There are many reasons why we choose to home school our children but here's the top five:
1. Targeted Education
We like that our girls can work at work that is appropriate for their abilities. If they are doing beyond grade level math and below grade level spelling, that's o.k. If they are really enjoying science, we can keep going, we aren't required to move on to the next subject. They are able to really be curious and ask questions and we don't have to move on to something else because the state requires it. I believe true learning occurs when the child asks the question versus the teacher instructing the child.
Friends mention gifted education programs for the girls. Most programs I am familiar with offer limited opportunity for pull-out. It may be one hour per week. For children who are truly gifted (meaning they process information much more quickly than others), they aren't gifted for only one hour/week. It's just who they are, all of the time.
2. Flexibility
We like to travel and we don't want a school schedule or school, for that matter, to tell us we can't take our kids out of school for multiple weeks. As a result of B-real's current job, we have chances to show the girls different parts of the world and we want to take advantage of these opportunities. We don't want our children to be penalized for missing school. When I was a child, traveling was encouraged, in fact teachers pulled together packets for kids to do while they on their trips so they weren't behind when they returned.
3. Free-time
The girls have a lot of down time to play. They aren't rushed from one activity to another like we would be if they were in school for seven hours per day. Having only two students means we are able to get through material faster than a traditional school. I believe unstructured play time is nearly as important as learning your addition and subtraction facts. Creativity leads to entrepreneurship. In my dream world the girls would own their own businesses one day and not have to work for someone else. They need good ideas to make that happen and lots of free time allows for that creative spirit to develop. I want our girls to be bored some days!
4. Individuality
Homeschooling permits the girls to be themselves and not conform to fit into a group at school. Honestly, they don't even know what's cool or popular. They know what they like and no one teases them for it. I believe this age is crucial in the development of healthy self-esteem. I remember Big C winning the spelling bee each week in first grade and the other kids complaining it wasn't fair that she got to participate. What was she learning from that experience? It wasn't o.k. to be her. It wasn't o.k. to be a good speller. We want them to fail and not be afraid to try something new because they might be ostracized by other kids.
5. Values
We teach values. It's more important to me that our girls grow up to be good people than have a 4.0 GPA. We talk about values that could not be discussed at school. I don't want seven hours of their day wasted without values interwoven into their education.
It's not for everyone but for the time it's for us! We are happier now that we ever were when the girls were in school. We have a peaceful life!
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