I have yet to delve into the world of homeschooling; however, the more I investigate, the more I realize that homeschooling my daughters may be best for them in the long run. I have been part of the public education community in various capacities for the past fourteen years, and I can honestly say that the public school system continues to leave me looking for alternatives, and quickly.

There are a myriad of reasons why parents choose to homeschool their children, and many public school educators are moving their children away from the public system to an extremely private one: homeschooling. If you’re looking for reasons to homeschool your children, please turn in your homework (yes, that’s a pun) and make sure it’s something you can handle. An education is nothing to mess with.

There are several factors to consider when choosing to venture into uncharted territory. First and foremost, can you handle being with your kids literally twenty-four hours a day? If in doubt for any reason, do not homeschool. At least her son would get an education, albeit not a very good one, if he continues in the public school system.

Here is a list of my top five reasons homeschooling may be our next step.

Bullying in schools has become more commonplace than in years past. With the advent of social networking sites and text messages/cell phones, cyberbullying has displaced face-to-face confrontations and this, in turn, has caused the most unlikely bullies to rear their ugly heads in society . And since old-fashioned bullying still takes place, some kids at school aren’t safe, whether they’re in the school building or at home. While many schools say they are taking a tough stance on bullying, our Senate leaders think the stance against bullying is too tough on bullies. In accordance with a recent amendment to SB 3004, school officials will no longer be permitted to use suspension or expulsion as a form of punishment until physical harm occurs, and; then, the bully can only receive three days off and cannot suffer academically because of her bullying. I’m starting to think this should be my number one reason.

Socialization is often a strong argument by idiots against homeschooling your child. However, with all the work schools are packing into a school day, socializing is frowned upon in schools. It’s so bad that many schools don’t let students fraternize or talk at lunch. The school says kids won’t eat if they talk, but hey, isn’t that your call? A couple of missed meals and then struggling through the day may be just what a child needs to learn to combine eating and socializing. And what socialization skills do schools really teach beyond kindergarten? Students are not allowed to speak in class. In fact, every time my high school daughter got in trouble at school it was for talking and/or socializing. There are certain socialization lessons that need to be taught that did not exist twenty years ago. Like teaching students how to carry on a conversation without having a cell phone glued to their fingertips. Oh wait, I forgot that cell phones are prohibited in most schools.

The curriculum in America’s schools is being revised at an alarming rate, and in a way, I think it will do far more harm than it will help. Many schools across the country, for whatever reason, are buying Common Core. Yes, the common core will help schools meet or exceed their numbers on standardized tests, perhaps. But more importantly, it is taking the creativity out of good teachers and creating little drones that don’t think, can’t and won’t think or do for themselves. I was recently in a seventh grade classroom where the students were really expecting me to read the story to them so they could answer the questions in the study guide. Humble what? I am a former English teacher who loves the classics. However, we are not students of this advanced technological age who can read or understand Shakespeare, Dickens, and all the other ancient authors still taught in school. Yes, there are valuable lessons in his works. Yes, teachers should use examples of these works when teaching concepts or writing. But forcing a child to read Romeo and Juliet just because the two main characters are roughly the same age is ridiculous. There are great things out there that can teach the same lessons and be more relatable to today’s youth.

Money is another major issue when it comes to homeschooling your children, and I wish this reason was really as simple as saving some money. Let’s face it, education has become a question of money. More money is being injected to feed the children. More money is being spent on discipline issues. It is stopping, suspending or cutting more money altogether. Money is the only reason the school cares if your child is absent or not. Students know that they will get their homework and have time to complete it if they are absent, and how much would they really miss if they were absent for a day or two? Why does the school need to make sure your child is there and why are there attendance rules? The school needs to fill its maximum number of students daily to receive the maximum number of daily funds, which many schools do not receive in time to start. Now, get away from all that drama and maybe you can do amazing things with your finances once you study at home. No more registration fees. No more fundraising expenses. No more sports fees. No more lunch money. There is no after school or before school day care. No more summer nursery.

Common Core is teaching students how to think alike so they can pass a useless test. And, that is if they are taught to think at all. I’ve been to the ACT test prep sessions and taught them. Our main goal was to teach them tricks to add a point or two to their quiz. Tricks became the center of attention. For example, we teach them which answer to choose based on statistics. Like most of the time, the right choice is the third option. Students are discouraged from adding their opinions or sharing their beliefs because it is not relevant to the lesson in question, which was designed by the folks at ACT and taught in their schools with no room for creativity and independent thinking.

The decision to homeschool is entirely up to you, but I earnestly hope that you will do the work necessary to ensure that your child receives a quality education. But above all, if your child continues through the journey of the public school system, be sure to teach him how to think, solve problems, make educational decisions, and become an independent and successful burden on society.