A friend and fellow homeschooler asked recently what my answer was when people inquired why I homeschool. I replied that it depended on who was asking and what I thought their motivation might be. Even when I thought I could trust the question and the questioner, I didn't have a neat little response to pull from my pocket.

When I'm feeling feisty or rebellious, I'm likely to lace the truth with defiance which usually gets me into more trouble than I need. If I'm in an insecure or tenuous phase, I meekly back-off and sound less confident than I know I am. Sometimes if the timing is just right and the stars are all correctly aligned, I answer with a straight-forward, secure and inarguable statement. I don't know why I forget to write those down for future referral!

My friend's query did get me thinking . . . and thinking quite a bit. I know the pieces I write for the newsletter help me to clarify my own reasons for homeschooling. But they are often so philosophical that it's hard to one-line a response to someone asking in a casual manner. I decided to see what I'd get from asking others this same question. The following is a taste of each person's thinking.

I think society needs to change in a very fundamental way. We need to do this on an individual basis which is difficult, if not impossible, to do when immersed in part of the system that needs changing. I always wonder why they're asking us.

• Are they waiting to judge us?
• Do they want to argue?
• The truth is I don't believe the quality of the education our kids would be getting is up to par. I can do better. I don't say that very often though.

For our family it works very well. We have better control of our priorities and values. I think standard education is too narrow. I remember coming through high school and college feeling intelligent but incompetent.

I used to say it was for religious or philosophical reasons, and because it provided the best possible education for the kids. But now that's changed to: it's best for the kids because it allows them to be more complete human beings. By following their interests, they are living in a more real world with real people. They are their own little beings, not just a part of the big machine.

Partly because we avoid the problems in the public schools. We don't have to deal with the drug problems, the violence or the lack of morals.

I like having my kids around. I didn't spend six years helping them become decent people just to ship them off for someone else to enjoy. I think they're closer to their siblings than most of the kids I see.

I prefer that my child spends segments of time with all ages of children and adults. I don't like the peer grouping and pressure that happens in regular school. I think that atmosphere is what ultimately leads to the "teen problem" that exists today.

I like the child-led learning. I want them to be able to explore their own interests. I like the flexibility. We hope to do a lot of traveling eventually, and it will be much easier to do if we don't have to deal with a school system or the adjustments we'd have had once the kids were in that system.

There were humorous one-liners –

• "If you knew my first born you'd know why!"
• "Because they don't give me a choice!"
• And this observation offered
  from one of those questioning outsiders,
  
  "Guess they can't cut class, can they?"

Out of curiosity, I asked Kellin (our eldest) why he liked homeschooling. This was his list of reasons: I don't get teased, don't need to ride the school bus, don't have to get up early and I get to choose the schoolwork I want.

As one mom said -- there are about a million reasons why we homeschool. You can probably find parts of yourself in most of the reasons stated above. They're all good for discussion, certainly.

I have to share the response of one dad with you because it's the one I'm going to put in my pocket. In the future when I need the perfect response that doesn't challenge, threaten or beg confrontation, I'll have it to refer to. In fact, I think it opens the door for exploration and nurtures an environment for intelligent exchange of information.

Question: "Why do you homeschool?"
Answer: "Because the lifestyle suits us!"

This article was originally printed in the July 1995 edition of HELP-UP News. Blythe Pelham is with HELP-UP which is a non-profit support group in Negaunee, Michigan. She now lives in Ohio.
You can contact her.

"Are You Qualified to Homeschool?"
by Julie Gattis
excerpted from "McGraw Hill Homeschool Companion"
hosted by Joe Spataro
Julie Gattis is a homeschooling mom of four children and the co-author of the McGraw Hill Homeschooling Companion. She took her experience and collaborated with her co-author Laura Saba to create a book which is a comprehensive guide containing vital information. In this interview and FREE excerpt from her book, Julie shares with us some of her insights on what it takes for a parent to be "qualified to homeschool" and also some tips on educating children with special needs.

Gour-den Delights
Using gardening as part of a homeschooling curriculum
by Blythe Pelham
As an artist I'm very much a create-as-I-go kinda gal. Our children have been homeschooled since birth, though since I think of life as learning it often seems silly to me to label what we do as schooling. One method I frequently use in guiding/teaching involves doing something I enjoy and pulling the children into the activity along with me. One such passion for me is gardening. Our current gardening project took us in many directions from which learning can 'grow' from a garden! Our gourds have seeded projects in music, history, art, science, marketing, and more. Take a look at what we've done and tell us what you're doing!

Unschooling - Learning Through Everyday Life
by Suzannah Harris, editor of "The Unschooler" e-zine
Children are better off learning at home, away from the traditional teaching techniques offered by public and private schools. Unschoolers contend that none of us excels at everything, and to expect children to excel in all subjects is unrealistic and harmful to a child's self esteem, drawing children away from feeling useful, productive and involved in the mainstream of the community and society in general. Unschooling parents discover that there are many ways that different children learn the same things, that each child's view of the world is unique, and that choice of methods, tools, etc., can be in constant change. Find out more.

"Is My Child Gifted?"
by Jane Smith
There are many forms of giftedness. A gifted student, "shows, or has the potential for showing, an exceptional level of performance in one or more areas of expression." There are five areas of giftedness: Visual & Performing Arts; General Intellectual Ability, Creative Thinking, Specific Academic Ability and Leadership

"Special" Education
A homeschooling success story
by Beth Bruno
Increasingly, parents who are disenchanted with public schools are educating their children at home. In a study conducted in 1997 by Dr. Brian D. Ray, President of the National Home Education Research Institute, data indicate there are approximately 1,230,000 American children being taught at home. See the story of Todd's parents, who made lemonade out of lemons, when Todd was having problems in school.