What Kids Think About Homeschooling

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Every couple years I try to get inside the brain of my boys and touch base on how they really feel about homeschooling. It’s good to know what kids think about homeschooling. Not only does it help keep us on track regarding our mission, I find that the questions and answers also benefit other people—especially as my boys have gotten older.

Hearing homeschooled kids talk about their opinions on and experiences with homeschooling can be helpful as well as interesting. Sometimes, it’s even hilarious to hear what kids think about homeschooling.

At the time of this episode of “what kids think about homeschooling”, my boys were 6th and 7th grade—weeks away from turning 12 and 13 years old. A few of the questions asked in this post were some I recycled from previous interviews, some are from readers on social media. The boys’ responses are listed together although they were interviewed separately. Their responses are not edited. This truly is what kids think about homeschooling…at least, as far as my kids go.

Describe a typical homeschooling day at our house:

13 – Wake up, breakfast, some school, a break. Some school, a break. Done with school and on to other stuff we want to do.

12 – Wake up, reading and writing, 30 minute break. History, Science, CNN Student News, 30 minute break. Math and other stuff, done. On with our day to explore our own stuff.

What Kids Think About Homeschooling

Have you ever felt, even though we have time during the day that is “sit down school”, that you’re only learning during those hours?

13 – No.

12 – Why would someone think that?

What Kids Think About Homeschooling

People really want to know what the kids think about homeschooling.  So, for you, what is awesome about homeschooling?

13 – The freedom.

12 – The freedom.

What Kids Think About Homeschooling

What isn’t so awesome?

13 – Stereotypes. And most the stereotypes I deal with are from adults. People my age are generally fine, or easier to convince that the stereotypes aren’t true. There are still adults who hear we homeschool and assume we are either super conservative religious or totally radical unschoolers. We aren’t either but I think some people still want to shove us in that box.

12 – Stereotypes. Some people assume that we’re not learning at the same speed. Or that we’re not actually learning, we’re messing around all day.

Everyone wants to know what kids think about homeschooling, so I gave my kids a list of questions from my readers. Here are there unedited answers.

Do you think you would want to go to public school when you reach high school age?

13 – No. I like the freedom of homeschooling.

12 – I think we would lose a lot of freedom if we went to public school. And I would think everything would just take longer because there are more people to deal with in a classroom. It’s nice to just have two people. We can learn the same stuff much faster.

 

Do you plan to go to college? If so, do you think you will do online college, go to actual class, or a mix of both?

13 – I plan to go to college but I’m not sure yet how I want to do it.

12 – I haven’t thought about it.

 

As a homeschooler, do you feel that you are being well prepared for the future?

13 – I think a homeschooler can be prepared. The only thing that I think some might flounder in would be deadlines and how to meet them on time…but that’s why I think parents should still make deadlines for kids. Kinda like you do. We have papers or bigger projects due at the end of the week and we have “take a break, come back to school in a half hour” things during the day. We learn to watch the clock. We learn to manage our time.

12 – I think we’re well prepared because everything we do is real life.

What Kids Think About Homeschooling

What was better about homeschooling when you were younger?

13 – More project type things. But I get that the things that were “fun projects” when we were younger wouldn’t fly now. I just miss having projects that go with everything. It’s just different now.

12 – More projects. More hands on stuff that goes with what we’re learning.

 

What is better about homeschooling now that you’re older?

13 – More say in what we do. Like, I submitted the school schedule for this year. A different way of breaking up the day and we tried it and it worked.

12 – We’re more independent. We get to help plan more stuff, too.

 

If you could give a new homeschooling parent advice, what would it be?

13 – Don’t be a helicopter mom. If your blades are getting tangled in your kid’s hair, you’re doing something wrong. And slow down on projects so you don’t run out of cool stuff to do.

12 – Use Life of Fred for Math.

Me – But what if Life of Fred doesn’t work for them?

12 – Well, use what works for your kids. Not just the mom or dad. Like…Teaching Textbooks. I hated that.

Me – I loved Teaching Textbooks.

