The Covid crisis led to an awakening of parents to the curriculum being taught in our public schools. Many parents became dissatisfied with the content and presentation of online lessons. That led them to an examination of alternatives.

Of course in America there are many options to educating our children. There are public schools, private schools, charter schools, Montessori schools and, of course, the option of home schooling. There are advocates of both home schooling and public schooling. Those of us who don’t home school, which is still the majority of Americans, need to fully understand the reasons why people choose to home school their children.

Religious or Philosophical Convictions:
Religion is not permitted in the public schools. Many families feel that religion needs to be a larger part of their child’s education than that which the public schools allow.
People who have deep religious beliefs show great passion. These are the individuals who are passionate about their children’s education and feel that only they are able to teach them to the best of their ability and the content that they feel they should be learning. The home schooling parent is in charge, they call the shots and they like it that way.

Socialization:
Some people that don’t understand home schooling believe that it is confining rather than socializing. But those individuals that believe that are stuck in thinking about the stereotypical socialization of an age-based classroom. Children that are home schooled are exposed to social situations in a mixed age range. They have “age-mates” instead of “class-mates”.
Many home schoolers feel that their children need to be exposed to the appropriate ways to behave not inappropriate. They feel that their child should be exposed to the model behavior of people who have learned to make decisions and handle themselves in various social settings. By being exposed to appropriate modeling of social behavior, home-schooled children will learn how to act appropriately.
Parents of home schooled children can also see when their child “gets-it” when they model for a younger child appropriate behavior.
Home-schooled children get a reality based social lesson. On a daily basis they see adults they know, love and trust manage and balance life day to day. Modeled for them is academics balanced with real life chores; caring for a sick friend or neighbor, shoveling the driveway and walkway, doing the grocery shopping and dropping of the dry cleaning, cooking dinner while folding laundry, putting laundry away and talking on the phone with Aunt Sara. These are real life situations that home schoolers are exposed to and public school children are often sheltered from or are privy to a controlled school environment.

Academics:
Home schoolers have several advantages over publicly schooled children. The curriculum is designed specifically for them – not for children their age and what children at a particular age are expected to know and learn. Public schools differentiate instruction the best they can. However, a home-schooled child has a curriculum tailored to their needs. They may read at a 4th grade level, spell at a 3rd grade level and complete math at a 6th grade level.
A home-schooled child is neither rushed nor not given enough time. There are no other children to “keep busy” so they are free to work at their pace and move as quickly or as slowly as need be.
Much research has been done on how children learn best. A home-schooled child is not only taught by the person who knows them best in the entire world but also since they are the only student, the learning style never has to be varied. If a student learns best through music, then the curriculum of a home-schooled child can be tailored to meet their needs so they will be more successful.

Home-schooled children get to spend more quality time as a family. They are not trapped in a traditional school setting for 6 hours a day but are free to spend quality time as a family every day.
It is said that parents are a child’s first teacher. Families that home school want to continue to be their child’s teacher because they feel that their children need the guidance of their family and God and not the guidance of someone hired to do a job that is naturally theirs from the day their child was born.

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It’s a difficult choice, but here’s what you need to consider in a nutshell.

Benefits of Homeschooling that outweigh Public Schools

Homeschooling Strengthens Values & Beliefs

• Homeschooling allows families to intentionally instill values that are important to them and the freedom to share and practice their faith without restrictions.
• Public schools promote a fixed set of values, often without room for critical thought or diverse perspectives.

Self-Discipline is required in homeschooling.

• In homeschool, discipline comes from within, not from peer pressure or performance competition.
• Learning to do the work even when it’s hard or boring = real growth.
• Contrast this with the high-achieving public-school students often running on OCD-like habits.

Early Intervention

• Problems—academic, behavioral, learning disabilities—are often caught early in homeschool.
• Public school systems often miss these issues until it’s too late or harder to reverse unhealthy habits.

Social Struggles and safety

• Homeschooling minimizes exposure to toxic social games: popularity, fashion, peer pressure.
• Public school culture tends to push conformity over individuality.
• There has been a rise in school shootings and safety concerns over the years.

Bullying

• It exists in public school, period—even the good ones.
• Homeschool environments naturally reduce bullying due to smaller, safer social dynamics where adults are present.

Independent Thought

Public school tends to promote conformity through standard curriculum and groupthink dynamics.

Homeschool fosters real critical thinking: reading widely, analyzing deeply, discussing openly.

The Case for Public Schooling

1. Access to Certified Teachers & Specialists
   Public schools employ trained educators, special education professionals, counselors, and support staff who are equipped to handle a wide range of academic and emotional needs.
2. Built-in Socialization
   Students interact daily with a variety of peers, helping them develop essential social skills, emotional intelligence, and teamwork—sometimes these skills are hard to replicate in smaller settings.
3. Diversity of Perspectives & Experiences
   Public school classrooms often reflect broader society, exposing students to different cultures, beliefs, socioeconomic backgrounds, and worldviews.
4. Extracurricular Opportunities
   Sports teams, music programs, theater, clubs, and leadership organizations are often more accessible and varied and are often offered free of cost to students.
5. Support for Working Families
   Public schools provide consistent, structured schedules and resources like transportation and school meals, offering vital support for dual-income or single-parent households.

Challenges and Trade-offs

While both homeschooling and public schooling offer unique benefits, they also come with their share of challenges and trade-offs. Homeschooling requires a significant time and energy investment from parents, who are also juggling teaching with their other responsibilities. And while most homeschoolers are tired of hearing about “socialization” it can also be a concern if families aren’t intentional about creating community connections.

On the other hand, public school students may face larger class sizes, less individualized attention, and exposure to bullying or peer pressure. While public schools offer a more structured environment and access to trained educators, they also come with curriculum constraints and limited flexibility.

What It Really Comes Down To

It’s a big decision to decide on your child’s educational path. But you are the best person to make that choice. Consider what is truly important to you and what is best for your child and your family then move forward in that direction. Homeschooling has changed a lot over the years. You don’t have to do it alone. There is a plethora of online classes, support groups, co-ops, and people that are around you if you just look.