Does anybody have a negative homeschool experience?

Question

I am researching homeschooling and keep finding only positive opinions/results. I would like to know if anyone, especially the homeschooled themselves, have any negatives to share with me. I would like to know what sort of problems other families have encountered.

Answer 1

I was homeschooled for K-3rd grade and 5th-9th grade (in 4th grade I went to public school). I hated being homeschooled and I resented my parents for homeschooling me. The only reason I went to public school in 4th grade was because my Mom had just had a baby and was also homeschooling my 2 sisters and didn't have time for me that year. Then my parents pulled me out after that year, even though I wanted to go back. It wasn't because I was a bad student or had any learning problems, on the contrary I was very bright. Their reason for homeschooling me and my brothers and sisters (I am the oldest of 6) was because "public school is bad and ungodly, blah, blah, blah....". After fighting with my parents through all of middle school and my first year of high school, they finally let me go back to public school for my last 3 years. To this day I regret that missed all those years at public school with my friends. I'm not saying that homeschooling is all bad, but for me it was a bad experience. I think it is a viable option for elementary grades but ultimately should the students choice at least for middle and high school. So yes, I had a negative homeschooling experience, to answer your question. (By the way, I'm 24 now.)

Answer 2

While I whole-heartedly approve of homeschooling--I'm a homeschooling parent--I do know of families where it didn't work out so well.

For a few of them, it was because the parents were too rigid in their philosophy. One parent just expected her son to learn how to read whenever he was ready; when he had asked her to teach him, she told him he'd be able to do all on his own if he was really ready (that's how she had perceived her daughter learning to read). He ended up very unhappy and probably would not have described his homeschooling experience as being that great. I haven't seen him in a while, so I don't know how things have turned out. Another parent I know has pulled her child a couple of time from school to homeschool and then ended up putting the child back--she had visions of the child being very self-motivated and when that didn't prove to be the case, she couldn't take it anymore and sent him back.

I know of a couple of people who did feel very isolated, but they had a family set-up where the kids could rarely be taken places during the day.

Oh, and I met a homeschooled teen this last summer who hates homeschooling. She'd just finished her first year. She wanted to be with her friends, gossiping, wearing the latest fashions, forgetting about school work, etc., and her mom wanted her to actually have some positive stuff in her life and an education. Go figure.The girl's younger siblings like homeschooling, though.

Answer 3

We homeschool. My dd is in kindergarten so this is our first "official" year. We enjoy it and she is doing great. However for us I have to laugh because we are never at "home". I am always on the go taking her to different classes field trips park days etc. For the most part I love it and see that my daughter is thriving. We homeschool for educational purposes.....However I can say that I do not have much time for myself and my interests...my house doesn't always look it's best. I feel that it takes a lot of work and patience although the rewards can be great. Think about this if you haven't found a lot of negatives maybe most who homeschool are happy with their decision. Most of the examples of children that don't like HS is because they were pulled out in the older years and miss their school friends or they have parents that aren't active and just expect them to sit and do book work or stare at a computer all day long. I can't imagine anyone liking that.

Answer 4

We're having a great experience, and I don't know anyone who has not loved homeschooling. There are a few kids on this board who have very negative viewpoints of homeschooling, because they feel that they weren't socialized enough.

When I asked my kids if they wanted to go back to school, they all screamed "NO!" in horror.

Answer 5

I have been homeschooled for about 7 years of my life off and on and it helped me catch up. I would say the only down fall is that you really need a great deal of disipline. Other than that you really cant write a bad review.

Answer 6

I am homeschooled at the moment. just for a little while and i did not like it at all! It is very easy to get distracted. If you are going to be homeschooled u should have someone there to tell you what to do and watch you. It's not easy and i do not like it at all.