What are the cons of Home Schooling. I?

Question

I have found many pros on the web, so I am familar with those. I am looking for research that supports the negative aspects of home schooling.

Answer 1

cons?

I'd say the biggest downside is that they only get one perspective. In school, kids have multiple adult figures that influence them, not just the parents. That situation could be very one sided.

In general homeschooled kids feel more comfortable around their family and not new people. I know homeschooled kids who are now in their 30s and are still living at home. When asked why, they said they were afraid of moving out. True story. They're brother and sister.

Answer 2

There are many ways for a homeschooled child to be socialized... the parent has to work diligently to make sure it happens. Socialization IMO is a non-issue since more & more HS groups & coops are springing up all the time. HS'ers are more likely to get *positive* peer socialization rather than *negative* peer socialization, as well as more inter-generational socialization than a child who sits in a room with 25 same-aged children 6-8 hrs per day, 5 days per week.

IME, the biggest con is the immense freedom that HS offers in terms of a course of study. Many parents (particularly unschoolers) let children dictate what they will & will not learn, following the child's interests and not necessarily challenging the child to delve into subjects where skills or interest are lacking.

In life, we often have to do things we wouldn't necessarily choose to do. When we are employed by others, we often have to do tasks that we don't enjoy becuase they are a vital part of the functioning of the business and must be done.

Even in college, where you can pick and choose which classes you take, there are basic requirements you must meet in order to obtain a degree. One college dean I know told me he's had horrible experiences w/HS'ers over the last few years, not because they are unprepared academically, but because they don't seem to fathom that they aren't calling the all the shots. When they can't get the university to cave to their desires, they meltdown.

It doesn't *have* to be that way if parents a vigilant, but I think HS'ers are less likely to encourage their kids to jump through regulatory hoops for the sake of it than are parents in the general public.

Some would argue not all HS'ers are going to college or some HS'ers are going to be self-employed so this indepence of thought and action is appropriate, but sometimes you just have to suck it up and do what needs to be done in life, whether it's in school, employment, parenthood, or personal relationships. Mature adults don't get to follow their own bliss at the expense of everyone else.

Answer 3

My stepson is being homeschooled because of a disability. There are a lot of positives, but since you asked for the cons, here you go. Besides the obvious lack of socialization with kids his age, I think it's important for a child to experience an enviroment where everyone around him doesn't think the sun rises and sets on him. I'm not sure if that makes sense so let me elaborate. Since he is at home almost all the time, and everyone adores him, he's not learning the skills he'll need when he enters the adult world. I think that he'll be in for a rude awakening when he gets older and not everyone thinks he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's hard to want to put your child in a tough enviroment, but it'll be harder when he's older. Also, if you do decide to homeschool consider getting a teacher or tutor to come to the house a few times a week unless you have a teaching background yourself. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Answer 4

The only negative aspect is that people automatically assume you're a freak.

Some homeschooling families also shelter their kids, but the two are not mutually exclusive.

Homeschooled kids have loads of friends. Adults aren't in school, but they have friends.

The only way to not be socialized in homeschooling is to intentionally live in a cloister. Only the screwups ever get any attention, anyway.

And don't be too quick to judge someone's social skills. Often, homeschooled kids just don't give a rat's *** about pop culture, or don't have much exposure to it since nobody in their peer group cares.

You get exposed to other cultures by going outside and living in the world, and homeschooled kids don't stay inside all day. At least, the normal ones do.

The freak shows steal the limelight.

Answer 5

There really aren't to many cons out there. The "lack of friends and social skills" is ridiculous. Are there a few homeschoolers out there like that? Sure, but there are even more kids like that in school. All the professional studies I've ever heard of have found that homeschoolers do just as well, if not better, in adult life than public school kids.

Answer 6

I like the idea of home schooling, but I feel the most negative effect is social skills. In class, kids bond with other kids. And despite the fact that there could be adverse effects such as bullies and whatnot, over time your children will not have a common bond or school spirit that other children will have. They may also be looked upon as outcast. However, studies have shown that home schooling can be even more beneficial then sending kids to public school systems.

Answer 7

I've only seen one negative aspect. (I have tons of friends who homeschool and my uncles were homeschooled) If you don't keep them socially active, they'll be very uncomfortable in social settings and won't know how to act. As long as you keep them exposed to the 'real' world out there and don't shelter them to the point that they seriously rebel, it's a truly wonderful thing. My uncles were mmoved away from people, kept home most of the time, and the only social interaction they had was some neighbors up the road a mile. That was their downfall. The friends showed them movies they shouldn't have seen, introduced them to drugs and alcohol, which they had not been warned about, and they thought they were missing real life. They turned to all that with full force when they came of age, and haven't really outgrown it, while the kids who introduced all of it have moved along in life a bit better. It takes a little bit of balance is all.

Answer 8

i homeschooled for several years and i found the negatives to be that staying on task was difficult. we were forever being interrupted by other school children on days that they were off and we had school. another was the stereotypes that others put on homeschoolers such as they are weird, anti-social etc. i do think though the social had some negatives as to make sure they had enought interaction with others you had to be on the road a lot going to sports events, getting to play groups etc. in saying that there are pros and cons to every education option....we had our children in public school for the first three yrs then homeschooled then sent them to a private 'christian' school (which was the worst of all) then back to public school (this one was in a more rural area) the public school they were at in the rural area was the best, they offered a great learning environment with lots of sports etc. i just wish we had lived where we do when they began school because we would have kept them in the public system we are in now from k to 12. i think most depends on who you and your children are. i have known very successful homeschool families and although i don't consider my homeschooling yrs as a failure they certainly weren't the best. good luck though with whatever you choose.

Answer 9

Well i think the most important con would be lack of socialization in an uncontrolled environment. Meaning that when a child is home schooled they learn the social pressures only found inside their tiny controlled world. Where as in a public school they learn good and bad socialization. I believe both to be important so the child can learn to handle his/herself in all situations without their parents help.

Answer 10

I was home schooled that last 2 years of High School. I actually convinced my parents that it would be better for me because I was having such a hard time in school and getting good grades. I didn't really suffer socially because I had the same group of friends since I was 13 and some of them were home schooled too. My biggest downfall was that when I went to college I actually graduated 6 months before the rest of my class, I couldn't get used to the structure of having classes all day and actually having to study. I was actually behind most of the other kids when they went to college with me. I had to take College Prep courses to catch up intellectually. I wish I would've enjoyed school and gotten good grades and had a good college experience but I guess school's not for everyone and it wasn't for me.