Homeschool Myths and Fears
What do new or potential homeschool parents worry about?
An introduction into the most common fears that new or potential homeschool parents have
Homeschoolers, like any other group of individuals, can have a variety of fears and concerns. However, it's important to note that not all homeschoolers share the same fears, as their concerns can vary based on personal circumstances, beliefs, and experiences. Much of what they fear comes from comments made by those who have little to no experience homeschooling, thus the fears are based on misconceptions, or myths. That being said, here are some common fears that homeschoolers may have:
The Myth about Socialization:
One common concern among homeschoolers is the fear that their children may miss out on social interactions and opportunities for socialization that are more readily available in traditional school settings. They worry that their children may not develop necessary social skills or have access to diverse peer groups. This is only true if the parent chooses not to participate in social opportunities, as there are so many ways to provide social access and teach social skills that are far superior to what is offered on a traditional school playground. To learn more about how homeschoolers socialize, take this workshop or get the e-book on activities to get out there, there are amazing tips for those who have social anxieties.
The Myth about Academic Performance:
Homeschooling parents often worry about whether they are providing their children with a quality education and meeting academic standards. They may fear that their children might fall behind in certain subjects or struggle to gain admission to colleges or universities, or a successful career. Homeschoolers absolutely get into colleges and universities, and it is easier today than ever to make that happen. Check out this e-book on early college for homeschoolers, or the Homeschooling High School and Beyond course. For children who are behind in public school, homeschooling methodologies such as Ditching Grade Levels and Teaching Mastery can quickly remedy any academic struggles.
Myths about Legal Compliance:
Those who are not familiar with homeschooling tend to falsely believe that homeschooling is illegal (this article references the United States laws only). Homeschooling is a Constitutional right in the United States and regulations vary by state. Homeschoolers may worry about whether they are complying with all of the legal requirements in their state or the potential consequences if they fail to comply with the law. Parents should understand that homeschool regulations in most states are loosely written, which gives much flexibility. Since distance learning became the focus during the COVID pandemic, it is less and less of a concern to find students out and about on many different schedules and not considered truant. Of course, distance learning is not homeschooling, it is publicly funded school at home. There is a legal difference and homeschoolers who file affidavits in their state should familiarize themselves with their state’s homeschool laws. Membership in a Premium mentoring service can help parents navigate the transition from public school to homeschool more easily.
Myth on Lack of resources:
Homeschooling typically requires a significant commitment of time, effort, and resources from parents or guardians. Some homeschoolers may fear that they won't have access to adequate educational materials, curriculum, or extracurricular activities that are available in traditional schools. This myth is first easily debunked through a simple web search for homeschool curriculum. The real challenge is deciding which of the thousands of resources to utilize, but the best resources are in your own community. Learning how traditional school is overkill and how to give a much more superior education by not replicating public school at home, is a homeschooler’s best leverage for not wasting time, effort, and resources. A workshop in Homeschool Foundations can help remove any doubt about resources.
Balancing multiple responsibilities:
Homeschooling often means that parents or guardians take on the role of both educators and caregivers. Homeschooling can be a demanding and time-consuming responsibility, and homeschoolers may worry about burning out or feeling overwhelmed. This can create fears related to balancing homeschooling responsibilities with other commitments, such as household chores, work or personal pursuits. Homeschooling parents may worry about their ability to juggle these multiple responsibilities effectively. Learning from parents and mentors who have walked this path will help alleviate these concerns. Again, taking a workshop that gives examples of how to balance it all, is a new homeschooler’s best foot forward.
It's important to note that not all homeschoolers share these fears, and most homeschoolers will experience numerous benefits and positive outcomes from their homeschooling experiences. Each family's homeschooling journey is unique, and individuals may have different perspectives and concerns based on their specific circumstances. Replicating public school at home tends to be the biggest misstep, as a home is a place of learning but not a school. When a parent takes the time to learn how to individualize education, their outcome can be rewarding, fulfilling, and even spectacular.
How The Simple Scholar Can Help:
The Simple Scholar is a powerful resource to take parents by the hand and walk them through the multi-dimensional processes of implementing out of the box philosophies. Dianne Kelley has studied, dismantled, and reassembled 12 years of public education into a simplified process that can be implemented in less than half the time, and to a mastery approach. She specializes in helping parents make the transition from conventional education to any out of the box philosophy with ease. She has worked with thousands of homeschool families involving everything from special needs, as well as preparing for high school to university goals.
Her programs are intended to be parent-led and parents find the teaching easy to implement which relieves all the pressure they may have had previously with juggling multiple grade levels and long days of checking off boxes. Students who were labeled behind, begin excelling in areas they didn’t think were possible.
Families who switch to The Simple Scholar mastery approach tend to have more time on their hands to get out of the house and enhance the love of learning journey, without the overwhelming feeling that they aren’t doing enough. The entire process of searching out lists of concepts has already been simplified and is in a ready to go format for her members to learn with confidence that they are being thorough in this approach. Yet, the process is entirely individualized for each child based on their skill, not their age or grade.
The Simple Scholar offers a hybrid service where premium members have 24/7/365 access to recorded courses, workshops, and resources, but also receive unlimited one-on-one assistance in live monthly mentoring sessions, all from one inclusive, accessible rate. Her live high school transcript preparation service is unsurpassed and she provides this at no additional cost to her premium members.
For unlimited access to all workshops, courses, and mastery training as well as monthly live mentoring, choose the Premium membership by CLICKING HERE.
