TPJ 73: HOMESCHOOLING VS PUBLIC SCHOOLING: A Guide for Parents

I know there can be a lot of anxiety and indecision when it comes to the topic of school vs. homeschool. How do you know which way to go? What if I try it and it doesn’t work? What if I ruin my kids??

In this episode I’m going to walk you through the decision making process and take you from indecision to clarity. 

[10:42] “The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of imagination is anxiety.” Deepak Chopra

[11:58] 1. Our role is to choose the environment in which our children educate themselves.

[14:04] 2. Our choices aren't right for everyone. They're only right for our own families.

[16:27] 3. Nothing is set in stone. We can make changes if something doesn't feel right.

[18:40] Use this matrix & process to help you make a decision.

[20:31] Education

[22:13] Time

[23:31] Cost

[24:39] Reliability

[26:16] Method

[28:01] Socialization

[31:50] Autonomy

[33:22] Health

[34:17] Relationships

[35:58] Intuition

[36:45] Add in any additional considerations for your unique situation.

[41:02] If you're going to homeschool, work on mindset before you go out and buy all the awesome stuff. 

[42:12] Learning can only be effective when you and your child feel good about it.

Q&A:

[49:29] I want to homeschool, but my spouse thinks I'll ruin our kids. 

[51:47] How old were your (Avital's) kids when you started using your Focus Time approach?

[53:03] What is a "hybrid model"?

[54:25] How do I homeschool a preschooler and still work 8 hours from home?

[56:07] What homeschool system do you recommend for non-English speakers?

[56:43] My spouse thinks socialization will suffer if we homeschool.

[58:22] I'm not a structured person and already struggle with routines...I fear it may be a little too much.

[59:55] What time are the Q&A sessions if I join Focus Time?

[49:29] I want to homeschool, but my spouse thinks I'll ruin our kids. 

[51:47] How old were your (Avital's) kids when you started using your Focus Time approach?

[53:03] What is a "hybrid model"?

[54:25] How do I homeschool a preschooler and still work 8 hours from home?

[56:07] What homeschool system do you recommend for non-English speakers?

[56:43] My spouse thinks socialization will suffer if we homeschool.

[58:22] I'm not a structured person and already struggle with routines...I fear it may be a little too much.

[59:55] What time are the Q&A sessions if I join Focus Time?

[1:01:02] What age should we start? I think my kids are too little.

[1:02:20] Do I need to homeschool, or is unschooling an option?

[1:03:30] Does homeschooling work between divorced parents?

[1:04:33] Would Focus Time help me decide if homeschooling is for me?

[1:05:13] How do you handle "demand avoidance"?

[1:08:06] My Mom is an elementary school teacher and talks about homeschoolers always being behind when they start school.

If you’re still unsure or are homeschool-curious, check out our course Focus Time. It will help you gain clarity and take a peek behind the curtain to see what it’s like to homeschool. 

If you enjoyed this episode and it inspired you in some way, I’d love to hear about your biggest takeaway. Take a selfie of you listening or a screenshot of the show, post it to instagram stories, and tag me @parentingjunkie or feel free to DM me on instagram, I try to reply to as many as I can!

Are you subscribed to my podcast? Subscribe here so that fresh episodes are delivered directly to you.

Those shiny 5-star ratings and sweet reviews have me all gushy, thank you. But more importantly, they help other parents discover the Parenting Junkie Show and spread the word about Loving parenting and Parenting from Love. If you have a moment to spare, those reviews mean the world to me, you can leave one here

Want to connect to like-minded parenting junkies?
Join our (free & awesome) FB community Love Parenting with Avital.

Resources:

Om Podcasten

Welcome to Hi, Fam! Learn how to blend ancient wisdom with modern living to design a family life you love. Your host, Avital (pronounced Ah-Vee-Tal), is a designer, parenting coach, and mother of five on a mission to guide parents to build unbreakable homes, create passionate marriages, and raise resilient kids. Tune in weekly for no-nonsense myth-busting, tough love, fascinating conversations, and deep dives into controversial subjects. Learn more at hifam.com