Yes, I think there is pros and cons to pretty much anything (sometimes not obvious though)

Having homeschooling as an option seem good to me and I'm sure in some places it works really well (remote locations)

I have pretty strong feelings that kids who live in the city should go to "REAL" school and interact with other kids and adults. By keeping them at home we're "shielding" them from social experiences that they'll never get in homeschooling environment.

With so many school options, anyone can find a school that fit their belief and will be right for their kids.

That said, we do what we think is right for our family. And I don't expect anyone to what's right for me might not be right for you...

This is the typical response I get to people who have not really experienced homeschooling. I used to think the same way too. However, once I started to homeschool I realized the typical stereotyped label of a homeschooler was inaccurate.

However, to make things more accurate I would like to interject that homeschoolers do get the the interaction they need (if not more realistic than typical schoolers). My daughter is in 4H, volunteers at the local YMCA, plays soccer, just won a statewide science fair (which what caused her to win is her excellent social skills), and is very polite and kind to others. There are some homeschoolers who do not participate in outside activities, but I honestly do not know of any. Here is a Youtube link that makes some very good points about the misunderstanding involving homeschoolers.

http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=J1z_zMtofvY& feature=related

Finally, I hope people will reconsider this idea of "homeschooling" not to make or influence you to do it, but rather not judge a book by its cover too quickly. If anyone needs advice on this, please let me know, and I would be glad to direct you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1z_zMtofvY&feature=related

Hopefully this one will work...
If not it is called the "Fed Up Homeschoolers Wish List" on Youtube ;) Enjoy!

I feel the cruelty of children is getting out of control and the murder/suicides are from the school systems failing to provide the right amount of individual attention. Bully's are destroying our childrens need and right for saftey and the emotional battery is unbelievable. I also feel being homeschooled children are more likely to learn more of really needs to be learned to prepare them for life.

I was homeschooled by my mom in 4th grade and then later 7th-12th grades, at my own request. My sister loved (public) school, so she kept going. In school I was an A student but I felt over-stressed academically (and all my friends were leaving for a better school--I guess they weren't academically stressed enough?). I'm now about to finish my B.A. and hoping to be a history teacher.

The Pros were:
-Less academic stress, as I decided what I would learn with my mom and how we would measure my progress. This also led me to research topics I would not have researched in school. I believe the self-directed learning helped to develop my current love for learning that most of my college peers don't have so much of.
-Less time spent on school work--at most half of the time I would have spent in school (since most time in school is spent on discipline, busy work, bells, walking to class, etc.).
-No damaging socialization: No bullying. No drugs. No dangerous sex or childish relationship trauma. No cutting classes. Etc.

Cons:
-More academic stress, as I was overly perfectionist with myself.
-Self-directed education is also a con, in that I was not exposed to subjects that I might have developed an interest/aptitude in (of course it wasn't totally self-directed, as we had to follow the public school curriculum).
-No beneficial socialization. I did try to hang out with other homeschoolers but I found them to be nerdy and uninteresting. Luckily I had a few friends from childhood outside of school. No sex or dating practice.
-My mom had to basically devote 5 years of her life to my education, during which she had to re-learn a lot of the material in order to help me learn it. I was lucky to have a (college grad) parent capable of doing this, most kids don't.


From talking to other people my age, it seems half of them wish they never went to high school and the other half loved high school.

Since I didn't go, perhaps I can't know if it would have been a beneficial experience for me. But since I am not an "average" male/person (passionate about justice, no interest in spectator sports, parties), and nor would I wish to be average, high school would likely have been traumatic for me. While I came out of homeschooling very shy, I have mostly grown out of that with persistent effort. And I am proud of who I've turned out to be. I wouldn't want to be any other way, for the most part.

Would I recommend it generally to parents? Only if the child persistently asks for it, and you think you can do it well. And ask them again frequently even after you begin homeschooling. They may change their mind. Don't deceive yourself, it is a momentous undertaking.

You are right about the increase in both violence and bullies. Unfortunately our society has turned into a "fast, do it now" type of society. We expect instant results without any real work being invested in what we do. This mentality can be in families as well. It takes time and effort to raise good children. A school system can't do that for parents. The result is children who get no attention or treated badly at home due to stresses they can' help. When they come to school, they target a child, so that child can feel pain. The decline in parenthood has definately had an impact on schools. However, schools taking prayer and interesting subjects out certainly does not help the matter. Homeschooling is starting to catch on with many parents. Most of these parents are educated (as myself), so we choose an option that most certainly has a lot of pros. I noticed a jump in confidence two weeks after starting and it just keeps going up. It makes school less stressful along with knowing your child is getting the education that will stay with him or her a lifetime. :)

Very true Creative! Homeschooling is a great alternative to public and private schools. In our homeschooling group, we make sure the children get socialization. This is a myth that children who are homeschooled have no "socialization". The difference is homeschoolers become socialized with a variety of people of all ages, race, etc. It is not simply peer aged group. We do a lot for the community and our church :) My main goal is to help families for feel trapped by the "system". As a former teacher in public schools and private, I strongly advocate and support homeschooling. I have been on both sides of the fence and have seen the remarkable difference it can make in a child! I hope anyone here who is doubting it will reconsider. Take the plundge and see what happens. Each day is a world of discovery and joy.