[*~Amber~*]

We didn't homeschool this year but are considering doing it again. My oldest DD is in the 3rd grade and is adamant about not homeschooling again, she loves PS. I am on the fence on whether I want to make her homeschool or let her continue on in PS. I would like opinions from kids that have graduated from homeschool, especially those who didn't necessarily want to homeschool to start with. I would appreciate it if you would either post the results to the questions here or send the to my inbox. Here are my questions.

Opinions on homeschooling from homeschoolers



1. Did/ do you like being homeschooled?

2. list the good and the bad…..

3. did you feel socially awkward when you went to college or trade school or whatever you may have done after graduating?

4. How is your social life now? Do you have a good core group of friends?

5. Do you feel like you missed out on important life experiences?

6. What were you feelings when your parents told you, you were going to be homeschooled? What are they now that you’ve graduated?

7. Do you feel like you got a good education? Has the good education benefited you now that you’re an adult? Do you feel like the education was really important or do you feel like you would have benefited more from other life experiences.

[Eowyn]

1. Did/ do you like being homeschooled? I loved it, it suited me so well that I was the only one out of 5 of my siblings to homeschool exclusively. My brothers and sisters experienced both public and home school throughout their education.

2. list the good and the bad…..
For me it was all good. It suited me. I worked hard and liked to finish my school quickly and dedicate the rest of my time to my own interests. I was also able to get a job at 15 during the day because I could easily do school in the evening.
I felt like I was out in the world learning more real world experiences sooner-but not overly soon-than most kids my age. I graduated high school at 16 without a problem and continued studying college level subjects that interested me on my own.

3. did you feel socially awkward when you went to college or trade school or whatever you may have done after graduating?
Not at all. I felt like most of my public schooled friends were pretty immature and had no idea how the real world worked. Probably because of this my friends were mostly quite a few years older than me. I didnt see this as a 'con' though, I just found groups of friends that I could relate better to.

4. How is your social life now? Do you have a good core group of friends?
I have the same friends since gradeschool and a good handful friends I met in my adult life.

5. Do you feel like you missed out on important life experiences?
Some people might think so, I didnt go to dances or parties much(though I often was invited by friends in public school.) I had my own interests and pursued the sort of experiences I was interested in. I easily found others to share my own interests with.

6. What were you feelings when your parents told you, you were going to be homeschooled? What are they now that you’ve graduated?
I was always homeschooled but it was always an option to go to public school.
The idea of dragging out school all day that I could finish well before lunch hour seemed idiotic to me. For me I was always in sports so I never felt like I was isolated from other kids and experiences. Sitting in a class room was just never an experience I wanted to have! lol!
I am eternally grateful my parents were willing to homeschool me.
but thats just me, my brother HATED being homeschooled- just goes to show everyone is different I guess!

7. Do you feel like you got a good education? Has the good education benefited you now that you’re an adult? Do you feel like the education was really important or do you feel like you would have benefited more from other life experiences.

Honestly I feel like I got a better education being homeschooled because I got one on one attention. You cant pull off not paying attention in class when you are homeschooled.

DH was public schooled and sometimes I can't believe how little he knows in History & Geography but his math is very good- but then math is what he needs to know for his job.
i feel there are MORE opportunities for experiences outside of public school- but you have to seek them out, you don't have people planning them for you.


If your daughter is happier learning in public school but you'd rather she be homeschooled for whatever reason maybe see if she can do certain classes she enoys the most. My sister took 2 classes, 2 times a week at public school but the rest of her subects she did at home and she liked that very much.

[Butter]

1. Did/ do you like being homeschooled?
Loved it!

2. list the good and the bad…..
I learned a ton and was truly ready for college (not all of my classmates were). I got to pursue things that I wouldn't have time for had I gone to school. I got to start college early. Can't think of anything bad.

3. did you feel socially awkward when you went to college or trade school or whatever you may have done after graduating?
Not at all. Most people are very shocked when they find/found out I was homeschooled (my older brother, however, was public schooled and extremely socially awkward... my older sister also was public schooled and was not... it's honestly a personality thing, not a school choice thing).

4. How is your social life now? Do you have a good core group of friends?
Fine. Yes.

5. Do you feel like you missed out on important life experiences?
Nope. I actually went to public school dances with friends even.

6. What were you feelings when your parents told you, you were going to be homeschooled? What are they now that you’ve graduated?
I was thrilled and still am.

7. Do you feel like you got a good education? Has the good education benefited you now that you’re an adult? Do you feel like the education was really important or do you feel like you would have benefited more from other life experiences.
Yes, a very good one. Yes. Education and other life experiences are not mutually exclusive. I know I got a much better education at home than I would've in public school, but I also got to do some things (like dances) at the public school because I had friends who were public schooled. I played in a community band and I did theater at the local community college. I had a job. I volunteered. Etc., etc., etc. I was even on a local cable station kids show! Homeschooling is the best of both worlds.

[*~Amber~*]

Thanks for your responses!

[alittlelost]

1. Did/ do you like being homeschooled?
I went to public school for years. I was bored a lot of the time and had to deal with bullies. Finally, early in my junior year, I started a self-study program. I finished 2 years of school in 3 months and graduated at 16, then went to college right away. During this time I also worked a full time job

2. list the good and the bad…..
for me, there were no bad sides to the self-study.

3. did you feel socially awkward when you went to college or trade school or whatever you may have done after graduating?
I've always felt that way, even though most of my education was through public school. I was also more mature than my peers and found it hard to make friends. Even in college, a lot of the people there during the day were like . . . still mentally in high school. I started going at night, which was mostly with adults, and felt a lot more comfortable.

4. How is your social life now? Do you have a good core group of friends?
I moved a lot growing up and now I live states away from the state I grew up in, so I only have a couple friends. I will say that, in my experience and observation, mixing school with socialization is not the way to go. I prefer school for school, and social events/settings for socializing.

5. Do you feel like you missed out on important life experiences?
No. I don't feel like public school offered any important lief experiences and once I started the self-study program there were a lot of important life experiences I got to have early on (which benefited me in many ways) that I wouldn't have had if I'd stayed in PS.

6. What were you feelings when your parents told you, you were going to be homeschooled? What are they now that you’ve graduated?
I was SO excited for the self study program and think it was the best thing I ever did with my education.

7. Do you feel like you got a good education? Has the good education benefited you now that you’re an adult? Do you feel like the education was really important or do you feel like you would have benefited more from other life experiences.
I think I got a better education than my peers, who were too busy socializing to learn anything. Sometimes I think -- how can you be so dense when we had the same education?! -- but then I remember not everyone was in school to learn. Most were there to socialize. A lot of them still live with their parents now, too O.o