It is assumed that a child who is not interested in homeschooling should be heard yet a child who is not interested in going to school should accept attending. If it is a parents choice to send a child to school regardless of the child’s wishes then shouldn’t the parent also have the authority to make the same decision about homeschooling? Seems logical to me. Yet, I hear of parents not homeschooling because the child does not want to be homeschooled. I hear of well meaning family and friends who tell a homeschool parent that perhaps the choice needs to be reconsidered because the child is unhappy. Funny, I never thought about telling a parent to take her child out of school because she is unhappy with her teacher or the amount of homework she gets.
Do not waiver in your decision to homeschool because your child disagrees with your choice. Educational decisions are made by praying parents not the immature mind of a child. We make decisions for them, with their best interest at heart, every day. We decide what they eat. We decide their bedtime. We decide that brushing their teeth is not optional. We decide what age is appropriate for sleepovers..if ever. We make decisions they don’t like without wavering because we see the big picture. If you decide that homeschooling is not the right choice, just be certain that choice, like any other, was made in prayer and in the best interest of your family.
Yet, in the back of our minds we still want our children to be on board. I agree having a child on board with homeschooling is advantageous. But it is not a necessary requirement. What is necessary is that you set the precedent that homeschooling is what your family does and that’s it. Keep it simple, loving, and firm. There is no reason to try and persuade our children to be on our side. Don’t put yourself in the position of making decisions together that merit only a parent’s authority. When I was in school, not once did my mom allow me to miss because I didn’t want to go. She just told me I had to go and I went. Guess what? I survived. Your children will not hate you. Children go through phases. We go through phases. We don’t change the game due to a phase; we stay the course. Change should occur based on need not a whim.