Is Homeschooling Right for My Child?

In this post, I will address the question, “is homeschooling right for my child?” To answer this, let me first state my bias. I have worked in public schools, Waldorf schools, and now in the homeschool arena. All have their place in education and their pros and cons. For me personally, homeschooling wins hands-down because of its creative freedom, healthy schedule and rhythm, and my observation that homeschooled students are the most self-confident, complex-free, and well adjusted young adults I’ve met. I am continuously floored by how functional they are!

Some Pointers to Consider

That said, is homeschooling right for your child? Here are some pointers to figure that out. First, your child has to have reverence and respect for you. That doesn’t mean they never challenge you or that there are no problems at home. I would be concerned if everything was wonderfully comfortable, glamorous, and glistening in your home life all the time. That’s not realistic. Everybody struggles. However, reverence and respect means they trust you enough to follow your lead. It means they are generally willing to do their chores, accept consequences when they mess up, and most of all respect your “no.” If “no means no” in your household, that’s a good sign. On the other hand, if they hear your “no” and do it anyway, that’s not a good sign.

Another good measure of, “is homeschooling right for my child?” is, “do you have a child with self-initiative?” The greatest blessing of homeschooling is the freedom to explore one’s interests in a freer way than “going to school” generally allows. The best homeschoolers are enthusiastic about their passions, whether that be baseball, soccer, figure skating, woodworking, music, writing, etc. In other words, these are the ones who come full enough of life that it won’t feel like pulling teeth to get them to do the things they have to do, like math and writing practice.

Why Reverence Matters

During my Waldorf teacher training, I came across this quote from Rudolf Steiner, “only if faith in the authority of the adults in charge develops fully between the ages of approximately seven and fifteen will the right sense of freedom develop later, when the feeling for freedom must be the basis for all social life.” ¹ For years, I poured over what this meant, and I eventually understood with a plant metaphor. The teacher (or educating parent) is like the sun, where is the child is like the plant. Imagine a sunflower, following the sun day in and day out as it moves its arc across the sky. From this regular, faithful movement the sunflower learns how to form itself.

So, too, does the child learn what a human being is by reverently following those who educate him or her. Thus, it is of paramount importance that our children revere their educators. This, alone, can be the determining factor of how and where we educate. “Who do they revere?” is the question. The answer doesn’t have to be one person. It can be many people. Moreover, even if they have a striking fondness for somebody else in the community besides ourselves, it doesn’t mean we can’t homeschool them. It just means if we are going to be the ones, they do have to revere and respect us. They have to trust our decision making.

What if We Feel Inadequate as Educators?

I hear this often from parents. Some parents have a great relationship with their children, but they feel inadequate to provide what their children need. Maybe they are not trained teachers. Or, maybe they are early childhood teachers or college professors but their child is in fifth grade. Then they start to wonder again, “is homeschooling right for my child?”

Homeschooling doesn’t have to mean we are teaching our children everything. Actually, most homeschoolers I know don’t teach their children everything. They teach their children some things and outsource the rest. This becomes increasingly important from fifth grade onwards when children naturally become more cosmopolitan and seek the perspectives of other trusted adults.

That’s where Enkindle Academy comes in. We started offering our prerecorded, live, and extracurricular homeschooling classes for just this purpose: to pick up the slack for homeschooling families and provide another adult influence your children can revere. This also expands their peer group internationally as they meet friends in distant places. Middle schoolers especially love that. Of course, I’m not saying you have to take courses with us, but homeschool cooperatives, homeschool groups, etc. can take the burden off of you to provide everything. Even I, a teacher of many years, would not expect to provide my own children everything. It takes a village, so to speak; luckily, with Enkindle Academy our village is now global.

The Goal of Education

To make the best choice for our children, we should ask, “What is the goal of education?” Stop and consider your answer to that question now.

Here’s mine: to raise creative, compassionate, and capable human beings, who are freely able to impart meaning and direction to their own lives when they become adults. In other words, it is to raise self-led human beings immune to those forces that wish to exploit them intellectually, emotionally, and materially. The point of education is to raise free human beings.

Making the right choices for our children can lead them to extraordinary things. I have students making authentic Shaker boxes using the lathe in their basement. Some of my students are on the path to becoming professional athletes. Others have written books ready for publication by the age of 12. Yet others have greeting card businesses and Etsy shops by seventh grade. The sky is the limit and homeschooling can be the most wonderful thing in the world.

The Most Important Way to Know, “Is Homeschooling Right for My Child?”

I have provided some indications to help you figure out, “is homeschooling right for my child?” However, the most important element is this: interest. Take an interest in your child. That is true love. More than hugs and kisses and buying them lots of stuff, the most loving thing you can do for your child is to KNOW them. It is to turn your soul towards them in curiosity to study and learn who they essentially are and what they need.

I have seen homeschoolers on both sides of the spectrum, those with good home lives and those without. Homeschooling does not help children with a poor home life. It just reinforces it, and those children need to be in school, despite parents’ wishes.

Homeschooling is, therefore, not for everyone, for education is no one-size-fits-all approach which is why there are different possibilities and approaches out there. If you’re ever wondering what’s best for your child, we offer coaching for parents to help you figure it out. Don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact us.

How Else We Can Help

Enkindle Academy offers prerecorded and live lessons for students in grades 5-9. We teach all academic subjects plus fine arts, creative writing, and empowerment groups for teens. We also offer 1-on-1 tutoring for all subjects including academics and fine arts. Visit our website for more info and free sample lessons. Remember to subscribe for weekly updates, tips on homeschooling, and special offers.

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References:

1. Steiner, R. (1921, February 27). Education and practical life from the perspective of spiritual science [Lecture II]. In Waldorf Education and Anthroposophy I (GA 304). Rudolf Steiner Archive. https://rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA304/English/AP1995/19210227d01.html