not surprising to me that parents would be concerned about the school environment. These concerns aren't limited to physical safety; they also include issues like bullying, negative peer pressure, and drugs.
Choose What's Best for Your Family, No Matter the Cost
No matter how you decide to move forward with your child's education, there will always be people who disagree with you. Especially with all of the information online and on social media, it can be easy to second-guess yourself and wonder if you're making the right decision.
When it comes to education, many decisions are fluid. What works for your child one year may not be what works for your child the next year. Even if you stick with homeschooling, you'll likely try out different curricula, activities, and social groups before you find something you and your child enjoy.
Regardless of the decision you make, know that there will be struggles for you and your child along the way, whether they're in public school, private school, or a homeschool program. Don't give up when things get tough, and focus on ensuring they have the right support system so they can thrive no matter what comes their way.
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