Making Your Decision
The reasons people decide to educate their children at home are varied and can be unique to each family. Some look towards a better educational experience, others are concerned with moral and social issues, some are concerned with safety, and still others have special needs that they wish to address. Explore these reasons and others that have led families to homeschooling.
Resources
Making Your Decision to Homeschool
Resources
10 Honest Reasons Parents Choose to Homeschool and the Politically Correct Defense We Hide Behind

There are so many reasons to homeschool. Is everyone's reason different or are there common reasons we homeschool? While there are lots of answers to smooth over any uncomfortable probing questions from strangers and sometimes family, these reasons are honest reflections of the choices of homeschooling family. 

Homeschooling: A Growing Option in American Education
Families cite common reasons for choosing to homeschool their children, such as concern about the environment at other schools, dissatisfaction with the academic instruction at other schools, and a preference for providing religious and moral instruction not provided in traditional schools. The decentralized nature of the homeschooling population limits researchers' ability to draw conclusions about the specific effect of homeschooling on various outcome measures such as academic achievement. However, evaluations of homeschooled students have reported that homeschool students perform well in that academic environment. Moreover, a survey of adults who were homeschooled suggests that home schooling leads to positive life outcomes, such as higher college attendance and enrollment.
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Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence

It's time to change your perspective to transform the way you plan, teach, and homeschool. This book helps you to see homeschooling as a calling. With this mindset, you'll be able to dismiss the stress of impossible expectations. Find strategies to help you juggle the logistics of homeschooling with different ages, be a good support for a struggling learner, set realistic goals, dismiss the guilt, and weather any criticism. You can be a hopeful homeschooler! God uses all for good and can transform all of your stress, fears, shortcomings, and successes to create the best plans for your family. 

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Better Late Than Early: A New Approach to Your Child's Education
In this book, Raymond and Dorothy Moore look at the research behind learning styles for children. The message of slowing down and responding to your child's readiness is a welcome contrast to the common practice of pushing young children through the system. They conclude that the best environment for children to learn is at home. 
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They're Your Kids: An Inspirational Journey from Self-Doubter to Home School Advocate

For many people, their schooling was uncomfortable, tedious, and sometimes a waste of time and energy. This book offers the idea that the public school system is tragically flawed and that we are able to do better for our own children. Sam Sorbo, mom of three and wife of actor Kevin Sorbo, took the leap into homeschooling and found the joy and success she was seeking. Included are strategies for working parents, those who are scared to take the leap, and anyone who wants the best for their children. 

Why do some people choose to homeschool their kids?

More and more American parents are choosing to educate their children at home. What accounts for this trend? Reasons include faith preferences, the individual approach to education, and a desire for a stronger family unit. 

How to Start Homeschooling
When you've made the decision to homeschool, where do you start? This guide from Sonlight Curriculum explains the pros and cons of a home education lifestyle, offers free resources, and has a How to Start Homeschooling checklist to help you connect with other homeschooling families, create your homeschool vision, and choose curriculum. 
Why Do People Homeschool?

Excellent education, dedicated teachers with a great teacher-to-student ratio, education tailored to the specific child, integrated education, and better teaching materials are some the reasons that make home education the best choice for your child and your family. 

Homeschooling 101: A Guide to Getting Started

Homeschooling 101 gives you the steps to help you get started on your homeschool journey. This guide lays out how to get started, choose and gather curriculum, scheduling, organizing your home, and finding the joy in homeschooling. This book is perfect for new homeschoolers who are looking for real help in taking the first step. 

10 Advantages Of Homeschooling That You Really Can't Argue With

While most parents just expect and plan to send their kids to a public school, a growing number of American families are re-envisioning their education philosophy, deciding to teach their children at home. And indeed, there are several advantages to homeschooling, including more family time, using your preferred curriculum, safety, learning at their own pace, and more quality time. 

Making Your Decision to Homeschool
55 Serious Reasons Why You Should Homeschool
Here are dozens of reasons why you should homeschool. Families and teachers worldwide have been convinced that government controlled schools are “better” for children, but this is often not the case. Homeschooling is the best approach to improving quality of life in all aspects of the home and family. 
Is Homeschooling Right for You?
The decision-making process to homeschool a child is daunting. If the child presently attends public school, it’s more intimidating. Many people eagerly voice their opinions on home-based education and at times, the debate is heated. However, according to the National Home Education Research Institute, significant growth has transpired in the past three to five years with the homeschool population in 2010 reaching 2.4 million students. But is it right for you? If you are considering a home-based education for your child, here are a few things to consider as you begin your decision-making process.
Making the Homeschool Decision
Homeschooling is a very rewarding experience, but can also be very trying and stressful. The rewards far outweigh the negatives, but you’ll need to take a look at your own life when making the decision to homeschool or not. Things to take into consideration include your schedule, finances, household, and commitment.
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Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School

If you’ve ever felt that your child wasn’t flourishing in school or simply needs something the experts aren’t supplying, you’re ready to become a "guerrilla educator." this books explains what’s wrong (and what’s useful) about our traditional schools and shows you how to take charge of your family’s education to raise thinking, creative young people despite the constraints of traditional schooling. Filled with fun and exciting exercises and projects to do with children of all ages, this remarkable approach to childhood, education, and life will help you release your child’s innate abilities and empower him or her in the wider world that awaits beyond the school walls.

