As a parent, it can be hard to decide on the best option for your child – homeschooling or an early learning centre?
Homeschooling is becoming increasingly popular, with many young families opting to homeschool their children instead of sending them to early childhood learning centres. Homeschooling has a lot of benefits that people are often unaware of, but some disadvantages need to be spoken about as well.
On the other hand, early childhood learning centres have many benefits and fewer disadvantages than homeschooling. However, it all comes down to what you feel is best for your child at the end of the day!
Here’s everything you need to know about homeschooling and early childhood learning centres, so you can make the right informed decision for your child.
In This Article
Benefits of Homeschooling
There are a range of benefits that both you and your child can enjoy with homeschooling. The first and most obvious benefit is that homeschooling is far cheaper than sending your child to school. While there are some costs associated with turning your home into a learning environment, it is far more cost-effective than those annual bills that you have to consider when budgeting.
Furthermore, homeschooling allows you to be with your child more often. As a result, you form an even closer relationship with your child by adopting an educator role.
As a result, you can form an even closer relationship with your child by adopting an educator’s role in their lives. This can allow you to have an in-depth understanding of your child’s needs and how to meet them both inside as well as outside the classroom.
Academic studies have also found that children are generally more happy and content when homeschooled. This can be attributed to being consistently with their family and feeling safer in a supportive environment.
Disadvantages of Homeschooling
A fundamental disadvantage of homeschooling is that it can be challenging when your child enters a traditional schooling environment.
Homeschoolers may struggle socially, as this approach can often inhibit their interactive and relationship building skills. If a child experiences a lack of social development, they can find it difficult later in life to make meaningful connections with their environment and the people around them.
Moreover, homeschooling requires far more parental attention and care than early childhood learning centres. Effectively, when you choose to homeschool your child, you take on the role of a parent and an educator, which can be highly demanding.
Benefits of Early Childhood Learning Centres
There are various benefits that your child can enjoy in early childhood learning centres. Firstly, children are more likely to be prepared for formal academic institutions when they attend school instead of being homeschooled.
Furthermore, your child can thrive in local early education centres as trained professionals can guide them to academic growth and success. These professionals are equipped with up-to-date educational strategies and techniques, such as inquiry based learning, that allows for cognitive engagement and development.
Disadvantages of Early Childhood Learning Centres
However, while early childhood learning centres offer various benefits, they can also have some limitations. The first is this certain degree of abnormal peer pressure to start interacting and create meaningful relationships with other students. Homeschoolers generally don’t experience this forced pressure and instead continue developing their social skills in a natural and safe setting with family members.
Also, early childhood learning centres tend to be quite expensive and therefore are not ideal for those families under a tight budget. Raising your child is already a costly emotional investment, and early childhood learning centres can sometimes cross the line when it comes to organising finances.
So, What’s Better?
It all comes down to what you feel would work best for your child! Homeschooling has become very popular and provides many benefits that are great for children. Still, Early Childhood Learning Centres also have some benefits, which is why Homeschooling vs ECC can be difficult. For example, homeschooling may not do as well with teenagers when it comes time to attend high school and develop strong social skills. In contrast, early childhood learning centres provide this opportunity.
In addition, homeschoolers get the advantage of spending more one on one time with their parents while kids who go to early childhood learning centres don’t always experience this luxury.
The best option would depend heavily on your child’s needs! If you think they won’t need interaction outside of the home or academic development, homeschooling will suit them better than attending an early childhood learning centre. If your child benefits from developing strong interpersonal relationships at a young age, then early childhood learning centres will be the best option for them.
