I wanted to be the infleunce in my kids lives as they developed their moral and intellectual compass.

1-Public school was sucking the life out of my son.
2-Son's educational needs were in no way being met at public school
3-Son was coming home with a tremendous amount of absolutely WRONG/FALSE information
4-Spent more time dealing with the teachers' problems than my child's education
5-Was appalled by what my son WASN'T being taught
6-Homeschooling was the best and only reasonable thing to do

We homeschool for many reasons, many of which were on the list. However travel is one of the highest on my list. There is no better way to learn how much we are all alike and learn to value all people equally than to share time with them in their own culture. And there is no better way to show all the wonderful ways we are different. Not to mention how much gratitude we can learn while standing over a hole in a concrete floor with a cold water tap next to us wishing we could just sit on that nice comfy toilet with the soft toilet paper we have back home. This, I believe, is the best way to create a global village with responsible citizens of the future- to "socialize" if you will. I'm sure it is hardly necessary to say now how I feel about the limited, discriminatory, biased slice of colonial-centered history served up in public school. The world at large is a much better classroom with an infinite curriculum. Plus, I just love being with these wonderful people I am lucky enough to call my children.

We don't Home 'school' we home educate.....it's a way of life not a schooling choice.....

Having taught in public schools, I knew they wouldn't meet the needs of my advanced son. Private schools are expensive. We actually had him in a private school for a few months, but they didn't believe me when I said he could read at three and do basic math, and didn't bother to pursue either with him. When I told the principal my son could read, he asked in astonishment, "Who taught him?" I replied that I had, as he had wanted to learn how. The principal looked at me in disbelief. How could a mere parent teach their child anything of value? I decided soon after that it was a lot of money to spend for nothing. I figured we had "homeschooled" our son up to that point, we could continue to do so from then on. Our sons (we now have two) love learning and exploring. I believe their enthusiasm would be killed in a traditional environment.

All of the above wasn't an option. Mainly because of CA's sex ed program is not all it is cracked up to be and teaches immoral acts as equal to marriage and abstinance.

My son hated school and asked to be homeschooled. I love the flexibility and they fact that we have grown so much closer in many ways.

Flexible schedule!

I wish you had "all of the above" as a choice! While I always liked the idea of home schooling, it took a major incident at my sons' school(the youngest was abandoned for several hours on the preschool handicap bus), followed by persecution of my oldest son for "telling," that made the decision for me. We love home schooling! I wish I'd never let people talk me into sending the boys to public school. After Columbine, my mother apologized to me for not supporting home school from the start. I only wish public schools were safe places for the kids whose parents won't home school them.