Introduction
Homeschooling has become synonymous with Christian families, with some surveys showing that of all homeschoolers in the US, 82% identify as Christian, and one survey citing that of all the homeschoolers in the United Kingdom, 96% are Christian families. With this in mind, this article intends to explore the various factors that prompt a Christian family to homeschool their children. In recent times, homeschooling has become a more accepted way of educating one’s children, though there are still mixed views of it in society.
Each family has their own reasons for choosing homeschooling for their children, but for Christian families, their beliefs play an important role in the decision, as does their desire to provide the best environment for their children, and the increasing availability of homeschool resources and support from the wider Christian community.
Eliminating Exposure to Impure Influences
Many Christians believe that, in a school environment, their children will be subject to many impure influences. Particularly they are concerned with the temptation of conforming to popular culture and/or doing things that go against their beliefs.
Some parents fear that their child may be exposed to pornographic material either through the internet or through classmates. Others fear that the paths of their children will be steered away from their faith by thoughts and ideas that are not recommended within the Christian religion. Additionally, Christian values are not taught in public schools, leading some Christian parents to fear that their children may be swayed in the wrong direction without proper guidance.
In this regard, homeschooling can be seen to eliminate much of these fears. Parents are able to provide their children with a faith-based curriculum, which can include instruction in the Christian faith, bible study and other religious devotions.
Furthermore, homeschooling allows parents to monitor their children’s access to the internet and the people they are exposed to. It’s also important to note that Christian homeschools employ the same teaching methods and disciplines used in secular schools.
Focus on Values and Morals
For Christian parents, a major focus in homeschooling their children is to teach them what they deem to be right and wrong. Christian homeschoolers may find that the purpose of schooling goes beyond mere teaching and into religious values and morals.
The idea is to raise their children understanding Christian values, which they hope will continually be instilled throughout their lives. Christian homeschooling also teaches children to have respect for those in authority, and to apply their faith in the world around them. Furthermore, the Christian homeschooling environment helps children to learn self-respect and mutual respect of peers and community members.
A key factor in teaching a child Christian values at home is to ensure a secure and loving atmosphere for them. This can involve having one-on-one time is spent between the parent and child passing on the Christian values that are important to the family. It can also involve participating in Bible studies, having family devotions and teaching Bible stories.
Education from a Christian Perspective
Christian homeschoolers teach their children within the framework of faith, which involves an examination of the Christian faith through their daily studies. Studies include a biblical analysis of topics such as science, history, literature and social studies, providing Christian homeschoolers to instill Christian values into their children’s education. Depending on the parent’s beliefs, Christian homeschoolers may choose to opt out of public schooling and focus on teaching solely from a Christian perspective.
The traditional approach would have Christian homeschoolers focus primarily on bible stories and teachings, while modern Christian homeschoolers use topics such as history and science to explain the principles of the Christian faith. This can be done through a range of activities such as teaching God’s laws, reading scriptures, telling stories and completing activities such as drawing and crafts that are biblical-based.
Christian homeschoolers also focus on subjects such as debating, public speaking and leadership, which can be further developed in the homeschool environment under the tutelage of caring and knowledgeable parents.
Giving more Love and Guidance
Christian homeschoolers also strive to provide their children with a loving and nurturing home environment and instruction, which of course cannot only be done through homeschooling. By homeschooling, parents are in a better position to provide their children with more personalised love and guidance. Homeschooling provides Christian parents the opportunity to spend more time with their children, who otherwise may not have much time left after attending school and completing homework.
Christian homeschoolers believe that this helps to strengthen the relationship between parent and child while also leading to better educational outcomes as it allows them to provide a more unique instruction. Parents are also in a better position to monitor the activities and daily behaviour of their children.
This includes shopping trips, church activities and even going to the park. Furthermore, it allows Christian parents to diminish the risk of their children being tempted by immorality and sinful activities that are commonly found in public schools.
Faith-based Community Support
In addition to family and churches, Christian homeschoolers benefit from the support of the wider Christian homeschool community. The support of such a community can be beneficial to children and encourage them to thrive.
This includes Christian groups and organizations, which provide structured activities and programs that are tailored towards the development of Christian homeschoolers. These can include extracurricular activities, field trips, sports and academic events among other things. Furthermore, members of the Christian homeschool community support each other, providing an invaluable resource for homeschoolers and their families.
Christian homeschoolers parents have access to support and information from other homeschooling parents, or ‘veteran homeschoolers’ who provide knowledge and guidance to new parents. Such a network can also offer prayer and spiritual guidance, as well as advice on curriculum, teaching methods and educational materials.
Increasing Flexibility and Opportunities
By homeschooling, Christian parents are also provided with a lot of flexibility when it comes to how and when they educate their children. In relation to this, Christian homeschoolers also believe that by homeschooling, children are provided with more opportunities than those in public schools. These including having a better chance of getting into a good college, being able to travel the world, increased focus on what the students are strong in, and the opportunity to build a strong moral compass with Christian values at its core.
Christian homeschoolers also believe that their children can have a richer experience through homeschooling. This is because they are in control of their children’s education and can incorporate activities, trips and opportunities that may not be available in a traditional classroom environment.
Also, they are able to provide a variety of activities, including sports, music, drama and art.
The Pros and Cons of Christian Homeschooling
When considering Christian homeschooling, it’s important for parents to consider the pros and cons. On the pro side, parents are in control of their children’s education and are able to provide a more personalised approach. Furthermore, children can benefit from the camaraderie and support of other Christian homeschoolers and participate in faith-based activities and community events.
On the con side, homeschooling may isolate children from the traditional group settings and opportunities, as well as social interactions that come from attending a traditional school, which can impede their development.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Christian parents choose to homeschool their children in order to provide their children with a faith-based education that aligns with their values. Furthermore, they hope to protect their children from negative influences, provide more love and guidance, and give their children the opportunity to grow and thrive in an environment that is built around faith.
Homeschooling is not without its risks and it’s important that Christian parents weigh the pros and cons carefully and seek advice from the wider Christian homeschooling community to ensure they are making the right decision. Ultimately, homeschooling is a personal decision and Christian families will have to decide what is best for their children.