There are many benefits to homeschooling your children and flexibility is one HUGE benefit of this lifestyle. If you haven’t started homeschooling yet, you might not have considered this benefit.
If you’re like I was, it might take you months or years of homeschooling your kids to fully embrace this benefit to homeschooling.
See our list of the advantages and benefits of homeschooling your kids.
Listen to this HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast Episode: Benefits of Homeschooling
Hi! My name is Jackie and I’m the host of the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast. I hope that you’ll join parents from around the world to listen to my podcast each week.
You can listen to this episode about the flexibility of homeschooling your kids here.
While you can listen to the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast nearly anywhere that podcasts are played, we suggest following us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
The Flexibility of Homeschooling
Homeschooling allows flexibility in your life that is absolutely unmatched when your kids attend traditional school.
I want to share a story about a day when I had to make a last minute appointment for one of my kids.
A Story About Embracing the Benefits to Homeschooling
Today, I scheduled an unanticipated dentist appointment for my daughter. It was necessary that we had her seen promptly.
Unlike parents who have kids in public school, I don’t have to consider how this appointment might impact her school day.
I don’t have to worry about her turning in assignments late or worry about her making up tests. Likewise, there won’t be any makeup homework that interferes with our family time this evening. We’ll just pick up where we left off tomorrow. In addition, I don’t need to call the school and explain to them what why she is missing class.
Quite frankly, even if your kids are in school, what you’re doing is none of their business.
Basically, I just do what I need to do because we have the flexibility to do so. This is a huge benefit of homeschooling my kids.
Another Benefit to Homeschooling: Waking Up Naturally
Fortunately, my younger daughter doesn’t have to get up early for this appointment—she doesn’t even have to go with us.
I am grateful that my husband works from home, as this sometimes works to my benefit. Today is one of those days.
My youngest will probably wake up about 7:00. No alarm needed.
Homeschooling Pro: Self-Reliance
When my younger daughter awakes, she’ll go visit with her dad for about 15 minutes before heading out to feed all the animals. Afterward, she’ll get herself going for the morning. She’ll cook her own breakfast and maybe her dad’s too.
When my daughter is ready, she’ll begin her schoolwork. She knows what to do and will begin without any prodding from me or my husband. I appreciate that my kids are getting older and are increasingly more responsible.
Advantages of Homeschooling: Time With Parents
While my youngest will be home with dad, I’ll have a little alone time with my oldest. On the drive in, it’s likely we’ll talk.
Mostly, she’ll talk, and I’ll listen. This is great for our relationship.
Sometimes though, we listen to audiobooks, educational CD’s or podcasts.
Have You Been Thinking About Homeschooling?
This book was written to help you decide if homeschooling is the right decision for your family.
Homeschooling Benefit: Flexible Schedules
Since we’ll be out and about, we are taking advantage of our time in town.
We live about half an hour from anywhere, so while we’re in town, we’re going to the gym this morning. I’ll go to an exercise class and my daughter will head to the boxing room.
If you’re a homeschooling family, you’ll likely count your child’s time at the gym as physical education for the day.
When we leave the gym, we are taking advantage of our flexible schedule a little bit more. On the way home, we’ll stop and pick up a couple of the kids’ homeschooling friends. It’ll be about lunch time when we get home. So, my youngest will put away her schoolwork and the kids will undoubtedly have home economics in my kitchen.
Another Homeschooling Advantage: Working & Playing Around the Weather
If your family has animals or likes to do outdoor activities, then being flexible in your daily schedule is a huge advantage to homeschooling.
Homeschooling offers unparalleled flexibility that cannot possibly be matched when kids go to school.
Most days, my kids spend hours outdoors. Since they homeschool, they can adjust their schedule accordingly and get outdoors when the weather is best.
Flexible Playtime & Exercise
Let me tell you about the younger girls‘ physical education. First, the younger girls will jump on the trampoline. Let me rephrase that, they don’t just jump, they also move like horses. They gallop, canter, and trot. They also hop like real rabbits. Like any kid, they test their physical ability on the trampoline.
Then, they’ll do physical education like you’ve never seen it. They’ll head out to the arena and set up an obstacle course with vertical poles, barrels, jumps, and parallel poles on the ground. This course is not set up for the horses, they set it up for themselves. They run this course over, and over, and over again. It’s amazing. I don’t think many people could keep up with them. It’s a workout and a half.
Listening to Your Body
In my opinion, the ability to listen to your own body is one of the many benefits to homeschooling. Since my children homeschool, they can move when needed, do schoolwork when their attention span is high, eat when they are hungry, and read when tired.
When children are in public school, this simply isn’t an option. Generally, kids do as they are told when they are told to do so. Oftentimes, kids in school don’t even have the right to go to the bathroom without asking for permission. Just a note, if this strikes you as ludicrous, then you might be interested in this article and podcast episode about the hidden agenda of compulsory education and how schools are dumbing kids down.
Unlike children in school, when my kids and their friends are tired and hungry, they have the right to listen to themselves and do what they need to do. As a result, they’ll come in and eat lots of fruit and drink lots of water. Afterward, they’ll probably go play with their toy barn animals.
Benefits to Homeschooling: Learning & Education
Of the many benefits to homeschooling my kids, the flexibility in how we approach learning and education is a tremendous advantage. I don’t believe that education needs to look like it does in a traditional classroom. In addition, I don’t need to lead all of their education.
My kids, like all kids, were born with an innate interest to learn about the world around them. When allowed, they will follow their own interests and educate themselves. Here are some examples.
When the younger girls are ready for a lower energy activity, they’ll probably come inside and read books together. For years they’ve been obsessed with reptiles. Their favorite book is a snake encyclopedia. If you have questions about reptiles, these two could probably give you the answers!
