Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) said:
Drawbacks and benefits to homeschooling, but the more I encounter homeschooled people, the fewer drawbacks I see.
The answer to that implied question is a resounding IT DEPENDS.
I am the youngest of 4 kids; I have 3 older sisters (8, 11, and 13 years older than I). We are all the product of the same conventional parents and conventional schooling. My oldest sister was always a self-motivated good student, with some natural curiosity. My youngest sister was not a bad student but was as deliberately 'normal' as she could possibly make herself. The subject of this discussion is my middle sister.
Sister #2 got pregnant (on purpose) out of wedlock at 19 and dropped out of high school (on purpose). At 20 she married her high school sweetheart (also a dropout), who was not the father of her child. Nonetheless he was a decent father and they went on to have 3 kids of their own.
Everything she ever did was in pursuit of her vision of some idealized, artsy, bohemian, lifestyle that A) never really existed, and B) she was far too lazy to ever actually make happen. Ditto her husband. Every choice was made in the least normal, least cost-effective way. Including family staples like housing and vehicles. Which is fine when you have the resources for it, but not so much when you never want to bother with a paying job or full time parenting or anything boring like that. She wanted to have 6 kids but had no possible hope of supporting them, and frankly didn't care for the actual duties of parenthood. At least she gave up on that idea and stopped at 4 kids. Mind you - her oldest kid is just 8 years younger than I am and her youngest is actually 1 month younger than my second kid.
Her first son graduated high school but has held a succession of 1-month to 1-year jobs ever since. Incapable of sticking to anything, including marriage and being a father.
Her second son did not come close to graduating high school. Eventually got a GED. Always in trouble at school and the district expelled him when he turned 18.
Her third son (I think) got a GED after she homeschooled him for high school, but it was tough. He eventually went on to take at least some trade classes. Not sure what he's doing now - he bounced around some different jobs - but against all odds he's actually the one who has stepped up and become the most mature of the whole batch, albeit still in his own peculiar way. Has 1 kid of his own and one step kid love child his wife brought home from an affair (long story). Regardless, he is a devoted father to both.
Her fourth son. Well, I guess she was tired of hearing from teachers and administrators, because she decided to home school him. This despite having very little education herself (either formal or self-taught). Mind you, she was at least 40 when he was born and was already tired of parenting her previous kids. Like I said, bad choices are a way of life with her.
Although she talked a good game about how she conducted their "school", as far as I know he received little or no actual education beyond reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. The last time I talked to him was about 10 years ago when he was 15. He was weird and poorly socialized. He ran away on his 18th birthday. I have no idea what he's doing with his life. I sincerely hope he's catching up on all the stuff he was never taught as a kid.
This is NOT a blanket condemnation of either home schooling or alternative child-rearing. But as I led off with, the success is very dependent upon the parent's willingness and ability to be an actual parent.
My eldest sister was a Montessori teacher for most of her career. That's very open-curriculum and very child-self-directed. I'm familiar with alternative learning methods and home schooling. I know dozens of success stories among family and friends who have home schooled for a variety of reasons.
It can work well. But you have to work at making it work.