Homeschooling vs Sending Your Kids To School - Which Option Is Right?
People who are anti-homeschool disapprove of it as unsocial and growth-stunting for kids, while people who are anti-school believe the school system is restrictive and has a political agenda. So here's my 2 cents...
I look at homeschooling not as schooling at home but rather as an alternative method of learning for kids. There are things I dislike about sending my kids to school, and there are things I dislike about homeschooling.
Unfortunately, neither one is perfect. My best advice for parents from my experience as a homeschooler for over a decade, as well as a parent whose tried both homeschooling and regular schooling is…
Find the most successful way for your child to learn and decide what the goals are for your child’s future. Also, base your decision on how bad the schools around you are, because you don’t want your child to get corrupted in order to choose the easy way. Yes, you should ensure that you are able to homeschool your kids, but not at the expense of their leaving the deen or falling into haram. Sometimes, big sacrifices have to be made over convenience.
I made a quick list of the reasons you may want to homeschool or send your kids to school in the hopes that this will help you make an informed decision about something so important that will affect your family as a whole.
10 Reasons to Homeschool Your Kids
It's flexible for people who want to travel or like us, who relocated a lot.
You see your children more often and don't miss out on any of their milestones.
There is no homework in homeschool and thus more time for family and hobbies.
Kids do less busy work and more actual learning, as well as learn at a faster pace.
A child's individual character and learning needs are met, so they can focus less on a strong subject and more on a weak subject.
Kids don't have to deal with bullying and teasing from mean kids, or feel demeaned and helpless from an ignorant teacher.
Children have another life besides school and can participate in other learning opportunities that build stamina, maturity, and character.
A parent doesn’t need to deal with carpooling, lunch-making, school meetings, multiple teachers, homework, after school tutoring, emails, etc. which can be more tiresome and time-consuming than homeschooling if she has many kids.
There is opportunity to incorporate religious and character studies in the syllabus.
Children get to mix with various age groups and thus learn to respect and be more compassionate towards other kids, especially those of a younger age.
10 Reasons To Send Your Kids To School
There are some really wonderful schools that offer a more enriching experience than you could.
There are some amazing and dedicated teachers who can motivate and inspire your child to thrive and accomplish great things.
Kids can be influenced positively by other children, or by witnessing how bad behavior in other kids look from the outside.
It gives parents who can't homeschool an option to educate their children while maintaining a career, and provides a choice for struggling parents.
It gives an exhausted and overwhelmed parent a break from disciplining and seeing to her children for those hours they are in school, so that she can have time to refresh and renew herself.
It gives a parent with multiple kids or older kids the option to send some kids to school and keep some kids at home to focus on their individual or special needs.
It offers more resources and content than if you homeschool with limited finances and options. This is especially true in some parts of the world where it’s difficult to homeschool
School offers another community for a family to be part of, especially since homeschool can sometimes leave a parent or child feeling isolated or discriminated for their choice.
A parent has an opportunity to pursue her goals and ambitions with clarity and focus that may have been put on hold since having kids.
It prevents your kids from being online so much and less active, as schools are more interactive and they are constantly moving from class to class - this is a big factor for older kids.
In Conclusion
Making dua and having faith that Allah SWT will guide our kids is the most important factor after all. Everything is not in our control as we think, so you can’t say with certainty that if my child goes to school they’ll get lost, or if they’re homeschooled they’ll lack social skills.
Everybody's experiences and situations are not the same. As parents, we should make the best choice for our child’s education by being aware of our reality and what our kids need in order to thrive. We should choose the best course for them because they are our amanah (trust) and we will be answerable for how we raise our children.
Not everyone has the choice to homeschool or even to send their kids to school, so don’t let this factor cause you anxiety. Allah does not give us more than we can bear, so do what you can with what you have and leave the rest to Him SWT by making dua for guidance.
Salam, I’m Zakeeya!
I believe being a wife, a mother, and making our homes a sanctuary for our families brings us tremendous blessings, fulfillment, and improves society. Since 2011, I've been committed to helping Muslimas find tranquility in their roles, take better care of themselves, and attain contentment within. Our journey is not an easy one, but I pray the resources and mentoring I offer, will assist in navigating you through your everyday challenges with mindfulness and gratitude, inshallah. Join me as I share wifehood, motherhood, homemaking, and lifestyle solutions that make life more fulfilling for you as a woman! READ MORE
Homeschool Support Is Just A Click Away!
Are you finding your parenting or homeschooling journey tougher than usual? Do you feel overwhelmed, frustrated, burnt-out, confused, or even resentful? It doesn’t need to be that way! You simply need the skills to find tranquility in your parenthood and to educate your kids with awareness.
Book mentoring for homeschooling here!
