American Mothers S. A.



Why I Homeschool My Children


My kids at school

Public education is free in America as it is subsidized by the general taxes. The teachers are highly trained, the access to information and materials is great so why do I choose to reinvent the wheel and educate my children at home? I will give you my motives because there is curiosity among my peers but not because I want to convince you to agree with me. I am grateful for the choice to homeschool as much as others are grateful for the opportunity to send their children to public school.

There is no particular order for these reasons. None of them are strong enough to stand alone. In accumulating reasons, I feel that educating my children myself is the best thing for them. It is not the easiest or least painful solution. The more children I have, the harder it gets.

Reason 1: We are all influenced whether for good or evil by our peers.
Some people feel strongly that their children can influence their peers for good in public school. I think we get both kinds of pressure. Some of it elevates and some of it drags us down. By homeschooling, the strongest peer group my children have is their family.

Reason 2: Learning happens everywhere
We all learn from many sources. Even if we prefer to learn from books, the experiences we have, the things we observe in nature and the events around us mold our understanding of reality. Some kids do not learn best in a classroom. By homeschooling I can give my kids the opportunity to learn in more ways than a traditional student.

Reason 3: Productivity depends on self discipline
We’ve all heard the old saying, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” Young Americans in public school are offered the best water to drink but they are rejecting it. The American education system is trying to force children to learn and the children who have been given so many choices in life are choosing not to learn. By homeschooling I am teaching my children how to be self motivated in learning. This skill will continue to benefit them throughout their lives.

Reason 4: Accountability
The American people are demanding that the public schools be accountable for their performance before funding is increased. In recent years, funding has gone up while productivity has gone down. Unfortunately this has translated into a method of tying the test scores to the teacher’s job performance. While this is a logical top down approach, the students are truly the only ones accountable and they will suffer the consequences of the lack of education when they attempt to enter the real world.
As a homeschooler I am not accountable to the State of Texas. This concerns some people. However, my kids are accountable to me for their performance or lack thereof and I as their parent have the authority to enforce consequences if necessary. We talk about their progress on a weekly basis and I spend most of my day encouraging them to accomplish the goals that have been set.

Reason 5: Decay of traditional family values
The traditional American culture is often described by the work ethic of its people and their willingness to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” As America becomes more affluent, the culture decays. I feel that this quote adeptly describes the decay that I have observed: “When virtue is lost, benevolence appears, when benevolence is lost right conduct appears, when right conduct is lost, expedience appears. Expediency is the mere shadow of right and truth; it is the beginning of disorder.”  - Lao Tzu
All of us, including adults, must fight against this decay in our own work ethic. To swim against the current takes determination and strength. By removing my children from the outside culture to a family culture they are allowed to grow up in a sheltered environment. I am aware that eventually they will have to enter the culture and swim against the current on their own. They may not choose to adopt the family values that I have instilled in them through the mini-culture I have established. I am preparing to let them swim on their own eventually and accept their decisions when they are sufficiently prepared to make them. I do not feel that they have the strength to decide where they stand on the moral issues of our day at the age of five or even ten.

Reason 6: The Rat Race of public education makes me sick
I attended public school and was recognized in many ways as a high achiever. As an adult I prefer to live in the country where life moves at a little slower pace. I do not want to conform to the requirements of public school namely, drop-offs, pick-ups, homework deadlines, after-school activities, parent associations, attendance requirements, etc. These things are necessary in administering a large program. I choose not to be bothered by them.

Reason 7: Nutrition
Both my husband and I struggle with hypoglycemia which is also known as low blood sugar. This is caused by a hyperactive Pancreas. The remedy for this condition is a low-sugar diet together with small meals every two hours. There is no way to accommodate this type of nutritional requirement in a public school setting. Other parents have tried to work with the public schools to accommodate special dietary restrictions. I perceive that they have mixed results. My children receive better food by being educated at home.

Reason 8: Moral and Spiritual education is neglected by the public schools
I understand why the public schools have become neutral on moral and spiritual issues. I think the effects can be seen in the decay of our society. I prefer to supervise this type of education at home.

Andrea Mabey

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