Homeschooling certainly has its advantages. And it’s a wonderful choice for many parents and their children. Before venturing in this direction, however, it’s important to have your eyes wide open. This includes understanding the challenges of home schooling and the frustrations that one might encounter. Here are a few of those challenges.
Frustration with Children: Certainly, if a parent is going to be the teacher, and the children are going to be in the house 24-7, the parents have to understand this burden. Not every parent can be with a child all day long, serving as both the parental figure and the teaching figure. Some parents get burned out in this situation and some find the frustration of teaching their own child overwhelming and insurmountable.
Appropriate Learning Environment: Working at the kitchen table isn’t always a good choice for homeschooling. You probably need to invest in school furniture including classroom chairs and classroom desks. Consider, as well, if you have small children at home who will distract the learning process and keep the school day from staying on track.
Level of Learning: As a child gets older, the school material needs to get more intense. Parents need to understand the level of learning that their child needs, and know how to provide it. If the child has surpassed the parent’s level of science or math understanding, for instance, it may be necessary to bring in another teacher or to find a group with whom to work.
Extra Activities: Some children are very social, while others don’t mind being in a homeschool environment with only a parent of a few other people around. If you have a child who is social, it may be important to find after school activities for the child. Consider joining together with other homeschool families to create sports activities, art programs and more.