Many people think homeschooling is a fun learning method because it is done at home with free study hours. Moreover, the jargon that is often used by parents who apply homeschooling to their children is a curriculum adjusting children’s interests and potential. As a result, many parents are interested in applying this learning method to their children.

Dona Matthews, PhD., Child development psychologists say that homeschooling is quite a trend in North America. It is estimated that there are as many as 3% of homeschoolers registered there. “And this number continues to increase because many parents feel it is better to educate and teach their own children.”

But before implementing homeschooling, Matthews also reminded parents to better recognize the benefits and impacts that might arise. That way, parents can anticipate challenges that can occur when implementing homeschooling. Here are the positive benefits and negative effects of homeschooling, according to Mattews, as reported by Psychology Today.

Benefits of homeschooling

Efficient and flexible

More flexible learning time with a more relaxed learning atmosphere. The material learned is also given according to the ability of children, unlike in schools that follow the specified targets. The learning model is more efficient because it follows the interests and abilities of children.

A safe and warm place to study

Because most learning is done at home, parents can make learning situations more warm and enjoyable. “This can keep children from the risk of abuse or violence,” Matthews wrote.

Can accommodate special study time

Children who are also athletes or artists usually choose to homeschool because they can study anywhere. The athletes, for example, when they have to make preparations for the match if implementing homeschooling, they need not be afraid to miss the subjects at school.

Providing fun learning spaces for children with special needs

According to Matthews, many parents of children with special needs choose homeschooling because the curriculum can be adapted to the child’s condition.

Make parents participate in the learning process

Because parents become facilitators in the learning process of children, homeschooling is also a means of learning for parents and especially learning to recognize the character of children so they can more optimally develop their talents.

Make children more achievers

Matthews said that several studies have shown that the homeschooling learning model is more structured to develop children’s interests, which in fact has an effect on better academic achievement.

Impacts that must be anticipated:

1. Role conflict: Actually, parents and teachers have different roles in a child’s life. When parents play an active role as a teacher, it is not uncommon for parents to not be able to distinguish between their attitudes as parents or teachers. This means that there can be a bias in the learning process.
2. Being a new source of stress: It is undeniable that boredom studying at home every day must be felt by both parents and children. Therefore, do not hesitate to create a new atmosphere of learning, for example, studying in the park so that children and parents return to the spirit of implementing homeschooling.
3. It makes children difficult to socialize: Homeschooling makes children have no chance to interact more with different types of people. To overcome this, Matthews suggests joining the homeschoolers community. In addition to children being able to hone their social interaction abilities, the community also makes children feel they have the same themes of learning at home as he does. This can support the formation of children’s confidence.
4. Financial readiness to prepare learning materials and self-study tools: Need to prepare the money to buy books or learning tools every month. But now there are many learning materials available that can be downloaded for free.
5. Children become monotonous: Making children always curious about new things, according to Matthews, is one of the biggest challenges parents have when applying the homeschooling model. Because everything is made according to the wishes of the child, Matthews suggested that parents or facilitators should create learning methods that arouse children’s curiosity. “Parents must always be more up to date than children to provoke the desire of children to explore.”