H 11 Terrific Benefits of Homeschooling ave you ever considered whether homeschooling might be right for you and your children? Of course you will have challenging days, but you will have a lot of fun alongside your children, too. If you’re questioning whether homeschooling is the right choice for your family, check out some of these unique benefits and then see what you think. By Kerrie McLoughlin material to them in a relatable manner. Benefit #3: The ability to focus on something cool Remember loving a certain subject in school and really getting into it, but having to move on and get in a new frame of mind for a new subject when the bell rang? Homeschooled children have time and freedom to pursue their passions, like music, writing, acting, sports, and more. of homeschooling is that your child will not be sitting at a desk six hours a day. As a result, your children may be healthier because they are getting more regular exercise, more fresh air, and more sleep. Benefit #8: Do what you want, when you want Benefit #7: You learn, too! Benefit #1: A great education You can offer your children an education comparable to that they would receive at a costly private school, even if you do not have a college degree. According to homeschooling dad of one Tom Kliethermes, when you homeschool, your child will not be bored while the other children in her class are learning things she already knows. Likewise, she will not be frustrated trying to keep up with something she is not ready for. Benefit #4: Flexible schedules Benefit #2: Freedom Forget about the vision of a homeschooling mom teaching her children at the dining room table. Sometimes it’s Dad teaching English when he gets home from work, and Mom teaching other basics in the morning, leaving the afternoon and early evening free for other activities. If Dad travels, the whole family can tag along. If Mom and the children are night owls, so be it! You can stay up late talking, reading or watching educational shows. This one might be a little selfish, but one unique benefit to homeschooling is that you learn as much as your children do. In teaching things to your own children, it might seem like you’ve lost 90% of what you learned in school. Now that you do not have the pressure to memorize and perform on a test, you will soak up what you pre-read and read to your own children and can then teach the Another benefit of homeschooling is that you can go on vacation any time you want and get a cheaper, off-season rate. “We can take breaks/vacation whenever we want to,” says Jennifer Bentley of Jonesboro, Arkansas. You can schedule educational field trips for weekdays, when venues are not as busy as they would be on weekends. Parks and other fun sites are also less populated during the week. Benefits of Homeschooling continued on page 31 Registration taking place now! Registration taking Registration Taking Place Now! Com Do you want to homeschool lightly year-round? Or would it suit your family better to homeschool several hours a day for seven months, taking off a week or so here and there, as well as taking off the summer? Are you a curriculum-loving person who needs structure, or do you like to create your own lessons? Or maybe you are an “unschooler” and just want to go where your children’s interests take you (and if this is you, check out unit studies). When you homeschool, you are free to pursue any teaching model and can take off a day for a funeral or family function without penalty. Benefit #5: Across-the-board socialization Princ Fau You will not hear many homeschooled children saying they cannot play with a child who is younger or Registration older than they are. Homeschooled children in urban communities these days have friends who attend public and private schools, are homeschooled, and even unschooled. “Love the one you’re with” certainly rings true here. You can homeschool, we can help! You can homeschool, in K-4 to 12th Grade Community locations Weekly communities Prince William, Loudoun, we can help! Contact a community today! You can homeschool, Accountability taking place now! Fauquier and Culpeper Call Counties or text 571-344-0438 Weekly communities we can help! Encouragement Accountability College preparation Free training for K-4 to 12th Grade Community locations in Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier and Culpeper Registration taking place now! Counties Community locations in Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier and Culpeper Counties K We Co You can homeschool, we can help! Benefit #6: Healthy children Email: CCofCulpeper@gmail.com Encouragement Contact a community today! Testing services Contact a community today! F We have all heard about how Call or text to 12th Grade K-4 571-344-0438 Call or recess time, schools are cuttingtext 571-344-0438 CCofCulpeper@gmail.com Email: Weekly communities Email: dad Tom and homeschoolingCCofCulpeper@gmail.com www.ClassicalConversations.com Kliethermes says one benefit www.ClassicalConversations.com Accountability Encouragement Testing services College preparation Free training for Testing services www.ClassicalConversations.com College preparation Free training for parents parents 24 Piedmont Family Magazine 2013 • Issue 4 Call or text 571-344-0438 Contact a community today!