101 Reasons to Unschool

Wondering why anyone would unschool their children? Well, here are lots of reasons why unschooling is a good choice. From the fun aspect, to the superior learning, to the avoidance of the unpleasant parts of school, this list gives you lots to think about if you are considering the unschooling approach to the education of your children. 

Homeschool is a How-To-Live Decision, Not a How-To-Learn Decision
Homeschooling is a huge family decision. It's not a schooling decision. It's a decision about what the values of a family are. Deciding to homeschool or not is a fundamental decision about family life. There is a point when kids can decide for themselves, but it's when kids are independent enough that schooling is not so much a family decision.
Why Unschool?

This website is presented by two unschooled siblings who have since grown up and are happy to share their experiences with this educational model. Unschooling provides so many opportunities for children to learn about the world without the constraints of a classroom by celebrating a natural love of learning. Families and children can benefit from this wonderful way of learning. 

Our Family's Decision to Homeschool
One mom shares her decision to homeschool her daughter after eight years in a Montessori school.
What is Unschooling and Why Do Parents Consider It?

Unschooling is fueled by curiosity-driven experiences. It is estimated that about 13 percent of homeschooled children learn through unschooling. Unschooling will look different for every family, but it is founded on the idea of following the child's interests and giving the space and freedom to explore those interests. 

The Why of Homeschool
Focusing on homeschooling and the media, Isabel Lyman's doctoral dissertation analysis of over 300 newspaper and magazine articles revealed that the top four reasons to bypass conventional schooling were dissatisfaction with the public schools, the desire to freely impart religious values, academic excellence, and the building of stronger family bonds.
How to Respond to Haters When You've Decided to Homeschool
If you’ve made the decision to homeschool your children, more than likely, you’ve met resistance from almost everyone who knows and loves you and your children. These lighthearted examples can help you respond. 
Your School Sucks
There is a cognitive dissonance about public schools. Everyone knows public schools in the US are terrible, but everyone thinks their school is the exception. The reality is that your school would be the exception only if it teaches using project-based learning. Which it doesn’t. The public schools that are exceptional are exceptional at teaching to the test – a process that’s widely discredited. Give your kids more credit than that. Reformers say child-driven learning and project-based learning are best. Parents are the only educators in a position to do that. So all kids will get a better education at home. 
100 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good for Families
Homeschooling is good for families! This creative lists looks at 100 ways that homeschooling can enrich the lives of your children, yourself and your spouse.
Should I Homeschool Or Not
To homeschool or not to homeschool, that may be your question. And that only leads to more questions: How do I know if I should or not? What should I even start to think about? What about curriculum? If you have at all considered homeschooling these questions have probably run through your mind.
Dear New Homeschooler
A look at the process new homeschoolers go through to find resources and information on the internet.
Deciding To Homeschool Is Not About If You'll Do a Good Job
There is so much research about how useless school is that you have to be in complete denial to put your kids in school. Penelope Trunk details why the choice to homeschool was a no-brainer for her.
5 Reasons I Homeschool My Kids (By A Surprisingly Sane Mom)
Why would a family with no religious affiliation opt out of the standard school model? The short answer is that the stakes were too high not to. The long answer is in the rest of this article. From freedom, to a miserable experience for those working in the school system, to excessive homework, to unnatural socialization ideals in school settings, to the ability to follow your own path, this mom lists the reasons that compelled her to strike a different plan for her child.
3 Reasons NOT to Homeschool
Each family comes with its own dynamic – a beautifully complicated medley of philosophies and needs involving a family’s heritage or culture, parenting style, financial stability, spiritual or religious preference, communication, and of course, educational goals and background. It may not be the right choice for a family to homeschool. These reasons not to homeschool can give you some food for thought.
Common Objections to Homeschooling
John Holt answered common questions from homeschoolers and educators.
Why I Homeschool
A look at the many reasons to choose homeschooling over traditional schooling. The author looks at some the myths of the traditional school system and examines its structure and the reasons for that structure. 
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Noah Webster's Reading Handbook
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Help for the Harried Homeschooler : A Practical Guide to Balancing Your Child's Education with the Rest of Your Life
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