While the younger kids are reading together, the older girls are writing a book together. This was not an assignment, but it is something they are doing on their own.
If you want to hear more of this story, be sure to listen to this episode on the HomeSchool ThinkTank Parenting Podcast.
Live & Learn Your Way
My girl’s friends will stay about three hours. Yep, this will happen right in the middle of a traditional school day. Sometimes, they even have sleepovers on school nights. Gasp!
After their friends leave, my kids will spend time doing a little more of their curriculum based education, have a snack, and then head back outside for a little more fun and chores.
At the end of the day, the girls will have completed some traditional school work, but they’ll have also learned in other non-traditional ways. However, each of their days will be well-spent. They will be engaged and learning throughout most of their day.
Educational Benefits
As a mother, I see benefits in many different approaches to education. In many instances, curriculum can be helpful. However, I see equal benefit in play-based education and experiential learning. Homeschooling allows families the freedom to approach education in a way that works best for their family.
At HomeSchool ThinkTank, we believe that each family should live and learn in a way that works best for them.
Benefits to Homeschooling: A Flexible Lifestyle
This is the life of my homeschool family. Some days look more normal than others, but every day is full of education and learning. I love the flexibility of homeschooling. Today, like most days, is what it needs to be.
We have a basic routine and educational plan in place. However, we are flexible and adjust our days accordingly.
Our relationships, our health, and our education are all important. We will embrace the flexibility of homeschooling and live and learn our way.
Will you embrace this one huge benefit of homeschooling?
Join Our Online Homeschool Parenting Group
Get the support you need. Join our online homeschool parenting group.
Benefits & Advantages of Homeschooling List
- Academic Flexibility: Children can work at their own pace and learn in a way that is best for the child.
- Calm Household: Homeschooling allows you to have calm mornings & pleasant evenings. There’s no need for morning madness. Also, in the after-school hours, your kids will have time for sports, fun, and more without worrying about homework.
- Children with Special Needs: Kids with special needs may receive more of the accommodations they need through homeschooling.
- Community Involvement: When homeschooling, kids have more time to volunteer and take advantage of activities in your community.
- Connection: Focus on connecting with your kids. Learn more about how to connect with your kids through this outstanding annual parenting conference.
- Diversity in Education: Explore unschooling and other approaches to your child’s education. Consider the vast differences between school and education here.
- Educational Options: Did you know that you don’t necessarily need reading curriculum to teach your child to read? Teach your child to read with children’s books using this guide. The same could be said for nearly any subject. There are many ways for kids to learn a concept.
- Explore a Variety of Educational Opportunities: Education can happen in a variety of places and in a variety of ways.
- Fitness: Your child will have more time to play, exercise, and move throughout their day with homeschooling.
- Flexible Daily Schedule: Do school at times that work for you. See our homeschool schedules article and podcast episode.Flexibility in Your Approach to Homeschooling: See our styles of homeschooling article and podcast episode.
- Freedom: When homeschooling your children, you truly have the freedom to Live & Learn Your WayTM.
- Friendships: There are many ways for homeschoolers to make friends. Learn more about how to make friends when homeschooling.
- Illness: If a child is ill, homeschooling may be the only way that they can meet compulsory attendance laws.
- Legal Requirements: If you don’t want your kids to go to school, then homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and many countries around the world. See our article about homeschooling laws here.
- Low Student to Teacher Ratio: Whether you do all of the teaching, enroll your child in small homeschool classes, or hire a tutor, the teacher-student ratio is bound to be better than it is in your local public school.
- Mental Health: If your child is struggling in school, homeschooling will give you the opportunity to focus on helping your child improve their mental health.
- Military Families: If your family moves frequently due to military obligations, homeschooling may be a better option for your children than attending public school.
- No Homework: Maybe the thought of no homework sounds ironic for homeschoolers. However, school is done on your terms, not on a school schedule.
- Nutrition: No more school lunches and an open kitchen can give your child the opportunity to eat healthier.
- Playtime: Your child will have more time for the many benefits that are associated with ample playtime.
- Pursue Your Vision for Your Family: Create a vision for the life you want and have the flexibility to pursue it while homeschooling your children.
- Prioritize Your Own Time: When your kids go to school, your local school district prioritizes much of your time and your children’s time for you. Reclaim your time through homeschooling. Learn how to prioritize your time in this article and podcast episode.
- Screen Time: With kids doing more and more online learning through school, their screen time is at an all time high. Take back control over your child’s screen time with homeschooling.
- Shift Work: If you work odd hours, then you may be able to spend more time with your kids if you homeschool them.
- Spend More Time Outdoors: Integrate an outdoor learning model into your homeschool routine.
- Teach Your Children Using Your Own Philosophy: Create your own educational philosophy for homeschooling your kids with this article and podcast episode.
- Teaching to the Test – No More! If your child is tired of being tested constantly, then homeschooling might be for you. In addition, your child will have more time to learn at a deeper level.
- The Time to Develop a Love of Learning: Time to read because you want to read is invaluable. Learning because you’re interested in something is much more valuable than learning just to pass a test.
- Time: When your kids go to school, you spend massive amounts with school related travel, homework, and other related activities. These activities limit how you and your children spend your days.
- Traveling Options: Go on vacation anytime of the year or go on the adventure of a lifetime with roadschooling or worldschooling.
- Values: Share your values with your children.
- Yearly Schedule: Follow the traditional school model or school year round.
2018-2022+. HomeSchool ThinkTank, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
2018-2022+. HomeSchool ThinkTank, LLC. All Rights Reserved.