Making Your Decision
The reasons people decide to educate their children at home are varied and can be unique to each family. Some look towards a better educational experience, others are concerned with moral and social issues, some are concerned with safety, and still others have special needs that they wish to address. Explore these reasons and others that have led families to homeschooling.
Resources
How to Start Homeschooling
When you've made the decision to homeschool, where do you start? This guide from Sonlight Curriculum explains the pros and cons of a home education lifestyle, offers free resources, and has a How to Start Homeschooling checklist to help you connect with other homeschooling families, create your homeschool vision, and choose curriculum. 
Why Do People Homeschool Their Children?

Who in their right mind would choose to homeschool their kids? Well, lots of people! The reasons to choose homeschool can vary, but many homeschoolers share in a common decision pathway. 

They're Your Kids: An Inspirational Journey from Self-Doubter to Home School Advocate

For many people, their schooling was uncomfortable, tedious, and sometimes a waste of time and energy. This book offers the idea that the public school system is tragically flawed and that we are able to do better for our own children. Sam Sorbo, mom of three and wife of actor Kevin Sorbo, took the leap into homeschooling and found the joy and success she was seeking. Included are strategies for working parents, those who are scared to take the leap, and anyone who wants the best for their children. 

Top 5 Reasons Why Parents Homeschool Their Kids

Homeschooling has been on the rise in the United States over the last ten years. According to the U.S. government and education researchers, the number of students being homeschooled has doubled in the last decade. So, why do parents choose to homeschool their children? Through and anecdotal evidence, Calvert Education has put together the top five reasons why parents decide to homeschool their kids: avoiding a negative school environment, getting a higher quality education, improving social interactions, supporting a learning disabled child, and educating during family times of change. 

50 Reasons People Choose to Homeschool

Reasons for homeschooling are different for everyone. Here are 50 of the more common reasons the families decide to homeschool their kids today. 

Homeschooling 101: A Guide to Getting Started

Homeschooling 101 gives you the steps to help you get started on your homeschool journey. This guide lays out how to get started, choose and gather curriculum, scheduling, organizing your home, and finding the joy in homeschooling. This book is perfect for new homeschoolers who are looking for real help in taking the first step. 

Why We Homeschool

It is a common misconception that most parents homeschool due to bullies, school shootings, or bad teaching content. While these things are important, there is a higher purpose for choosing to home education your children. Even if all those things were corrected, there are stronger reasons to stay committed to the homeschool model. So why do you homeschool? This book looks at the meaning and significance of a true Christian education. 

Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence

It's time to change your perspective to transform the way you plan, teach, and homeschool. This book helps you to see homeschooling as a calling. With this mindset, you'll be able to dismiss the stress of impossible expectations. Find strategies to help you juggle the logistics of homeschooling with different ages, be a good support for a struggling learner, set realistic goals, dismiss the guilt, and weather any criticism. You can be a hopeful homeschooler! God uses all for good and can transform all of your stress, fears, shortcomings, and successes to create the best plans for your family. 

Homeschooling Pros and Cons

Homeschooling is becoming more popular every day, with a growth rate of 7 to 15 percent per year. There are about two million children currently learning at home. Homeschooled kids do well on standardized tests, are welcome at colleges and universities, and as adults, have a reputation for being self-directed learners and reliable employees. To help other parents who are considering homeschooling, here is a new list of pros and cons.

10 Advantages Of Homeschooling That You Really Can't Argue With

While most parents just expect and plan to send their kids to a public school, a growing number of American families are re-envisioning their education philosophy, deciding to teach their children at home. And indeed, there are several advantages to homeschooling, including more family time, using your preferred curriculum, safety, learning at their own pace, and more quality time. 

Making Your Decision to Homeschool
What is Unschooling and Why Do Parents Consider It?

Unschooling is fueled by curiosity-driven experiences. It is estimated that about 13 percent of homeschooled children learn through unschooling. Unschooling will look different for every family, but it is founded on the idea of following the child's interests and giving the space and freedom to explore those interests. 

8 Powerful Reasons Why I Unschool My Kids

Nina Palmo explains the benefits of unschooling by looking at the benefits this model offers. These benefits include better learning, innovative thinking, passion about learning, good preparation for college and the workforce, and even more what the exact point of learning is (hint: it's not just to go to college or enter the workforce). Unschoolers don't have all the answers, but they do dig deep to find the best way to help their children find joy and power in learning. 

50 Reasons Homeschooled Kids Love Being Homeschooled
Do kids like to be homeschooled? Here are some responses from homeschooled kids, revealing the common and not-so-common benefits for kids when they are home educated.
Making the Homeschool Decision
Homeschooling is a very rewarding experience, but can also be very trying and stressful. The rewards far outweigh the negatives, but you’ll need to take a look at your own life when making the decision to homeschool or not. Things to take into consideration include your schedule, finances, household, and commitment.
Guerrilla Learning: How to Give Your Kids a Real Education With or Without School

If you’ve ever felt that your child wasn’t flourishing in school or simply needs something the experts aren’t supplying, you’re ready to become a "guerrilla educator." this books explains what’s wrong (and what’s useful) about our traditional schools and shows you how to take charge of your family’s education to raise thinking, creative young people despite the constraints of traditional schooling. Filled with fun and exciting exercises and projects to do with children of all ages, this remarkable approach to childhood, education, and life will help you release your child’s innate abilities and empower him or her in the wider world that awaits beyond the school walls.

