• I prefer to choose the time, place, and manner for educating my children in the use (misuse) of recreational drugs as well as the consequences of such use. 

My friend's 6th grader waits at the bus stop every morning with a group of middle school and high school students.  She knew the older kids were smoking, but didn't realize WHAT they were smoking.  Several weeks into the school year, a construction worker employed by my friend drove by the bus stop and noticed a suspicious odor wafting through the air!  He told my friend, who in turn called both schools. 

Cue: "Whacha gonna do when they come for you? Bad boys, bad boys, whacha gonna do?"

Several days later the kids at the bus stop had the privilege of experience what most people only get to see on COPS!.  A police car raced up to the stop and two officers jumped out and performed a "drug bust" right there at the bus stop.  They targeted only the guilty parties (thankfully), dumped a pile of marijuana and "paraphernalia" on the hood of the cruiser, and promptly hauled the bad boys off to the police station. Wow.  Not your typical morning at the bus stop. Thanks, but no thanks.  My kids can learn about drugs in slightly less dramatic fashion.

But just in case some public school kids miss out on learning about drugs at the bus stop, maybe they can find this book in their school library. 

• I prefer to choose the time, place, and manner of my child's sex education. 

Pretty much all that needs to be said about this particular subject is contained in the story itself.  CLICK HERE.  (Incidentally, all charges were dropped against this man, but the school STILL refuses to notify parents when homosexuality will be discussed in the school's classes...even kindergarten classes!) Even more horror stories out of Massachusetts here.

• Homework is a waste of time.
  

If a child understands what the teacher taught, homework is redundant...and a waste of time.  If a child doesn't understand what the teacher taught, the homework will only be confusing...and a waste of time.  The 6th grade student that lives next door to me does between 2-3 HOURS of homework some nights. That's insane.  The kid just spent almost 8 hours in school.  As adults we get paid overtime for anything over 8 hours.  If you can't teach what you need to in 8 hours, you shouldn't be teaching.  Period. 

• Homeschool is WAY cheaper than public school.

I cannot believe how much it costs my friends and relatives to send their children to public (taxpayer funded!) school. WAY more than it costs me to homeschool (not taxpayer funded!) And my kids are getting a better education. Hands down.

• Liberal politics have completely ruined education in our country.

And the list goes on...and on...and on...OKAY, so I have alot more than 10 reasons why I homeschool...that's a GOOD thing, right???

Going through some old pictures yesterday, I found this...

I LOVE that my kids can "do school" like this!!  I'm fairly certain she had on PJ's under that blanket!

Last week I posted The Top 10 Reasons Why I Homeschool, but my list is growing!  A few days ago I added Reason #11 and now I've stumbled on yet another reason why I won't send my daughters to public school!

I was "blog-surfing" the other day and happened upon Reason #12 HERE in a blog by HSB Senior Editor, Tia Linschied.

The #12 Reason Why I Homeschool:

At school in my home, my girls "won't have to face an onslaught of feminine product mayhem."

I just have to add another reason to my "Top 10 Reasons Why I Homeschool" list. 

I was reading a wonderful post (you go, Dippy!) the other day on JenIG's GREAT blog about her son finally starting to read.  It reminded me of yet another reason why I homeschool.

Reason #11:  Homeschooled kids don't get put into the "dumb" reading group or get "labeled" just because they aren't ready to read by the age of 6. 

My firstborn was a natural learner...the kind that could learn in a room with no windows or doors.  The kind that makes you think you're a REALLY great teacher...heck, they'll probably be calling you to speak at a homeschool convention soon!

My second born reduced my lofty view of myself to something akin to dirt.

#2 has a late birthday, so she was almost 6 when she started kindergarten.  I expected her to be reading Shakespeare by Christmas.  By Christmas, she wasn't reading Hop on Pop....or anything!  But I wasn't too concerned...after all, she was only in Kindergarten. 

By the end of Kindergarten I began to get a teensy bit concerned.  By the end of 1st grade, panic set in!  Back then (it was the early 90's) I felt like I was homeschooling in a fishbowl surrounded by hungry cats!  I had something to prove and this child was not helping me prove it!

How silly I was back in those early years.  When she was ready, she started to read...WELL!  By the age of 10, she could read a Nancy Drew book in 2 hours and 36 minutes, give or take a few minutes. 

Which brings me back to Reason #11.  Before becoming a homeschool mom, I was a PS teacher...a special ed teacher.  I KNOW what would have happened to my daughter if she had been in school.  She would probably still be wearing the label.

"Why did you decide to homeschool?"

It's not an unusual question, in fact if I've answered it once in my 17 years of homeschooling, I've answered it a hundred times!  Well, from now on instead of trying to come up with an intelligent-sounding answer every time someone asks, I think I'll just hand them a copy of my recently created Top 10 Reasons Why I Homeschool.  Enjoy!

The Top 10 Reasons Why I Homeschool

10.  Pajamas are less expensive than school clothes.

  9.  Not all kids can color in the lines for 3 hours at the age of 5 1/2

  8.  The lines are shorter at Disney World in early October.

  7.  What could possibly be more fulfilling than actually being the one that gets to teach your child to read?

  6.  Kids NEED socialization that doesn't involve giving away their milk money to avoid being pushed down on the playground! 

  5.  Kids are allowed to sing "Away in a Manger" and "Joy to the World" in MY school.

  4. There's something seriously wrong with a system which thinks that it can place 30 children (half of whom are either ADD or ADHD) with 17 different learning styles into one classroom with one teacher and expect them all to learn something.

  3. School isn't supposed to be entertaining, it's supposed to be about learning.

  2.  I LIKE my kids and I WANT to be with them all day!

And the #1 Reason that I homeschool my kids is......

  1.  Homeschooling WORKS!!