I worry about peer pressure – not with the children, but with the parents.
As homeschooling becomes more common, and there are more and more parents homeschooling, there seems to be an increase in peer pressure. Parents feel they should join a homeschool coop, or participate in dual enrollment, or use a specific curriculum or join a particular accreditation group. I encourage parents to look at their children, not other parents, as they make decisions about school. Instead of searching for the latest and greatest new ideas or curriculum, focus on tried and true methods.
There are many homeschool fads that come and go. Homeschool cooperatives, dual enrollment in community college, parent partnership programs, online classes, and classical education are current fads. Although fads, they may fit your child. But even though they are popular, they may not work for your family.
Don’t join groups or try something new just because someone else is doing it. First, determine if you need to make a change. If things are working, don’t change it! Then decide if the curriculum or experience is a good fit for your family. Avoid peer pressure – even pressure from other well-meaning homeschool parents.
Learn how to homeschool with confidence with my Preparing to Homeschool High School DVD. It will help take the fear away.
Anyone ever been in a situation where an in-law is pressuring you to make all the cousins be together in an exclusive little homeschool co-op of just relatives? Happened to us, and there was absolutely no way it was going to work. The aftermath of the reaction to our polite “no thank you” was awful. But in the long run, it was well worth enduring the flak we got. Please, please, please stand firm and do the right thing by your kids, whether it means a co-op or doing occasional things with another family or going solo.
This is so true. And thanks for the comment JW… I agree.
I even avoid curriculum fairs and homeschool conventions. I KNOW that if I went to these gatherings I would feel pressure to change to the latest and greatest. I KNOW I would feel as if our homeschool was lacking and that I wasn’t doing enough. The curriculum we use and the way we do things work for us…no reason to change!