Are your homeschooled children ok?
An odd question, to be sure. Of course they are. They’re happy, healthy, and well-fed, at least most of the time. They are learning and thriving. What more can you ask?
But sometimes people ask the question. How can you know that your children will be all right, if you’re doing this odd thing with their education? How can you be sure?
First off, you can’t be sure. Things happen, and nothing is certain in life. Hopefully, schooling and life in general prepare our children for these uncertainties.
But secondly, challenges aside, what do you mean by “ok”? What I mean by ok might be very different from what you mean.
I would like my child to grow up to be happy and healthy. I would like her to have a life where she can fulfill her basic needs for food and shelter and be comfortable on top of that, whatever comfortable might mean to her. I would also like her to be able to pursue her interests, whether those interests are rock climbing or law or anything else that might tickle her fancy. I would like her to be kind to others and to have a purpose in the world. That is all, really.
What does ok mean to you? Does it mean that your children are well-partnered? That they are literate? That they have jobs that pay a salary of XY or Z per hour? If so, then your education can work toward those goals.
Me, I figure that children have a way of growing up and choosing their own paths in life, so I figure that I’ll keep it simple. Help her become literate in reading, writing, math, finances, and social skills. Help her explore her passions. Help her understand herself and her needs so that she can create the life that she wants. Help her understand her body’s needs so that she can stay healthy. That’s all. And if all that happens, hopefully she will be ok.