Home schooling is more and more popular everyday in spite of the bad reputation it keeps on suffering from. Indeed, home schooling a child tends to be seen most of the time as a selfish attempt of parents to keep their babies at home. But, against all odds, this system actually does work for a lot of families.

The first main prejudice is that home schooling prevents children from socializing and isolates them from the rest of the world. It is true that staying at home all day long can turn children into social misfits. However, for centuries, children used to socialize within the context of their own family and community. Nowadays, lots of studies show that students are actually a part of daily routines of their communities. They are mostly encouraged by their parents who care about kids’ long-term social development, especially when they have always been studying at school. Furthermore, traditional high schools are currently more on a path of desocialization because students are always grouped in class according to age and level, geographic area and socio-economic background. The structure and reality of traditional high schools are sources of frustration for lots of students. The traditional education system teaches our children how to remain passive whereas home schooling brings freedom and independence.

Studying at school give to the teenager the opportunity to choose what he wants to study with a wider range of available subjects. Basics have to be entirely covered by the age of 10, which means that high school programs are very flexible.
Moreover, students can easily organize their school days and holidays and therefore, compromise in lots of clubs’ activities outside school (sports, arts, voluntary work). These activities are essential for teenagers to build their personality in a period during which they feel lost and insecure and it is the best way to boost their resume for college applications.

Emotional and physical well-being is also at stake when choosing home high schooling. It is undeniable that students at home don’t suffer pressure, competition, boredom and bullies- usual feelings teenagers put up with in a traditional school-. Home schooled kids can dress and act the way they want and maintain a good self-esteem all along their teenagehood. Also, according to scientific studies, sleep is vital for teens and preteens. Morning classes can affect a lot capacities and concentration skills of the students.
Finally, home school students can accomplish in a few hour what takes a typical class a week or so to cover. Without distraction and thanks to an adapted rhythm of learning, kids benefits from flexibility and quietness and become more efficient in their work.

Current studies keep on listing day after day more positive points to begin studying at home. It is now time to stop stigmatizing this system that has shown good results and certain efficiency. No wonder that the number of families that chose to home school their children grew at a rate of 15% in 2009!