bbcovert@juno.com

1. Family togetherness – it’s a beautiful thing! 
 
2. Control over curriculum - the ability to choose quality materials that are geared to my children's learning styles and that have a Christian worldview. 
 
3. Flexible schedule and being able to work around various appointments. 
 
4. Fewer distractions for these two ADHD children! 
 
5. The ability to move as quickly or as slowly through the lessons as required for the student to understand and master the concepts. 
 
6. Just KNOWING what it is they are supposed to be studying rather than being in the dark. 
 
7. No homework in the evenings - more family time. Homework is to prove to the teacher that a student mastered the material. A homeschool parent knows from working with the student individually whether he or she mastered it; no homework is necessary. 
 
8. The ability to gear lessons to the child's interests. 
 
9. More time for extracurricular activities such as sports, science, or the fine arts. 
 
10. Field trips geared to child's and/or parent's interests! 
 
11. Three meals together, and time to teach the kids to cook and other life skills they will need. 
 
12. Social benefits. During those early, formative years, I had control over who the kids played with, and they played well with each other too. My kids never felt that the opposite sex had "cooties" or that they should only be friends with kids that were their age. Homeschooled kids typically get along with all ages and are more likely to carry on intelligent conversations with adults as well! 
 
13. Reduced peer pressure – they face some in church, but nothing on a daily basis. 
 
14. No labels among classmates - who's got brains, who's stupid, who's artistic, who's clumsy. There is safety in learning, testing, experimenting at home. Example: a developmentally-delayed 9-year-old who has only mastered stick figures will be humiliated by her peers in art class. Her artistic development will probably end right there. At home, she can experiment and enjoy art, and by the time she is 14, she will have developed more drawing skills, all because no one judged her and told her that she couldn't draw. 
 
15. The opportunity to work on character issues. I may have a lot of friction at home (did I mention that I'm dealing with two teenagers now?), but when the kids are off with their various groups, I get good reports on their behavior. They are kind and helpful kids. 
 
I could probably think of more, but I'll stop at fifteen. I know that homeschooling is not for everyone. I know that public, private, and Christian schools churn out some model students each year. So does the homeschooling community!

Happy homeschooling!

Copyright 2007 by Brenda B. Covert