What I'm about to say is definitely going to offend some people, possibly even people that I really love and admire. But this is one of those #SorryNotSorry moments. Brace yourselves.
I. HATE. Homeschooling.
Don't get me wrong; there are some amazing school programs other than public school. And there are some kids who need to be homeschooled for whatever reason: social anxiety, bullying, being part of a family that moves a lot, etc. Some families can make it work, giving their kids the education and social interaction that they need. But overall, this is pretty much how I feel about homeschooling:
If you know me well, you're probably thinking: well of course she hates homeschooling, she's a teacher! She's a bit biased! And you're definitely right, I am biased. But I'll be the first to admit that the public school systems are pretty messed up, no matter where in the United States you live. There are always going to be evil teachers, crazy principals, lack of funding or an overemphasis on things that there shouldn't be, and hundreds of other headache-inducing problems. But you know what? That's life. That's the real world. No matter where you go, there are going to be people you don't like. And when you grow up and go to college or get a job you're going to have to interact with people or do things that make you want to rip your hair out and crawl into a hole, never to be seen by society again. But that's how life is.
While there evil teachers, there are also some incredible ones. I would have never pursued my goal of becoming an English teacher if not for the inspiring and just overall fabulous examples I had. Not all of the teachers I had were amazing, though. I've always loved English, but some teachers made me almost hate it because of their attitude towards teaching and/or their students, or even life in general. But again, that's just how the real world works!
Whatever form of school you decide to provide for your kids, they need exposure to people outside of their family or immediate circle of friends from church, the neighborhood, or wherever. Part of growing up is doing new things, meeting new people, and experiencing things that can be scary. These adventures (good and bad, mind you) help shape us into who we are and give us a better idea of how we should interact with others.
