In the 2024-2025 school year, homeschooling continued to grow across the United States, increasing at an average rate of 5.4%. This is nearly three times the pre-pandemic homeschooling growth rate of around 2%. Notably, 36% of reporting states recorded their highest homeschool enrollment numbers ever — exceeding even the peaks reached during the pandemic.
I’m in a dilemma. My kid is nearing school age. My wife already stays at home with the kid. I live in a fairly rural, conservative area. My wife is a former science teacher and we both have masters degrees. I look at the people we live around and wonder, is it going to be a good idea to send my kid to school? Especially because they are already showing advanced capabilities.
Social interaction is really, really important, right?
I think you aren’t giving other little kids enough credit. They aren’t their parents. I had good friends with awful family cultures, and I’m better for knowing them.
I think you may be judging ‘rural’ neighbors a little harshly, too. And your own kid, especially if they are bright.
…It doesn’t mean you can’t supplement their curriculum though, or advance them. My Dad grew up in a really poor area in the deep, deep south. But he just skipped grades, and didn’t come out as a religious nut or anything, and he didn’t have the benefit of two masters degrees parents.
…I’m bringing this up, because I also knew some homeschooled people, and I feel like it screwed them up. Different situation, but still, the isolation makes me very hesitant.