When all of the schoolwork is completed, the last test has been taken, and your homeschooled child is ready to pursue the next phase of their life, it’s time to graduate!

While some folks believe graduation ceremonies are an artificial milestone, they are also a rite of passage in our nation. They signify both an end…and a new beginning. In addition to marking the transition to another phase of life, they also recognize the achievements and hard work that helped the student reach that point.

Homeschooling sounds like a great life…you sleep in, you can go to school in your pajamas and eat during class, you get to avoid bullies and finish classes earlier in the day. It sounds great, right? But there are a number of things you need to think about when considering homeschooling.

Now that the first generation of modern homeschoolers is well established in society, I’m hearing a lot about how well these young people are doing. They are running businesses, excelling in college and homeschooling their own children. One has even written a best-selling novel! So what makes these wunderkinds so successful, and is it to be expected?

Homeschool Portfolio

It’s that time of year again–time to create and turn in your Homeschool Portfolio.  For many parents this is a time of stress and frantic searching for all of those homeschool documents, pictures and moments that define the school year.  For others it is a time of reflection and enjoyment as they page through their already full portfolio and remember the good and the bad.

I’ve been asked so many times “What about sports? How can my child be involved in sports if I homeschool?”

The other common question I hear in reaction to homeschooling is “how do you socialize your child? Doesn’t she need friends and activities and sports to be ‘normal’?”

Are you starting to feel the strong desire to get outside?  To go for a walk?  To throw a ball?  To plant flowers?  To weed the garden?  To find a spring and go wading or a pool to leap into?

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, the diagnosis is easy.  You have homeschooler’s spring fever.

There is no doubt about it — school is a tough place to be. Your self-esteem takes a beating in this environment. I know that and so do your parents — even if you don’t think they understand!

Between the bullying, the teasing, the constant competition, and those classmates who seem to switch from friend to hater overnight, the pressure can be overwhelming. And it can hurt — a lot.

Whether or not you believe the public school system is broken – or whether you feel it just isn’t for everyone – homeschooling has proven to be a successful education model for families around the globe. I can tell you that homeschooling isn’t a new fad. There was a time when it was virtually the only way to get an education, and up until the 1850′s nearly all Americans were homeschooled. But is there a current trend toward homeschooling in the 21st century?

While the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was meant to improve our public education system and implement high academic standards for our children, it didn’t deliver. Ten years ago, the Act’s test-and-punish approach to education became the law of the land. It decreed that all students must meet a certain proficiency level in reading and math by 2014.

A fun and quick article on why homeschooling should be outlawed.

Click here and enjoy

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