Why I Homeschool My Children
A mom shares her happy reasons for choosing homeschooling for her family.
Why the Future of Education is Unschooling

According to John Holt, unschooling allows children the freedom to learn in the world on their own terms. He saw no distinction between learning and living a meaningful life. Learning is a natural process and works best when integrated into the spaces and activities of everyday life. This article takes a look at some of John Holt's philosophy of education and explains why unschooling is often the very best choice of educational model. 

3 Reasons NOT to Homeschool
Each family comes with its own dynamic – a beautifully complicated medley of philosophies and needs involving a family’s heritage or culture, parenting style, financial stability, spiritual or religious preference, communication, and of course, educational goals and background. It may not be the right choice for a family to homeschool. These reasons not to homeschool can give you some food for thought.
Common Objections to Homeschooling
John Holt answered common questions from homeschoolers and educators.
Homeschool is a How-To-Live Decision, Not a How-To-Learn Decision
Homeschooling is a huge family decision. It's not a schooling decision. It's a decision about what the values of a family are. Deciding to homeschool or not is a fundamental decision about family life. There is a point when kids can decide for themselves, but it's when kids are independent enough that schooling is not so much a family decision.
5 Reasons I Homeschool My Kids (By A Surprisingly Sane Mom)
Why would a family with no religious affiliation opt out of the standard school model? The short answer is that the stakes were too high not to. The long answer is in the rest of this article. From freedom, to a miserable experience for those working in the school system, to excessive homework, to unnatural socialization ideals in school settings, to the ability to follow your own path, this mom lists the reasons that compelled her to strike a different plan for her child.
Is Homeschooling Right for You?
The decision-making process to homeschool a child is daunting. If the child presently attends public school, it’s more intimidating. Many people eagerly voice their opinions on home-based education and at times, the debate is heated. However, according to the National Home Education Research Institute, significant growth has transpired in the past three to five years with the homeschool population in 2010 reaching 2.4 million students. But is it right for you? If you are considering a home-based education for your child, here are a few things to consider as you begin your decision-making process.
The Why of Homeschool
Focusing on homeschooling and the media, Isabel Lyman's doctoral dissertation analysis of over 300 newspaper and magazine articles revealed that the top four reasons to bypass conventional schooling were dissatisfaction with the public schools, the desire to freely impart religious values, academic excellence, and the building of stronger family bonds.
Your School Sucks
There is a cognitive dissonance about public schools. Everyone knows public schools in the US are terrible, but everyone thinks their school is the exception. The reality is that your school would be the exception only if it teaches using project-based learning. Which it doesn’t. The public schools that are exceptional are exceptional at teaching to the test – a process that’s widely discredited. Give your kids more credit than that. Reformers say child-driven learning and project-based learning are best. Parents are the only educators in a position to do that. So all kids will get a better education at home. 
Why We Are (gulp!) Home Schooling
More and more, public schools are confronting Christians with difficult choices. One parent explains why he and his wife made the decision to home school. He discusses how they perceived a clash of world views, the lack of balance between school and family, what education really is, and more.
Why Unschool?

This website is presented by two unschooled siblings who have since grown up and are happy to share their experiences with this educational model. Unschooling provides so many opportunities for children to learn about the world without the constraints of a classroom by celebrating a natural love of learning. Families and children can benefit from this wonderful way of learning. 

100 Reasons Why Homeschooling is Good for Families
Homeschooling is good for families! This creative lists looks at 100 ways that homeschooling can enrich the lives of your children, yourself and your spouse.
How to Respond to Haters When You've Decided to Homeschool
If you’ve made the decision to homeschool your children, more than likely, you’ve met resistance from almost everyone who knows and loves you and your children. These lighthearted examples can help you respond. 
Should I Homeschool Or Not
To homeschool or not to homeschool, that may be your question. And that only leads to more questions: How do I know if I should or not? What should I even start to think about? What about curriculum? If you have at all considered homeschooling these questions have probably run through your mind.
Why Do People Homeschool?
A look at the academic advantages of choosing to homeschool your child. These benefits come from the opportunity for an excellent education, the inevitability of a dedicated teacher, and education tailored to a child's capabilities and personality, integrated and consistent education, and better teaching materials.
Looking for Another State?
Featured Resources

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H. A. Guerber's Histories
Helene A. Guerber wrote histories for grammar school children in the 19th century. Published in 1896 by the American Book Company, ‘Guerber’s Historical Readers in the Eclectic Readings Series’ were used to introduce children to the histories of the ancient and classical world. These engaging narratives are richly detailed accounts of the lives and times of the most important people of the period, arranged chronologically. The people are placed within the context of their times, and their histor...
Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)
In this brilliant, lively, and eye-opening investigation, Tom Vanderbilt examines the perceptual limits and cognitive underpinnings that make us worse drivers than we think we are. He demonstrates why plans to protect pedestrians from cars often lead to more accidents. He uncovers who is more likely to honk at whom, and why. He explains why traffic jams form, outlines the unintended consequences of our quest for safety, and even identifies the most common mistake drivers make in parking lots. Tr...
Veritas Press
Veritas Press offers a history based classical curriculum for kindergarten through twelfth grades.
Perrine's Sound & Sense: An Introduction to Poetry
Perrine's Sound and Sense is a fantastic book for studying poetry with your children. It is a great resource for high school students. It includes clear and thorough explanations of devices, forms, how to analyze poetry, and more, as well as a huge variety of poems, both classic and contemporary.
Recovering the Lost Tools of Learning: An Approach to Distinctively Christian Education
Author Douglas Wilson makes the argument that education must have a foundation of religion, which informs worldview. Education is the asking and answering of questions, and learning to read and write is simply the process of acquiring the tools needed to do that.