By Lewis
Are you a parent considering homeschooling? It will undoubtedly be a big change for your family, and it’s something you should give plenty of thought to. To help you along in the process, having plenty of points to add to your pros list should be a priority. While homeschooling has many wonderful benefits, one of the most impressive things is the opportunity it presents for hands-on experience. Here are three real-life benefits of homeschooling to think about for your kids and teens.
1. It Encourages Real-Life Social Interactions
If you’ve ever had a conversation about homeschooling, chances are good that you’ve chatted about socialization. It’s a very common misconception that homeschooling doesn’t provide the same level of socialization that traditional schooling does, so it’s important that you’re able to see past that.
Whether it’s taking your kids along for your weekly grocery shopping trip, heading to the bank to discuss mortgage refinance rates, or going to an all-ages homeschooling social group get-together, your children will have plenty of opportunities to interact with others of all ages in all types of environments.
Not only is varied socialization wonderful for building interpersonal skills but it’s also the perfect way to have real-life immersion in manners and communication. Additionally, being in these varied types of situations can be a confidence booster for shy teens, increasing their comfort level around others.
This is also a good opportunity for your teen to see firsthand all types of communication, to work through conflict or misunderstandings, and learn how to interact appropriately based on the situation.
2. Its Flexibility Allows for Greater Exploration and Practice
A fantastic thing about homeschooling is that there is an incredible amount of flexibility. Aside from your typical daily curriculum, remember that there is an entire world out there just waiting to be explored by your children and teenagers. The options are endless and as homeschoolers, time is on your side.
While this will look different for every family, this could be as simple as following your child’s cues and giving them the tools needed to explore whatever it is that’s piquing their interest.
Do you have a nature lover? Encourage hours spent outside. Go to the library for books that will enrich the experience. Set your homeschooler up with a microscope, binoculars, and a magnifying glass. Allow your child to explore and learn at their own pace, expanding on it as needed.
Maybe your child has taken an interest in cooking or baking. Not only are these excellent ways to apply math skills, but they’re also perfect for teaching the value of reading and comprehension. It could also lead to entrepreneurship, which is quite common among older children and teens in the homeschooling circuit. So, make time spent in the kitchen a priority, accepting that messes and mix-ups are bound to happen along the way.
3. It Presents Unique, Real-Life Opportunities
You might be wondering if homeschooling your child will mean forfeiting things such as school field trips or job shadowing days. Fortunately, you don’t have to. Whether you pursue outings independently or enjoy them as part of your child’s homeschool social group or co-op, your child can still have these experiences.
From an independent perspective, note that it will take motivation and effort to orchestrate these experiences for your child. For example, if you’re noticing that your homeschooled teen has a growing interest in animal care, why not call your local veterinarian to see about setting up a job shadowing day? This type of arrangement will be invaluable in both forming connections and giving your child hands-on experience.
Creating a well-rounded homeschooling experience for your child is easier than you might imagine it to be. It’s a wonderful way to not only expose your child to real-life social interactions but also to allow them to explore and focus on the things that interest them the most. The beauty of homeschooling is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It can be whatever you and your child wish for it to be. This is one of the greatest real-life benefits of homeschooling.