12 – Exactly. But it didn’t work for me. Or my brother. Now we do Life of Fred and it’s awesome. Oh, I would also say that it’s important to let your kids explore. Don’t be over-protective.

 

As a homeschooler, do you think your relationship with your mom/dad/brother is better, worse, or no different than if you were in public school?

13 – I don’t know. I’ve never been in public school so I have no comparison.

12 – I think it’s better because we interact all the time. We’re always around each other.

Me: That doesn’t bother you? To always be around each other?

12. No.

What Kids Think About Homeschooling

Where do you meet friends?

13 – Most friends I have met come from homeschool groups or live in the general vicinity of our house. Sometimes friends of friends stuff works, too.

12 – Same place everyone else meets friends. Out in the world.

 

Are you on sports teams? If not, do you feel deprived?

13 – I don’t care much for sports, but I could still join extra curricular public school activities if I wanted to.

12 – Nope. Not into sports. Well, we do shooting sports through 4H. But yeah, if we wanted to do other sports we can do public school sports or community ed or there are homeschool sports groups around here, too.

 

What age did you learn to read?

13 – I don’t know.

12 – I don’t know.

Me – I think “13” was 4 and “12” was 8. I think “12” would have read earlier if I would have backed off and stopped hounding him. Because as soon as I relaxed about it, he went from not reading at all to reading chapter books.

 

Do you want to have a job before you are 16? Do you think homeschooling would make that easier?

13 – Yes, I want to have a job before 16. I assume it’s easier as a homeschooler because you have more time.

12 – I haven’t really thought about it, but I would think it’s easier because you have more freedom in your schedule.

 

Do your friends make a big issue about you being homeschooled? Like, “you’re so lucky you get to stay home” or ” I bet you never have to do homework.” If so, how do you talk to them about this?

13 – I don’t really worry about what kids think about homeschooling. It’s not really a big deal. I mean, conversations mostly go like:

Billy: What school do you go to?

Me: I’m homeschooled.

Billy: Cool! I wish I would be homeschooled.

Me: Yeah. It’s pretty cool.

Billy:

Me:

Billy: So, want to play a video game?

Me: Sure.

12 – One friend thought maybe we did school everyday of the week or that we never got vacations. You just tell them that’s not true and then you hang out. It’s no big deal.

 

Do you ever feel like you want to go to public school?

13 – No.

12 – Our (public school) friends get on the bus at 7 am and don’t get home until 3:30 pm. We do school from 9 am to noon. No, I never feel like I want to go to public school.

 

How has your usual day changed as you have gotten older?

13 – Mostly just in what we’re studying. The amount of time we’re “doing school” has mostly stayed the same. The amount of freedom has changed, though.

12 – The things we’re learning are different but I would say the day is mostly the same. And it’s still awesome.

So there you have it. Questions from you on what kids think about homeschooling, answered by my always-been-homeschooled kids. Are there any other questions you’d like to hear their answers to? Leave them in the comments!

Everyone wants to know what kids think about homeschooling, so I gave my kids a list of questions from my readers. Here are there unedited answers.

 

I’m always wondering what kids think about homeschooling. Curious to see if my sons’ thoughts and opinions have changed? Read these posts:

Interview with a Ten Year Old Homeschooler

Interview with a Nine Year Old Homeschooler

Tired of the sugarcoated version of homeschooling? Read my book The Homeschool Highway: How to Navigate Your Way Without Getting Carsick.

           

8 thoughts on “What Kids Think About Homeschooling”

  1. Interesting answers! I’m going to try this out with my kids, though they’re younger and new to homeschool. It does provade a lot more freedom, thats for sure!

  2. Oops! And the fact that I can’t spell responses should not be considered a factor in my teaching ability.

  3. Great post! We also find that the people who look down on us as homeschoolers are almost all adults. My sons friends all ask him a lot of questions about how they could become homeschoolers and are very supportive. We love homeschooling and my son has absolutely soared academically ever since we pulled him from public school. If I could go back, I would have started homeschooling much earlier. Better late than never!

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