It is no secret that the public-school system in the United States has its struggles. Some school districts are better than others, but that only highlights the true underlying issue – that not all students have the same educational opportunities.

As a parent, you want what’s best for your child and that includes a good education. If you don’t feel like you can count in the public-school system in your area, you might be considering another option. Homeschooling gives you the power to control your child’s education while giving your child freedom to learn in a way that suits him best. Keep reading to learn more of the benefits of homeschooling.

Here are some of the benefits of homeschooling your child:

• You have greater control over your child’s curriculum – this is a benefit if you want to include religion or certain cultural values in your child’s education.
• You can cater the education to your child’s individual learning style – this is particularly important if your child has learning challenges or is particularly gifted.
• It can be an opportunity for you to develop a stronger bond with your child and it is a way to spend more time together as a family.
• It allows for greater flexibility in your child’s schedule – this allows you more freedom to include other activities such as sports, music, or other activities.
• You can protect your child from certain negative influences that might be present in public school – things like drugs, violence, or underage drinking.
• It allows you to provide more personal interaction and one-on-one instruction than most public schools are able to provide.
• You have the freedom to discuss controversial topics at your discretion – you don’t have to worry as much about your child being exposed to sensitive subjects before they are able to understand them or appropriately react to them.
• It allows you the ability to focus on your child’s mental and emotional needs in addition to providing a high-quality education.
• Your child will have more time for community service, volunteering, and working a part-time job, if these are things you value and want for your child.
• It works particularly well for families who move around a lot – particularly for military families – because your child won’t be displaced and moved from school to school.
• You can give your child more time to learn certain concepts or to move ahead to the next subject if they’ve already mastered it – your child learns at his own pace.
• It allows you the freedom to incorporate life skills into your child’s education – things like creating a budget, learning how to do laundry, etc.

Homeschooling is not a guaranteed solution. It takes a great deal of time, planning, and dedication to create and implement an effective homeschooling curriculum. You’ll need to take your child’s education seriously and find ways to fill the gaps that are bound to appear when your child leaves the public-school system. If you do it right, there are plenty of benefits, but it’s not something to do halfway.