5 Misconceptions About Homeschooling

As we prepare to start our fifteenth year of homeschooling, we find ourselves facing the same basic misconceptions that we've endured for over a decade. As a homeschooler, constantly addressing these falsehoods can become tedious, and it can be difficult to refrain from making a sarcastic comment when confronted with apparent disdain and ignorance.

Here are some of the more common misconceptions we've run into in the last fifteen years....

Misconception Number One: You get to sleep in....

I don't know how it is for every other homeschooling family, but our children almost NEVER sleep in (unless they are sick). In fact, with seven children between 18 months and 19 years, sleeping through the night is 'iffy' most nights, let alone sleeping in until 7:00 am. If one or more of our children sleep until 7am it's a rare morning. I might not have that mad dash to get children on a bus in the morning, but we are definitely up and at 'em bright and early, just like most other families with children. Since we don't subsist on cold cereal and Poptarts, we are in the kitchen making breakfast by 8am.

Misconception Number Two: You get to relax all day while your children watch "educational" TV

To be honest, there have been days, especially during the early or later stages of pregnancy or during illness, where our "schooling" consisted of a few more episodes of "The Magic School Bus" or "Popular Mechanics Kids" than I might prefer, but that's the benefit of homeschooling. It adjusts to what is happening in your life and family right then and there. Each minute of each day. That means some days we might watch television -- but it also means we might spend the entire day at a museum, hiking through the woods, or reading a great piece of literature. There are no "school" bells to stop our learning for the day, and more often than not, it begins early in the morning, measuring out ingredients to make breakfast and continues until the lights are turned off for bed at night (unless of course we're studying the stars). With homeschooling, there are no true "days off" or weekends because every day is a learning experience, filled to the brim with teachable moments. 

Misconception Number Three: Every Day is a Pajama Day

I know some people really, really love their pajamas. That's just not me. It's a rare day when I come downstairs and start breakfast without getting dressed for the day and making the bed first. But, for my kids, it's more of a variant. If we have places to go, I will send them to get dressed for the day right after breakfast. If being in their pajamas is hampering their learning for a time, I will have them get dressed before coming to the breakfast table. Other days, I might not remind them until lunch. And yes, there have been times when they wear their pajamas all day. If they are comfortable, learning, happy, and healthy, what clothing they wear shouldn't matter. That's one of the glories of homeschooling; it adapts to what works for you. Truly, is there anything better than cuddling up with a good book under a soft blanket in front of a fire with a cup of hot cocoa handy? Don't you wish you could have done that during your school days? I certainly do!

Misconception Number Four: You shouldn't homeschool if you don't have a degree

While this argument might seem valid to some, a college degree doesn't mean a person will be a good teacher, able to share or impart a passion for learning onto their pupils. To suggest that a normal adult parent is incapable of teaching their young children basic concepts is absurd. Parents are natural educators of their children. It is parents that teach their children how to speak (though typically unintentionally), parents that potty train their sons/daughters, parents that teach life skills (dressing, brushing hair/teeth) and parents that divest the knowledge of right and wrong to their children from the youngest of ages. Parents are natural teachers and advocates for their children, knowing them better than any strange adult in an institutional classroom ever could, with an intense desire to see their child succeed and the determination to find the best methods to ensure that success. A loving parent can do far more for their child's education than a horde of "education experts" intent on creating a cookie cutter methodology of education. 

Misconception Number Five: It's Easy!

Of all the things I have done or attempted to do in my life, homeschooling is by far the most difficult. It's so much more than being a Mom or a Teacher. It's both jobs, plus cook, custodian, and counselor all mixed into one, with no breaks, no aides in the classroom that can take over for a few minutes, and no Principal to delegate discipline to. It is challenging in every aspect. Keeping up with grade level expectations, researching learning models, teaching methods, and constantly evaluating and adjusting lessons so they can benefit your child/children the most. It's humbling to know that your children's success depends entirely on you and your ability to provide them with a quality education and the foundation for a good life. There are power struggles, daily learning lessons, tears (both yours and your children's), and sometimes, you learn more about yourself and your preconceived notions than you might like. It is the single most difficult and rewarding calling I can imagine.


There are many other misconceptions about homeschooling, like that pesky thing about socialization or that homeschoolers can't get accepted into big-name universities, but we'll talk about those later.