Things to Consider When Home Schooling

By Peggy Davenport

You must know the multiple benefits of homeschooling if you are contemplating this or already doing this. All children learn at different speeds so this way it is possible to have them learn at a pace that suits them and of course there will be more control over what subjects they do learn. Still, there are things you need to be aware of that can be harmful to your child if you decide to do this.

Remember all children need friends and playmates and they find them in school. Many children who are home schooled are often the brunt of jokes about their parents being strange or are taunted because they may have a disorder that prevents them from attending school. Your child might be made fun of or picked on because he isn't considered normal. These challenges must be overcome if you want your child to have a positive social life and be able to function amongst their peers when they get to college.

By deciding to home school, it becomes the parent's responsibility to find friendships for the child and this task is just as important as the actual school work. Here are some tips, which would assist you to give your child the correct direction, if you want him to have a normal and decent social life. Know your neighborhood and start with where you live: How many children close to your child's age live nearby? Do you know the parents? If not, you need to. Seek out parents nearby and let them know you have a child that you'd like to set up a play date. Because you have started the process, it is also up to you to take the initiative of organizing a kid party and calling a clown perhaps. Invite all the local kids over, their parents and organize a ballgame, fishing, bowling, or any other activity that children enjoy - even offer to baby-sit.

Sporting activities offer the best opportunities where children bond with each other. Since they play together they also spend a lot of time building a bond, and you too get an opportunity to meet other parents. If you child is handicapped or challenged physically which makes it embarrassing for him to make public appearances, then girls/boys scout or similar kid organizations are the best option you have where he could join.

Many parents are cautious and have strict guidelines for their home schooling kids on what they hear on radio, watch on TV or experience on the net. While it is important to keep them away from dangerous situations, it is also important to let them be exposed to the same influences as other children. Already your kid is getting branded as a 'funny' kid and having problems to cope with it, can you imagine where it would land him in the social circle if he was clueless about TV shows, the latest bands or even the current kid fashion trends? Without being exposed to mainstream culture, they will have little to talk about with other children and will have a hard time relating to others.

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