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As a homeschooling mom, I believe there are many benefits of homeschooling. You can find lists of why homeschooling is a great idea all over the internet. You can even take a peek at why my family has decided to homeschool.
However, I wanted to take a look into the benefits of homeschooling as a natural living family. Did you know that there are natural living benefits of homeschooling? There are actually natural and green reasons to consider homeschooling.
Natural Living Benefits of Homeschooling
No Commute
There’s no need to drive your children to school and they do not need to ride the bus. All your children need to do is walk a few steps in your house and they are there.
With this lack of commute you save money on gas, produce less car emissions, and even save time so that you can do more important things then drive around town.
Healthy Lunches
When a child goes to a public or private school, they often times eat the school lunches. These school lunches are generally not quite up to natural/real food standards.
When you homeschool, you are completely in charge of your child’s lunch. They can have only real food to eat. No need to worry about other kids allergies, no need to have the school question you if you pack kombucha for your child.
Non-Toxic School Room
Schools can use harsh cleaning supplies, use products that off-gas, and tend to use florescent lights. All of these release toxins and are obviously not good for our children.
When you homeschool, you get to decide what to clean the “school room” with, what products to have, and what lighting to use.
Tailored Schooling
Every child is different. In a school setting, it’s hard to cater to each child’s needs. Even in low number classrooms, things somethings will have to be generalized so that all the children can be taught.
Natural parents realize that each kid has different needs; homeschooling allows you to tailor curriculum and learning styles to best suite your child.
Wider Array of Subjects
This will of course depend on circumstances a bit but in schools you are limited to subjects that the school offers. In homeschooling, you can gather curriculum for anything you’d like to teach.
You can focus on areas that you think important (fermenting foods, anyone?) If you want your child to learn a subject you have no knowledge in, you can search for classes taught by others. It’s not limited to just your abilities or preferences.
Allergy Friendly
As a parent of a child with a nut allergy, I know how nerve wracking it can be to send your child out into the public. You just never know want might come into contact with your child and cause a reaction.
I’m not saying you can’t deal with allergies and sensitivities in public or private schools. I’m just saying that you don’t have to worry about a classmate touching your child with their peanut butter hands… because the only classmates your child has in homeschooling are their siblings.
Less Peer Pressure for Materialist Items
Kids are no different than adults; they can be materialistic, they can want it all. Put all those kids together and everyone “needs” what everyone else has.
In the natural living world, we tend to focus on minimalism and a more simplistic life. Homeschooling reduces the materialistic peer pressure to have it all.
It’s easier to avoid your child wanting all the plastic toys when they aren’t bombard by all the other kids (not that they won’t see this at friend’s houses…but there’s at least less exposure this way.)
Time to Let Them be Kids
Kids these days are in school for so much of the day. Sure they might get a few breaks for recess but it’s not much when you consider how long they are sitting in a classroom or doing homework during the day.
A homeschooling day is often finished in under 4 hours (personally my kids get done with school in just 2 hours)! This allows children plenty of time to enjoy playing, enjoy going outside with no time limits, enjoy actually being kids!
It Extends the Attachment Parenting Style
Homeschooling means your children get to stay home with you all the time. You are there to pick up on their cues, teach them, learn about them, help them grow.
While you could still practice attachment parenting with kids in school, it’s much more difficult when you have gaps of 6 or so hours each day when you really do not know what your child did or went through.
I know homeschooling is not a perfect fit for all families but if you are a natural living family you may want to give homeschooling a thought.
Want more homeschooling posts to read?
Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum
How to Schedule Your Homeschool Year
How to Cut Costs on Homeschool Curriculum
How to Homeschool the Preschool Years
We homeschooled both our girls all the way. They are now 23 and 25 years old. I wouldn’t haven’t done it any other way. It was such a blessing to be able to do it and to get all the benefits like these and so many more. Great post!
Great list! I have a feeling this is something most people don’t even think about when it comes to homeschooling. Plus, you can “put them to work” in the garden, with building projects, caring for animals, etc. which are also good experiences and teaching opportunities! Nothing like learning about animal husbandry first-hand. 😉
I think homeschooling also allows you to know and tailor your schooling to help them flourish in their gifts. My youngest has always loved plants so this year we will do botany even though there is no high school curriculum on this subject. She is so excited. However, my other 3 have no interest in that at all. My oldest is now graduated and an artist. I always incorporated visual and tactile things into her schooling. How great that we can find things they enjoy and help them learn! blessings on your homeschool.
Yeah, Homeschooling Rocks! Keep up the good work, and thanks so much for sharing with us at the Homesteader Hop!
These are really good points! I was already pro homeschooling, but these make me even more sure of our decision to pursue it. 🙂
Love this take on homeschooling!! Thanks for a great article!
We homeschooled for many years, and I am preparing to begin again with my youngest. I can say we definitely enjoyed each of the benefits you listed!
Nice list of benefits and some I never thought of! Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth! 🙂
These homeschooling benefits are so important to a healthy, wholesome quality of life for our kids. I hope more families will consider homeschooling. My cousin homeschooled her kids and it made such a difference. All in all, the most imporant benefit to me is control over what our children are eating and experiencing. Homeschooling rocks! I am so delighted that you shared the Natural Living Benefits of Homeschooling with us at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party!Thank you so much for sharing your gems and for your support! All the best, Deborah
Love the article, thank you. I’m homeschooling my Kindergarteners and absolutely loving it.
I mean, who wouldn’t love to get school done in 3 hours so we can go play at the park…..go to friends houses….go see the Grandparents…..etc
Love this time with my boys ❤❤
I’m just concerned about the consequences in the child’s social life. How can they learn how to deal with people different from the ones they know already? How can they be able in the future to do the right choices if the’ve never been tempted and learned how to resist it?
I can see your concern if the homeschooled child lived in a bubble but the reality is that homeschooled kids are just as exposed to people in different beliefs, cultures, etc as any public schooled child. There are also plenty of co-ops and homeschool activities that end up mimicking a public school peer environment (if the family chooses to participate in that).